Best Lock??

[Esco!]

I'm in the process of buying a new condo and I want to put 2 new locks on the frontdoor.
Does anyone know what the best locks are as far protection against burglary???

 

[bananaman]

I use Schlage, available at Home Depot. These are the locks my local locksmith uses as well - at about twice the price of Home Depot.

Easy to install if the hole is already in the door.

 

[KBear]

Might check to find out if you can put a second lock in the door before you start drilling holes. The condo corporation could order you to remove the lock and replace the door if it the second lock is not permitted.

Also, there are next to no break-ins in condos, why the 2 locks?

 

[VERYBADBOY]

Might check to find out if you can put a second lock in the door before you start drilling holes. The condo corporation could order you to remove the lock and replace the door if it the second lock is not permitted.

Also, there are next to no break-ins in condos, why the 2 locks?

First question is very important, check the rules.

You are correct on the break-ins given the building you are in, but many low security ones do get a lot.

In terms of a lock Medeco and Schlage are great, but their are certain models where you cannot make a copy of the key and locksmiths are asked not to as well.

Just go to any hardware store (HomeDepot/Rona/CdnTire) and asj to check out the locks. If you want something good check the Yellowpages under locksmiths.

VBB

 

[Jade4u]

Interesting, but I wonder what happens in the event you leave your keys at home in the desk and go to work and then get a paper cut on your finger. Would the lock still understand that it is still your finger? I think it is great that you would no longer have to search through a bunch of keys and find which key is the right one to put in a key hole.

 

[Esco!]

I'm actually not sure yet if I want 2 locks on the door
Right now i'm renting a condo in a building that has a concierge and it still got broken into.

That medeco lock looks good from what their website shows.

 

[peterabletare]

Downtown Toronto

I live in Yorkville at an undisclosed Condo, and frankly speaking, the security is so high, even I, a paranoid type of guy, think it's overdoing it. Sometimes I don't even lock my door when I go out, it's so safe! I think the security is so high because this place has a few celebrities...oh well...motion detectors, night vision cameras, daytime motion sensing cameras, window alarms...this place has stuff I'm not even aware of. Condoplex 2600...if anyone knows how to use one of those, please let me know LMAO. It's here and it never gets used!
Regards
Daniel

 

[Esco!]

I live in a condo, and I can tell you that I cannot change the lock on my own, the management office has to do that.

And, the management office, the super, and security all have to have a key (obviously a master key).

Chain on the door? Management will remove it ASAP if it gets in their way.

Under Ont. Law, the mgmt office MUST check to see if you have a working smoke detector on an annual basis. The office also needs to be able to access the unit in case of emergency (you plug up the bathtub, leave the water running, then go to Europe for 2 weeks).

But you must be renting and not owning because if you own you dont have to leave your key with anyone (as far as I know).

 

[peterabletare]

Got that wrong...

Winston...at all Condos, like the one I live in, I own the place but if I were to go out of town for a while or am going out for anything, the concierge would ask me to leave a key with him, in the event of some emergency, they should be able to get into your condo, and it's all for your own good. Say the guy upstairs dies and leaves the tub running and it overflows and soaks through the stone/hardwood into your section, they stop his taps and come down and start cleaning up your place and preventing and further damage. It's like living at a hotel basically, and you do pay condo fees on a monthly basis to pay for such things. I pay about $600 a month alone in Condo fees. All this I am saying from the perspective of where I live, some Condos along the lakeshore I heard just call themselves Condos as part of their USP, but in reality, they are just glorified apartments.
Regards,
Daniel

 

[Esco!]

This is the nicest area for condo's IMO

http://www.yorkvillecondominiumguide.com/html/condo.html

 

[peterabletare]

I agree...

I would definitely stick with Yorkville and their Condos...if you don't mind me asking, how much you buying your place per sq. foot? Here's a link for the Domus site:
http://www.diamantedevelopment.com/domus/domus_home.html
For some reason their site is down now...but I'm sure you could try later.
Regards
Daniel

 

[Esco!]

Sq Ft price they're asking is about $ 377 but that includes hydro, parking, heat, water etc

 

[Boyscout352]

Abloy Locks

 

[papasmerf]

Large hungry dog and a shootgun will kepp most unwanted people out.

 

[Esco!]

First off, the biggest threat to an unlawful entry into your condo is from the building staff themselves. By and large they are decent people like the rest of society but there are a few that are not. Like undercover cops, it is difficult to tell which ones are the good guys and which are the bad. The horrible thing is that they know when you leave and when you come home.

They can excuse their presence in your suite simply by saying they were cecking fo a leak or noise or something.

Trust me I know what I'm talking about here with direct experience.

Second off, Management does need and is entitled to a key for purposes of emergency entry ONLY!

If they require entry to your suite for routine or scheduled maintenenace they are required to give "reasonable" notice. That is not a knock on the door. It is a written notification under the Condominium Act defining the time and purpose of entry. You can choose to be home or not but they will are entitled to enter your suite.

My suggestion to anyone in a condo is to INVEST in a low cost Medeco or ASSA cylinder for whatever deadbolt lock already in your door.

The Medeco/ASSA cylinders are very difficult to pick or drill. ANY and I mean ANY standard single cut key can be opened in 5 seconds by a $50 pick gun like this one by anyone with five minutes practice.

The cost for a locksmith to come out and change your lock cylinder is no more than $150 to $200 at the most. MUCH less than the cost of ANYTHING they can steal or the cost of your insurance deductible.

Then get yourself a couple of keys and set one aside for the managemnet office.

Write them a letter and enclose the key in a double envelope.

Advise them that this key is ONLY to be removed from the sealed envelope and used for EMERGENCY PURPOSES!!!! Any other use is considered an unlawful criminal entry. Advise them that in the case of an emergency, that theya re to contact your number(s) at the earliest convenience in line with the resolution of the emergency.

Tell them in writing that you specifically DO NOT AUTHORIZE ENTRY for routine or other purposes without reasonable notice in writing as set out in the Condo Act etc. Advise that you WILL be home (even if you end up giving them "permisison to enter" on some occasions and have to give them a key that day-don't let them use the sealed one -keep the black magic if it alive!)

Seal the key in the envelope with the printed cautions on it as well as your phone numbers and then write on the inside envelope too!.

This will put the building staff on notice that you are security aware and that you IWLL NOT tolerate their breezig in and out of your home at will.

It is a horrifyingly insecure premise that of "Master Keys" to suites. Common but incredibly short sighted and irresponsible.

WOW....excellent advice Rub, I think I'll go with the Medeco and follow what you said to a tee.
The problem with having a concierge in your building is that they know exactly when you come and go. This leaves you a bit vulnerable IMO
Giving them a key in a sealed envelope is smart I must say. I think i'll put it in an envelope with an official company seal