Should All Doors Have a Bump Proof Lock?
The answer to this is a resounding YES! If you don’t have a bump proof lock on all the external doors of your home, then you are leaving your home extremely vulnerable to burglars using a technique called lock bumping to break into your home.
The Lock Bumping Security Threat
What is lock bumping? Lock bumping is a lock picking technique which can be used to open about 90% of doors in American homes which use an old style cylinder lock. This requires inserting a specially modified key, called a lock bumping key, into the lock. The end of this key is tapped with a mallet so that the pins inside the lock cylinder jump into a position that allows the lock plug to slide out freely, therefore allowing the lock to open.
Most of the pin-tumbler locks used today are vulnerable to lock bumping, and these include the locks on most people’s front doors! The information on how to make a lock bumping key can be easily obtained off the internet. The lock bumping key can be made in 5 minutes, and the technique of lock bumping is simple enough to learn that anybody can do it. Using lock bumping, anyone can open your front door in a matter of seconds. Also, as the lock is undamaged by this technique, and there is no sign of forced entry, insurance companies may be reluctant to pay insurance claims.
What is a Bump Proof Lock?
A bump proof lock is not vulnerable to this lock bumping technique, and there are various kinds of bump proof locks available. One option is to buy a deadbolt lock which has a bump stop cylinder built into it, such as the bump proof locks from Master Lock. These locks have a night watch feature, that when engaged, prevents the lock from being opened by anyone from the outside – even if the correct key is inserted. The video below will show you exactly how these locks work…
The other kind of bump proof lock are the keyless access deadbolt locks. These locks normally have some form of electronic access, such as a keypad, or a fingerprint scanner. As these locks are not opened by a key, they are bump proof. The price of these types of locks have come down dramatically over the last few years, and now many home owners are buying these types of locks. The other advantage of these types of locks, is that you don’t have any keys to lose, and you don’t have to worry about keys being stolen.
Another type of bump proof lock is the remote control deadbolt lock. These locks are opened by pressing a button on a small IR remote control unit. Some of these remote control locks will work from a distance of 30 feet away, which is handy if a security situation arises whereby you need to lock/unlock the door from a distance. Also, if you want to give someone temporary access to your home, you just give them a remote.
Tags: bump proof lock, fingerprint lock, general home security, keypad lock, master lock, remote control lock
