Cylinder Locks: Advantages and Disadvantages

Cylinder locks make use of a cylinder mechanism that is opened by a key. When the key is turned in place, the pins inside the cylinder line up and cause the lock to open.

While cylinder locks have many advantages, they also have some drawbacks that could be major concerns. Here are some of the pros and cons of cylinder locks that are worth considering and may help you decide whether to install this type of lock on your entry doors.

Pros

• Can be quickly rekeyed;
• Can be reconfigured easily into a wafer tumbler lock, disk tumbler lock, or a pun tumbler lock;
• Can be set up as a single or double cylinder lock; and
• A master key can be created to open all the cylinder locks in your house.

Cons

• Can be forced open using lock picks, and
• Can quickly be opened by bump keys.

While cylinder locks are convenient to use, your home security may be compromised. If you wish to install cylinder locks, you may enhance the security of your door by adding other locks or by installing a security system.