Mortice Locks and Common Faults

Any modern BS3621 mortice lock is an excellent security measure to have in place at your home or business. Before the euro cylinder was introduced, almost all external doors had a mortice lock installed. A mortice lock is designed to fit into a specially cut hole within the door in which the lock is fitted. Mortice locks come in many different brands, despite this there are really only two types, a sash lock and a deadlock. A sash lock has a built-in handle whereas a deadlock has no handle so if this is something you wanted you would have to get a handle installed separately.

Common Faults With Mortice Locks

Much like any other lock, it is possible for a mortice lock to occasionally fail. Here at Alcatraz – Edinburgh Locksmiths some of the most common problems we come across include:

Broken Talon – This fault is easily identifiable, if when you turn the key in the lock it just moves freely without unlocking the door then the talon is defiantly broken. This is an issue that any good local locksmith can easily resolve.

Key Wont Open The Lock – There are a multitude of reasons that would cause this fault, it could be from an old an worn out key, leavers becoming worn from keys being left in the door, which can also stop other keys from working in the lock as well.

There are many other problems associated with mortice locks that locksmiths come across, however the best thing you can do is at the first sign of a problem with your mortice lock such as a lose handle or key not working properly then contact your local locksmith to come and replace the locks. By doing this sooner rather than later it can save you time and money as it will prevent further problems with the lock down the line that may leave you locked out of your property.

Do You Have A British Standard Mortice Lock?

Because mortice locks have been around for many years it is very common for us to be called out to a faulty lock and find that it is substandard, and many home and business owners are unaware. As the security industry is ever evolving and coming up with innovative new ways to combat burglars this means that over time the current locks you have installed will become substandard and need upgrading. Mortice locks that either meet or exceed the current British Standard BS3621 have longer bolts, more levers, and hardened cases which make them much more difficult for burglars to manipulate or force open.

If you are having problems with your mortice lock, or need your mortice lock upgrading to a higher security BS3621 lock then contact Alcatraz – Edinburgh Locksmiths today – 0131 467 7675