As with many products, locks and cylinders also have quality standards such as British Standards or European Standard and as such when possible should be used. Insurance companies may specify such requirements when it comes to external doors and various other types of rooms such as offices, factories or such like. For further advice see our Insurance Advice page.
In brief, Cylinders are used to lock off certain types off locks, in the case of a multipoint lock in Upvc doors, the multipoint is placed into a position that would secure the door and then the cylinder fitted would be locked off thus fixing the multipoint into that position. In wooden doors the same principle applies to nightlatches (i.e. Yale locks). As every lock comes in varying degrees of security level, the higher levels generally carry either a British Standard Kite mark of the equivalent European standard or EN number.
Cylinders for nightlatches (i.e. Yale locks) come in a couple of standards, basically non British Standard and British Standard. A non British Standard cylinder will have the basic of security with either 5 or 6 pins which equal the amount of cuts on your key. They are easily by-passed by drilling or by a capable person picking. This level of security comes at a relatively low cost.
However, a high quality cylinder to British Standard will normally have more pins fitted and have a number of anti by-pass features which could include special pins inside the core to hinder picking, steel pins placed inside to hinder or prevent drilling and again the higher the quality the more features they will have, but again these come at a price.
Other cylinders such as Euro cylinders (pictured) most commonly used in Upvc doors are similar. However, these cylinders have features that are not required in Rim cylinders as they have their own specific vulnerabilities.
Euro cylinders where possible should be to either
SS312 Sold Secure Diamond Standard or TS007:2012 British Kite marked – 3 Star Rating.
Be aware that locks that have passed earlier standards have not been tested for cylinder snapping.
See this BBC video from 2012.
By snapping the cylinder in half allows access to the lock mechanism and potentially the ability to open the door. Therefore, quality cylinders have sacrificial cuts which assists by allowing just the outer part of the cylinder to be snapped away and the main body to remain intact and secure. To be most effective against snapping, the cylinder should have a steel connecting bar running between the two sides of the cylinder.
Euro cylinders also have anti drill pins similar to that of the rim cylinders. However, depending upon the type and the amount that the property owner is prepared to pay depends upon the overall amount of security features within the cylinder.
For ultimate security, why not get registered cylinders which means that every cylinder has a unique serial number and ONLY a registered owner or nominated person can get a key copied.
THIS IS a brief over view, for further details or to obtain one of our new fact sheets or details on our range of ABS – 3 Star Cylinders, British Standard High Security Cylinders, check out our Blog or call 01736 309 303
