Magnetic Locks / Electromagnetic Locks / Mag Locks

Electromagnetic Locks or Magnetic Locks or sometimes called mag locks are great security devises and can be fitted on any type of door wooden, metal, upvc, composite or glass. They are also found on gates.

Magnetic Locks can come in different sizes and holding strengths the 2 most common sizes are 300 and 500 and are shown below.

Maglock 300

Maglock 500

You can also get mag locks that are made for double doors and are in an all in one housing.

Magnetic locks can be supervised or none supervised, in simple terms it means that the mag lock has a light on it to tell you if it is working or not.  If you look at the mag lock 300 picture it has a small red led on it this shows it is a supervised mag lock.

Magnetic locks need power to work and when power is applied the mag lock will turn on, when power is turned off the mag lock will not work. The mag lock can be turned on and off by various systems and switches.  Some of the most common switches found on mag lock systems are, push to exit switches, key switches, break glass units.

Push to exit buttons

Break glass units

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Magnetic Lock Installation

Magnetic lock installation should be carried by a competent installer and is not recommended to be installed by a DIYer.  The actual fitting of the mag lock to the door and frame can be quite straight forward but needs to be fitted with correct screws and bolts otherwise the mag lock can become loose and fall off and could hurt somebody.

If not installed correctly the mag locks will not hold the desired force.

The mag lock installation to the door and frame may need “L” and “Z” brackets to enable it to fit securely and properly.

Once the magnetic lock has been installed correctly you will then need to wire it into an existing system that has enough current or usually add another power supply to give you the right current and therefore the correct holding strength.

Magnetic Lock System

A Magnetic Locks System can come in many different forms but are usually wired into some form of Access Control System or Intercom System.  The Access Control System/Intercom System would usually have some sort of control panel on the outside where the user can either press a button to call someone or some can of keypad or some kind of reader that could have a tag/card/finger presented to it to allow the mag lock to open.

On the inside of the door or gate the magnetic lock can be released by a keypad/ break glass unit or push to exit button.

There are other sorts of Electromagnetic Locks but the ones talked about above are the most common, if you have any questions or we can be of further assistance please contact us.

Yale Conexis L1 Installation.

The Yale Conexis L1 Smart Lock is made for locks/mechanisms that have 92 centres door handles and have lift and lock mechanisms these are commonly found on upvc and composite doors but also used on wooden doors too. We can help with all Yale Conexis L1 Installations.

The way to check if the Yale Conexis L1 will work with your lock is to measure the centres which is measured between the centre of the door handle/spindle to the centre of the circular piece of the euro cylinder.  Your door thickness must be 44-70mm thick.  You also need to check that your mechanism/ lock is a lift and lock mechanism, this as described means you have to lift the handle then turn the key to lock.

The Yale Conexis L1 comes in a range of colours Black, Satin Chrome, Polished Chrome, Brass and White. These colours allow you to closely match the Yale Conexis L1 to your existing door furniture and door colour.

Some of the great feature that come with the Yale Conexis L1 Smart Locks include Keyless entry, yes say goodbye to your keys your smart phone now becomes your key.  Bluetooth technology via the mobile phone app allows you to open the door direct from your smart phone. The seamless function allows you to access the property by touching the approved smart phone on or near the Yale Conexis L1.

The Yale Conexis L1 also allows you to send and receive virtual keys from your smart phone, you can then send keys to your family and friends and choose to give them access for a few weeks or hours its up to you!

Its very easy to add and remove users all done via the app.

You can also use the Yale Conexis L1 with proximity tag or a card these are held against the Yale logo on the handle then a green light I shown and you can open the door.

To leave the property when the Yale Conexis L1 is locked you would use the thumb turn on the back/inside handle.

Have peace of mind when your loved ones are safely home, you will receive a notification informing you they are home.

No need to worry about installation you will have your Yale Conexis Smart lock up and running in no time with easy to follow instructions and a telephone help line if you get stuck.  The quick and easy installation can usually just be fitted with a screw driver no extra holes need to be drilled.

The Yale ConexisL1 Smart lock also features a tamper alarm and is powered by 4 AA batteries and has a low battery indicator that would inform you when your batteries need changing.

These handles operate up over garage doors but have been used in other circumstances as well.

 

We can also fit additional security to garage doors, the main extra security devises we fit on garage doors are:

 

 

Pacri Bolts

 

 

Pacri Bolts are additional security devises for garage doors they are mounted on the back of the garage dooor and are bolted through with coach bolts, they have a escutcheon ( keyhole cover ) on the outside of the door to help protect the lock from the weather and help located the key into the lock.  The bolt thats comes out is about a 70mm throw that locks into or behind the frame of the garage door.  They have a 4 sided crucifix key.

 

Garage Defender

 

The garage defender comes in a couple of different styles, colors and designs. The garage defender that is colored red in the above pictures has a closed surround giving the padlock more protection from possible attack.  Once in the locked position it rests close or up against the garage door preventing the garage door from being opened.  The garage defender has a metal bracket drilled into the floor with bolts, the bracket has half under the garage and the other half is outside where the garage defender “t” bar and padlock locks into.  These Garage Defender are Sold Secure which mean they have been independently tested to conform to police and Insurance companies standards.

 

 

Garage Bolts

If you can exit out of your rear door of your garage, we can also supply and fit bolts that are mounted on the back of the garage door but can only be opened and closed from the inside.

The bolts pictured above can be fitted left or right locking into or behind the frame or onto the top of the garage door locking into or behind the frame, they can also be fitted locking down into the floor.  You can get 2 main types of these type of bolts locking or non locking, the left hand picture is non locking and could be just lifted up from the inside, the right hand picture you are able to lock in place with a padlock.

Garage Door Locking Mechanisms

 

Garage Door Keys

If you do lose your keys we can supply you with new keys or and new lock.  On some garage door locks they actually have a key number stamped on it so you can go online and type in garage door keys and there are companies that would be able to cut new keys to that code on the lock.

The article below is a guide to inform you on the risks of locks for communal doors.  These issues are what we discover and how we advise our customers on the solutions.

Please note you should always check with your insurers and fire officer.

We go to a lot of properties that are multi-tenanted and either converted houses turned into flats or bedsits or purpose built flats.  At most of these properties, we come across the same type of concerns, and below are some of them and their solutions.

Insecure Lock for Communal Doors

Most of the communal doors on these properties are a standard Yale Lock, a Yale 89, or a Yale 85 or similar standard lock with a standard electric release on the frame side.

Standard Electric Release

Yale 89

Unfortunately, the standard Yale locks used are easily opened from the outside either by force, where the electric release snaps due to being made of weak metal, or with a piece of plastic or a credit card, enabling people to get in with no noise.

You can get some upgraded Yale-type locks that prevent the latch from being opened with a credit card or a piece of plastic, but the electric release is then still the weak part and would, and does, snap under force.

Upgraded Yale-type Locks

The above locks are more secure because they have an automatically deadlocking latch.

So, what we suggest and advise our customers is to upgrade the lock to a Cisa lock.

Cisa Lock

The Cisa lock is a lot more secure as it cannot be opened with a piece of plastic or a credit card, and the weak electric release on the frame is removed and fitted with a solid box keep.

The Cisa lock also has a deadlocking latch, which prevents it from being slipped with a piece of plastic or a credit card.  Instead of the weak electric release, the Cisa lock actually releases the latch when power is applied.  The red button on the back of the Cisa lock is pressed from the inside when people are exiting.

The Cisa lock is a straightforward upgrade for the standard 60mm back set Yale 89.  What we would do is remove the old Yale lock, put a new Cisa lock in its place, remove the old electric release and fit the new box keep.  We would need to extend the electric release wire, run round to the hinge side of the door and fix an armoured door loop to go across the door, then attach the wire into the Cisa lock enabling the Cisa lock to be released from the existing intercom system.  In some circumstances, we may need to upgrade the power supply.

We unfortunately do this type of work too often after the property has been broken into.

On many occasions, we have been round and the burglars have got in through the communal front door with now damage, and then have been able to break into one or even all of the flats. They are out of the sight of any passes by once through the communal door.

Flat Doors Broken In

Communal Doors with Fire Safety Issues

The other thing that we see a lot, which is a big no-no and a major risk if there’s ever a fire in the building, is a Chubb-type mortice deadlock fitted on a communal door.

If you have a lock on your communal door that you need a key to open from the inside, then you are at risk of being trapped if there ever was a fire.

I know it’s not nice to think about, but you need to consider if there ever was a fire in the flats or communal areas. If you come down trying to escape and find the door is locked, you, in all the panic, won’t have a key, and so you would be trapped.

You need to get in contact with your landlord or freeholder or get together with the other owners and get it changed. It’s not costly and can be changed within an hour.

The lock needs to be changed and upgraded to a lock with a turn on the inside; this enables you to open it from the inside without a key.

Locks with a Turn on the Inside

I know from experience people naturally think, “Let’s just remove the deadlock,” but only having the standard Yale-type lock on there is not ideal either; you need two locks or an auto=deadlocking night latch.

If you want, you can have the standard or auto-locking Yale-type lock and the turn lock keyed alike, so you only need one key to operate both of them. This saves money on having to get two keys cut and also reduces the amount of keys you need to carry around on your key ring.

Additional Security for Communal Doors

Once the above issues with your communal door have been resolved, we also advise some other security devises that would take the security of your communal door to the next level.

Letter Box Guards

Letter box guards come in a few styles; one is the cage style and the other is the solid metal style. You can also get the bag style. All these styles of letter box guards protect against the main forms of attack from potential burglars.

Cage Style Letter Box Guard

Solid Metal Style

Bag Style Letter Box Guard

These letter box guards make it difficult for potential burglars to put anything through the letter box and fish items out of the property.  They also make it difficult for burglars to look through the letter box and see if anyone is at home or if there is an alarm.  They also help prevent burglars from putting anything through and possibly opening the lock.

London Bars and Birmingham Bars

We also advise a London bar, which is a strip of metal that goes down the locking side of the frame. It goes round the keep of the Yale-type lock or Cisa lock and runs the full length of the frame and is screwed in various different places. This helps tie the whole frame together. It goes down the frame and protects the mortice lock keep, which if it were forced, would split the frame around where it is fitted.

London Bar and Birmingham Bar

On the hinge side of the frame, we advise fitting a Birmingham bar, which helps protect the hinges.  The Birmingham is a strip of metal that is screwed into place in various places, tying the whole hinge side of the frame together.  If the hinges were attacked, the wood that the hinges is screwed into is forced out and splits the frame, but the Birmingham bar helps protect against this type of attack.

Hinge Bolts

On the hinge side, we would advise what are called hinge bolts. These are fitted below the top hinge and above the bottom hinge. They are steel rods that are fitted in the door, and when the door shuts, it locks into a piece on the frame.

On the hinge side, we always advise hinge bolts,which lock permanently out. When the door closes, they lock into the frame. A Birmingham bar, which is another strip of metal, prevents the hinges from being forced out, kicked out or forced in. And of course, it helps reinforce the hinge side and the hinge bolts.

We want to make the communal door as secure as possible. So, the communal way is quiet a lot of the time; people are away most of the day, and burglars know this. Once they’re in, they can breakin through the communal door and shut it behind them.

Make sure you get that communal door really secure. Thank you.

WINDOWS, LOCKS AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

To start out, what I say in this blog post is what we have experienced in the years we have been working as locksmiths and asking our customers what their insurance policies require.

You must check with your insurer, as some policies may vary.

This is what we found when we’ve been called to our customers’ properties to upgrade their locks to insurance standards. We have looked at their policies and we found the same when we’ve looked at our own insurance policies.  The locks what we’ve fit over the years are always the same locks to conform to what insurers require.

So, 90 percent of all insurers require key-operated window locks on all windows accessible from the floor or a flat roof.  Some even say if you can climb a gutter and get to the window, those windows also need to be key-operated.

There are two main types of wooden windows.  They are:

Window Locks

There are the various types of locks available:

• Manually-locking locks.  These require that you push down or around a part of the lock in order to lock onto the other part.  Once this is done, insert the key and lock the two parts together.  To open the lock, turn the key and this releases the two parts.  You then open the window.

Each type of window is suitable for various types of locks.

Wooden Sash Windows

Sash windows are the type of window that goes up and down.  You can get various types of locks that fit on sash windows.  The main ones, which are usually fitted in the middle of the window, are called fasteners.

Heritage Fitch Fastener

The Heritage Fitch Fastener locks by turning the lever that is mounted on the inside window so it will lock into the piece on the outside window.  These locks are available in various colours, including brass and chrome.  This lock does not conform to insurance standards as it doesn’t lock with a key.

Quadrant Sash Window Fastener

The Quadrant Sash Window Fastener is mounted half on the outside sash window and half on the inside sash window.  The lever part is on the outside sash window and this locks into the keep part mounted on the inside window.  This style of sash fastener is available in different colours, including brass and chrome.  The lock pictured above does not conform to insurance standards as it does not lock with a key.

Brighton Sash Fastener

Brighton Sash Fasteners have a swing-over threaded piece that sits on the outside sash window.  This piece flips over and is seated in the grooved keep part that sits on the inside sash window.  Once in the groove, the nut is tightened in order for both parts to fit together.

There are many slightly different designs for fasteners, and they come in various colours.

There are many different types of locks you can get for sash windows that comply with most insurance policies, as most polices only require that they be locked with key- operated window locks.  The main types installed are shown below:

Sash Stops

Sash Stops are fitted to the outer sash window on the frame.  They prevent the inside lower sash window from moving past the outside sash window.  You can fit one right on top of the inner frame and prevent the window from moving at all.  You can also fit a stud higher on the frame to allow for an air gap but still have the window remain locked.  If your window is wider than 600mm, we advise fitting locks on both sides of the window.

Sash Stops Fitted at different heights

Sash Bolts

Sash Bolts have a brass sleeve part that is drilled into the inside sash window.  The bolt is then screwed through the inside window into the outside window, and locked in place with the key.  To unlock the Sash Bolt you simply turn the key and the bolt comes enabling you to lift the inside sash window or pull down the outside sash window.  The problem with these types of locks is that over time the windows can come out of alignment (usually one sits higher than the other) and the bolt does not go in or come out smoothly.

There are other locks suitable for Sash Windows.  The above are the most common.

Wooden Casement Windows

Wooden casement windows are the windows that are hinged either on the side or top and open outward. The older style wooden casement window usually has a casement stay and fastener.

Casement Fastener

Casement Stay

The newer style wooden casement windows have a single handle on the inside and a multipoint locking system.  This type of system is located on the side or underneath the window, and is not usually visible from the inside.  This type of locking system is commonly found on UPVC windows and double-glazed windows.

The newer style casement windows conform to insurances standards if they have a handle that is key-operated, and also have a multipoint locking system.  The older style casement window needs to be fitted with a key-operated lock to conform to insurance standards.

On older style wooden casement windows  you can get locks that operate automatically—you just shut the window and the locks are secured, and you open them by turning the key, or you can get manually-operated locks—when you close the window you manoeuvre the locking parts together, then lock them shut with a key.  All of these types of locks are made by various manufactures, including Chubb (ex-Chubb see article here), Union, Yale, ERA and many more.

Casement Window Locks (non-auto locking)

The pictures above show one of the most common non-auto locking wooden casement window locks. This type of lock has a piece fitted on the window frame and a piece fitted on the window. To it lock it you shut the window and flip the piece with the keyhole in it around the fixed piece on the frame. When you turn the key, a locking screw is threaded into the piece fixed to the frame (sandwiching both together, tightly).

Wooden Casement Window Locks (auto-locking)

Above are a several types of auto-locking wooden casement window locks.  This type of lock has one piece fitted on the window frame and the other part fitted on the window.  When the window is closed, the piece on the window automatically locks into the piece on the frame.  To open the window, you simply turn the key and push the window open.

If you need any help or advice, please contact us.  Thank you.