Choosing the right door lock for a New Orleans home is not just a matter of picking the most popular option at the hardware store. The city’s older housing stock, high humidity, active rental market, and above-average property crime rates all factor into which lock types will perform well and which will fail within months. At Big Easy Iron Works, we install and reinforce security doors and hardware across New Orleans, and we see the results of both good and poor lock decisions every day. This guide covers every major lock type in detail, explains the ANSI grading system that tells you how tough a lock actually is, and addresses the specific security and durability concerns that matter most for New Orleans homeowners. For an even stronger first line of defense, explore our New Orleans security doors, which pair with any of the locks covered below.
Before comparing lock types, you need to understand the grading system that determines how well a lock is actually built. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) jointly publish performance standards for residential and commercial locks under the ANSI/BHMA A156 series. Every lock sold in the United States is theoretically testable against these standards, though not all manufacturers submit their products for testing.
Grade 1 is the highest ANSI/BHMA rating. Locks at this grade must survive 250,000 open/close cycles without failure, withstand a strike force of 360 pounds on the door-edge side, and pass tests for pick resistance, drill resistance, and deadbolt throw requirements. Grade 1 locks are the standard choice for commercial buildings, high-crime residential areas, and any door where forced entry is a serious concern. For New Orleans homeowners who want the strongest available protection without upgrading to a commercial-grade security door, a Grade 1 deadbolt is the baseline recommendation.
Grade 2 locks must survive 150,000 cycles and withstand 250 pounds of strike force. They represent the middle ground appropriate for interior doors that need keyed locks (such as a home office or storage room) and for exterior doors in lower-risk applications. Most locks sold at home improvement stores in the $30 to $80 price range are Grade 2.
Grade 3 is the minimum performance standard, with only 80,000 cycle requirements and 150 pounds strike resistance. Grade 3 hardware is appropriate for interior passage doors (closets, bathrooms without privacy concerns) but should not be used on any exterior door. Unfortunately, many low-cost lock sets sold at big box stores are Grade 3 or are not rated at all.
The UL 437 rating (from Underwriters Laboratories) is a separate certification specifically for high-security lock cylinders. It tests for pick resistance, key duplication control, drilling resistance, and manipulation resistance. Locks with UL 437-rated cylinders represent the top tier of residential security and are the type recommended when key control (preventing unauthorized key copies) is a priority.
Deadbolts are the most important lock on any exterior door. Unlike spring-latch locks (the type built into most knob and lever sets), deadbolts cannot be pushed or shimmed open because the bolt does not have an angled face. The bolt extends fully into the strike plate only when the key or thumbturn is deliberately actuated, and it retracts only when actuated again. This makes deadbolts dramatically more resistant to both forced entry and loid attacks (using a credit card or flexible shim to push a latch bolt back).
Single-cylinder deadbolts use a key on the exterior and a thumbturn on the interior. They are the standard choice for most exterior doors. The interior thumbturn allows quick exit in an emergency, which is an important life-safety consideration. For most New Orleans homes, a Grade 1 single-cylinder deadbolt is the appropriate choice for front and back doors.
Double-cylinder deadbolts require a key on both sides. They are appropriate for doors with glass panels near the lock, where a burglar could break the glass and reach in to turn a thumbturn. The tradeoff is that they require a key for emergency egress, which creates a safety risk in fires or other emergencies where you may not have your keys. If you install a double-cylinder deadbolt, keep a key hung near the door on a hook that is not visible from outside but accessible from inside.
A deadbolt’s throw (the distance the bolt extends from the door edge when locked) should be a minimum of 1 inch per ANSI Grade 1 requirements. But the throw length is only as good as the strike plate it engages. A standard builder-grade strike plate secured with 3/4-inch screws into a thin wood door jamb provides very little resistance to a kick-in attack. Upgrading to a reinforced strike plate (such as the Armor Strike or equivalent) secured with 3-inch screws that reach the wall framing beyond the jamb is one of the highest-value security improvements available for any price. In New Orleans, where door frame wood often has moisture damage that reduces its holding strength, a reinforced strike plate with long screws is especially important.
Schlage B60N or B62N (Grade 1 single and double cylinder) represent the best value at the Grade 1 level. Medeco Maxum deadbolts add UL 437 cylinder ratings and are appropriate for highest-security applications. Kwikset SmartKey deadbolts offer easy rekeying without tools, which is convenient for rental property owners.
Knob locks and lever locks are the handle-integrated locks found on most interior and many exterior doors. They use a spring-latch bolt that automatically extends when the door closes, and they are operated by turning the knob or lever from the inside (or using a key from outside when locked).
The spring-latch bolt in a knob or lever lock can be shimmed open with a credit card or thin metal strip if the door frame gap allows it. More seriously, the knob or lever itself can be broken off with channel-lock pliers or a hammer, exposing the spindle mechanism that can then be turned with a screwdriver. This is a known attack that takes less than 30 seconds. For this reason, knob and lever locks should never be the sole lock on an exterior door. They are appropriate as the primary lock for interior doors (passage, privacy, or keyed interior) but must be paired with a deadbolt on all exterior doors.
Passage locks (no locking function, turns freely from both sides) are appropriate for hallways, closets, and common areas. Privacy locks (push-button or turn-button locking from inside, emergency release from outside) are appropriate for bathrooms and bedrooms. Keyed lever or knob locks are appropriate for interior rooms that need to be locked from outside, such as a home office or storage room.
Mortise locks are installed by cutting a deep rectangular pocket (the mortise) into the edge of the door. The lock body, which is larger and more complex than a cylindrical lock, fits into this pocket. A mortise lock typically combines a spring latch and a deadbolt in a single unit, operated together by the door handle and separately by the key or thumbturn.
The mortise lock body distributes stress across a larger area of the door edge than a cylindrical lock does, making it more resistant to splitting and forced entry. The integrated deadbolt and latch mechanism means one product provides the function of two separate cylindrical locks. Many Grade 1 mortise locks also feature anti-pick and anti-drill cylinders as standard.
If your home was built before 1950, it almost certainly has mortise lock prep work in the doors (the rectangular pocket is already cut). Restoring or upgrading these mortise locks is often more practical than converting to cylindrical locks, since the conversion requires filling the mortise pocket and boring new cylindrical lock holes. Quality mortise locks from Schlage, Yale, or Corbin Russwin fit standard mortise prep dimensions and are readily available.
Smart locks replace the keyed cylinder with an electronic access mechanism (keypad, fingerprint, Bluetooth, or Z-Wave/Zigbee for smart home integration) while maintaining the mechanical deadbolt as the actual security element. The electronic components control when the deadbolt throws; the bolt itself is as strong as any conventional deadbolt.
The Schlage Encode is a Grade 1 deadbolt with a built-in WiFi module that connects directly to your home network without a hub. It supports up to 100 access codes, logs entry and exit events, and can be controlled remotely via the Schlage Home app. The Encode Plus adds Apple Home Key support. The Schlage Encode’s Grade 1 rating and the quality of its mechanical deadbolt make it one of the better smart lock options for security-conscious homeowners.
The Kwikset Halo is a similar WiFi-enabled deadbolt with up to 250 access codes. The Halo Touch adds fingerprint recognition. Kwikset’s SmartKey rekeying feature, which allows rekeying in seconds with a SmartKey tool, is especially practical for rental property owners who need to change access frequently.
The August Smart Lock Pro is a retrofit device that fits over your existing interior thumbturn without replacing the exterior keyway. This means you keep your existing key and lock cylinder, and the August adds smart access capability from the inside. It uses Z-Wave and Zigbee in addition to Bluetooth and connects to most major smart home platforms. For renters or homeowners who do not want to change their existing exterior hardware, this is a practical upgrade.
Electronic components in smart locks are vulnerable to moisture infiltration in humid environments. New Orleans’ 73% average humidity and frequent driving rain events mean that smart locks installed on doors without substantial overhead coverage are subject to moisture stress year-round. Look for smart locks with an IP65 or higher weather resistance rating for any exposed exterior application. Sealing around the exterior face plate with clear silicone caulk (without blocking the keypad or camera) adds an additional layer of protection. Check the battery compartment annually for corrosion and replace batteries proactively rather than waiting for the low-battery indicator.
Jimmy-proof deadbolts (also called surface-mounted deadbolts or rim deadbolts) are mounted on the interior surface of the door rather than being installed through a cylindrical hole. The bolt throws horizontally into a strike plate that is also surface-mounted on the door frame, and the interlocking design of the bolt and strike ring means the bolt literally cannot be pulled out without destroying the strike plate or the door frame around it.
Jimmy-proof deadbolts are popular in New Orleans rental properties and older homes for several reasons. They are easier to install than cylindrical deadbolts on steel doors or doors with unusual thickness. They are highly resistant to jimmy attacks (hence the name) because the bolt engages in multiple directions. And for doors where the frame is thin or damaged, a surface-mounted strike plate that wraps around the frame can provide better holding strength than a conventional strike plate recessed into damaged wood.
Jimmy-proof deadbolts are a good choice for secondary exits (back doors, side doors), apartment doors in buildings with frequent tenant turnover, and any door where a conventional deadbolt installation would require extensive door modification. They pair well with a conventional knob or lever set for complete door security.
Padlocks are portable locking devices used with hasps (the hinged plate that the padlock passes through) for gates, storage doors, outbuildings, and other applications where a fixed lock is not practical or appropriate.
Like cylindrical locks, padlocks vary enormously in quality. The shackle (the U-shaped metal loop) is the most commonly attacked component, usually through cutting or pulling. For security applications in New Orleans, use a padlock with a hardened steel shackle (Rockwell hardness 50 or above), a shackle diameter of at least 9/32 inch for medium security or 3/8 inch for high security, and a double-locking mechanism that locks both legs of the shackle. Master Lock’s Street series and ABUS Granit series represent the high end of padlock security for residential and light commercial applications.
The most common failure point in hasp-and-padlock systems is not the padlock itself but the hasp mounting screws. A hasp mounted with standard wood screws will pull out of a wooden gate or door frame with a pry bar in seconds. Use a hasp with concealed screws (screws that are hidden when the hasp is in the locked position) and mount it with carriage bolts that pass completely through the door or gate and are secured with nuts and washers on the other side.
Sliding patio doors present unique security challenges because their standard factory locks are almost universally inadequate. Most sliding door locks are simple latches that a determined burglar can lift open by rocking the door or defeat by lifting the door off its track.
The most effective sliding door security upgrade is a combination of a quality secondary latch and a physical blocker. A loop lock (a keyed lock that bolts to the door frame and prevents the door from sliding while locked) or a Charlie bar (a hinged bar that drops into a bracket to block the door from sliding) adds a second layer of defense against sliding door attacks. For the track, place a length of steel pipe or a solid wooden dowel in the track channel to prevent the door from opening even if the lock is defeated. Anti-lift pins (set screws installed in the top track above the door to prevent lifting it off its rollers) address the lift-off attack method.
For homeowners in high-crime areas of New Orleans or for any property where key control and resistance to sophisticated attacks are priorities, high-security lock cylinders from specialty manufacturers offer significantly more protection than standard residential grade locks.
Medeco cylinders combine a patented key profile (with angled key cuts in addition to standard depth cuts) with rotating pins in the lock cylinder that must be both lifted and rotated to the correct position before the cylinder will turn. This dual mechanism makes Medeco cylinders extremely resistant to picking. Medeco keys are restricted, meaning they can only be duplicated by authorized Medeco dealers with the registered owner’s permission. Medeco is available in deadbolt, knob, lever, and mortise configurations.
Mul-T-Lock uses a telescoping pin tumbler design where each pin location has both an outer and an inner pin that must align simultaneously. The result is a cylinder with hundreds of times more potential combinations than a standard cylinder and high resistance to picking, bump attacks, and manipulation. Mul-T-Lock key blanks are controlled and cannot be duplicated without a card issued to the registered owner at installation.
ASSA Abloy is a global security hardware manufacturer whose brands include ASSA, Abloy, Medeco, and others. Their Abloy Protec2 cylinder uses a rotating disc mechanism instead of pins, making it essentially impervious to picking (there are no springs or pins to manipulate) and highly resistant to drilling. It is one of the most secure lock cylinders available for residential applications.
Bump keys are specially cut keys that, when struck while inserted in a standard pin tumbler lock, briefly lift all the pins simultaneously, allowing the cylinder to turn. Most standard Grade 1 and Grade 2 residential locks are vulnerable to bump key attacks. High-security cylinders from Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and ASSA Abloy are specifically designed to resist bump key attacks through their unique pin or disc mechanisms.
When you move into a home in New Orleans, whether you purchased it or are renting it, you have no way of knowing how many copies of the existing keys are in circulation. Previous owners, contractors, former tenants, and property managers may all have copies. Changing the locks is an essential security step that is often skipped.
Rekeying changes the internal pin configuration of an existing lock cylinder so that the old keys no longer work and only new keys cut to the new configuration will operate the lock. The lock hardware itself is not replaced. Rekeying is appropriate when the existing locks are in good condition, are Grade 1 (or high-security), and you simply need to eliminate access by previous keyholders. A locksmith can typically rekey a residential lock for $15 to $30 per lock plus a service call fee. Kwikset SmartKey locks can be rekeyed by the homeowner without a locksmith using a SmartKey tool that comes with the lock.
If the existing locks are old, Grade 2 or Grade 3, have worn cylinders, or show signs of previous forced entry attempts, replacement is the better investment. You get to choose the grade, brand, and features of the new hardware, and you know exactly what level of security you are starting with. In New Orleans, where many homes have locks that have not been replaced in decades, replacement is often the more practical choice simply because the existing hardware is worn or obsolete.
New Orleans has one of the higher rates of rental housing in the country, and tenant turnover creates a persistent key control problem. Landlords who rekey between every tenant are best protected; those who rekey only occasionally are building up a growing population of people with working keys to their properties. Smart locks with individual access codes eliminate this problem since each tenant’s code can be deactivated at the end of their lease without any physical rekeying.
Even the best locks will fail prematurely if not properly maintained in New Orleans’ environment. High humidity, frequent rain, and salt air attack lock mechanisms from multiple angles.
Lock cylinders should be lubricated twice per year in New Orleans, more often if the lock is on a door with direct rain exposure. Use a dry PTFE (Teflon) spray lubricant rather than oil-based lubricants like WD-40. Oil-based lubricants attract dust and dirt that accumulate in the cylinder and eventually make the lock stiff or sticky. PTFE lubricant provides excellent lubrication without the sticky residue that oil leaves. Apply it into the keyway, insert and remove the key several times to distribute it, and wipe off any excess from the face of the cylinder.
The exterior face plates of locks, particularly the strike plate and door hardware, are subject to surface corrosion in New Orleans’ environment. Polished brass is the most vulnerable because the lacquer coating eventually wears through and the underlying brass oxidizes rapidly. Stainless steel and oil-rubbed bronze hardware are more resistant to New Orleans’ conditions. Applying a thin coat of paste wax to exterior lock hardware (not inside the keyway) can slow corrosion on brass and bronze hardware.
Replace a lock when: the cylinder is stiff even after lubrication, the key does not fully lift all pins (you feel resistance at a specific point in the rotation), the bolt throws roughly or incompletely, the lock has been subjected to forced entry damage, or the hardware shows significant corrosion that cannot be addressed with cleaning. In New Orleans’ climate, even quality locks may need replacement after 10 to 15 years of exterior exposure.
The strongest lock in the world is only as effective as the door it is mounted in. A solid wood or hollow-core interior door will fail long before a Grade 1 deadbolt fails under a kick-in attack. Iron security doors change this equation entirely.
Iron doors and security screen doors distribute impact forces across the full steel frame rather than concentrating them at the lock and strike plate location. The result is a door that resists kick-in attacks, battering, and pry attacks far more effectively than any wood door, regardless of the lock grade. When Big Easy Iron Works installs an iron door, we integrate lock hardware at the time of installation so that the frame, door, and hardware are engineered to work together as a complete security system. Our New Orleans iron doors pair with Grade 1 mortise locks, multi-point locking systems, and high-security cylinders to create an entry door that is effectively attack-proof with standard burglary tools.
Many iron and steel security doors use multi-point locking systems that throw bolts at three or more points along the door’s height simultaneously with a single key turn or lever operation. Instead of only locking at the knob height (the most vulnerable single point), a multi-point system locks the top, middle, and bottom of the door simultaneously, making pry attacks and kick-ins dramatically more difficult because the attacker must defeat the door at all points at once.
For most New Orleans homes, the most effective combination is a Grade 1 single-cylinder deadbolt with a 1-inch throw, a reinforced strike plate secured with 3-inch screws, and a door frame that is in good structural condition. For highest security, pair this with an iron security door and a high-security cylinder from Medeco or Mul-T-Lock. This combination is virtually impervious to standard forced entry methods.
ANSI Grade 1 is the highest performance rating for residential and commercial locks under the American National Standards Institute and Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association testing standards. Grade 1 locks must withstand 250,000 use cycles, a 360-pound strike force, and pass pick and drill resistance tests. Grade 1 is the minimum recommended rating for any exterior door lock on a New Orleans home.
Smart locks can work well in New Orleans if you choose models with IP65 or higher weather resistance ratings and install them on doors with overhead protection. Annual battery checks, keyway lubrication, and sealing around the face plate reduce moisture-related failures. The electronic components are the vulnerable point; the mechanical deadbolt is no different from a conventional lock.
Immediately upon taking possession. There is no way to know how many key copies exist from previous owners, tenants, contractors, or property managers. If the existing locks are Grade 1 and in good condition, rekeying is the fastest and least expensive option. If the locks are old or Grade 2 or lower, replace them entirely.
A bump key is a specially cut key that, when inserted into a standard pin tumbler lock and struck, briefly lifts all pins simultaneously and allows the cylinder to turn. Protection comes from high-security cylinders that use mechanisms resistant to bumping, such as Medeco’s rotating pin design, Mul-T-Lock’s telescoping pins, or Abloy’s rotating discs. Security pins (spool or serrated pins) in standard cylinders also provide some bump resistance at a lower cost.
A single-cylinder deadbolt uses a key on the exterior and a thumbturn on the interior. A double-cylinder deadbolt requires a key on both sides. Double-cylinder deadbolts are appropriate for doors with glass panels where a burglar could break the glass and reach the thumbturn, but they create a safety risk in emergencies because you need your key to exit quickly. Never install a double-cylinder deadbolt without keeping an accessible key inside near the door.
The packaging and manufacturer documentation will indicate the ANSI grade. You can also look up the lock model number online. As a rough guide: if the lock cost less than $25, it is likely Grade 3. If it cost $30 to $80, it is likely Grade 2. Grade 1 residential deadbolts typically cost $60 or more for standard brands and $150 or more for high-security options.
Use a dry PTFE (Teflon) spray lubricant, not oil-based products like WD-40. Oil-based lubricants leave a sticky residue that attracts dust and dirt, which accumulates in the cylinder over time and causes stiffness and eventual failure. PTFE lubricant provides excellent lubrication without the debris-attracting residue. Apply twice yearly in New Orleans’ climate.
A mortise lock is installed in a deep rectangular pocket cut into the door edge and combines a spring latch and deadbolt in a single body. It is not necessarily better or worse than a cylindrical deadbolt paired with a knob set; it is a different design that distributes stress better across the door edge and is common in older construction. In homes with existing mortise prep work, upgrading to a quality mortise lock is often the best choice.
It is a good idea to upgrade or verify your lock grade when installing an iron security door. The door frame reinforcement and steel construction of an iron door means the lock is now the weakest point in the entry system. A Grade 1 deadbolt, preferably with a high-security cylinder, maximizes the security benefit of the iron door investment.
For Grade 1 standard residential use: Schlage (B-series deadbolts) and Medeco (Maxum deadbolts) lead the category. For Grade 1 smart locks: Schlage Encode and Schlage Encode Plus are consistently the best combination of security and reliability. For high-security cylinders: Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and ASSA Abloy Protec2. For budget-conscious Grade 1 options: Kwikset’s 980 series offers Grade 1 ratings at a lower price point.
Building codes in many jurisdictions restrict or prohibit double-cylinder deadbolts on certain door types due to fire egress concerns. Check with the City of New Orleans’ Department of Safety and Permits or consult your local locksmith before installing a double-cylinder deadbolt. The restriction typically applies to primary exit doors and doors in rental units. Secondary exit doors may or may not be governed by the same restrictions depending on the specific code language.
Big Easy Iron Works installs iron security doors, security screen doors, and custom ironwork that dramatically improves the physical security of any entry. We also advise on lock selection and can coordinate lock installation as part of a new door project. Call us at 504-732-0066 to discuss your specific security needs and get a free estimate.
The right combination of door lock, strike plate, door frame reinforcement, and door material determines how long it takes a determined burglar to get through your entry. Choosing Grade 1 hardware, rekeying when you move in, maintaining your locks against New Orleans’ humidity, and pairing your locks with a steel or iron security door is the full package. Call Big Easy Iron Works at 504-732-0066 to discuss iron security doors for your New Orleans home, or to get advice on the best lock options for your specific situation.
“Great job on the iron gates! I can’t believe they finished installing the iron gate and repairing our fence. A lot of my neighbors recommended Big Easy Iron Works and I can see why they trust them so much. Very professional workers came and the owner checked up from time to time. Great experience.”
– Vanessa Johnson“You have my respect for Big Easy Iron Works! Thank you for staying true to your word about quality service. They helped install our new iron fence and it exceeded my expectations to be honest. They explained everything they would be doing every day of the job. I really recommend them for those living in New Orleans. Hire them for your fencing needs.”
– Billy Anderson“I contacted Big Easy Iron Works because most of my neighbors recommended them to me. I am satisfied with the time that they took to finish the work repairs with my wood fence. The fences they placed turned out nice and they looked like they would last longer. I would also recommend them to my friends in New Orleans.”
– Shirley Oaks
625 Celeste St Suite 504-E,