Most UPVC and composite front doors are locked by a euro cylinder, the part your key goes into. Standard cylinders can have a weak point, and that is why you will see locks sold as anti-snap, 3 star or Sold Secure Diamond.
Here is what those labels actually mean and how to check what is fitted to your own door.
What is lock snapping?
A euro cylinder runs right through the door, with a fixing screw through the middle. On a basic cylinder that middle section is the weak spot. If the cylinder sticks out past the handle, it can be gripped and broken at that point, which exposes the mechanism behind it and lets the lock be opened.
West Yorkshire Police, who have worked nationally on this issue with Secured by Design, the British Standards Institution, the Door and Hardware Federation and the Master Locksmiths Association, say offenders have developed ways of overcoming euro cylinder locks. The answer is a cylinder built and tested to resist those attacks.
TS 007: what the stars mean
TS 007 is a British Kitemark standard for euro cylinders and door handles. Cylinders are rated at either 1 star or 3 stars. Handles can be rated 2 stars.
- A 1 star cylinder has basic approval against attacks such as picking, bumping and drilling, but is not tested for snapping.
- A 3 star cylinder is also attack tested for resistance to snapping, so it gives the higher level of protection on its own.
- A 1 star cylinder with a 2 star security handle also adds up to 3 stars, because the handle protects the cylinder.
- A 3 star cylinder with a 2 star handle is sometimes called a 5 star set up.
West Yorkshire Police recommend 3 stars as the minimum when upgrading a cylinder. Look for the Kitemark and the stars stamped on the cylinder face.
Sold Secure Diamond (SS312)
Sold Secure is a separate testing scheme. According to the Master Locksmiths Association, its SS312 Diamond standard was the first test developed to counter lock snapping, and it attacks cylinders with a heavier set of tools. Police guidance recognises it alongside TS 007, and some cylinders carry both marks.
If you are comparing cylinders, either a TS 007 3 star or a Sold Secure Diamond mark tells you the cylinder has been independently tested to a high level.
Where does BS 3621 fit in?
BS 3621 is the British Standard for thief resistant locks. It mostly applies to mortice deadlocks and rim locks such as night latches, the kind used on timber doors, rather than to the multipoint locks fitted to most UPVC doors. A BS 3621 lock is tested against picking and drilling and should carry the Kitemark and the BS 3621 marking on its faceplate.
Many home insurance policies ask for BS 3621 locks on external doors, so it is worth reading your policy wording. If your front door is UPVC or composite, ask your insurer what they want for a multipoint lock, and tell your locksmith so the right parts go in.
How to check your own door
- Look at the cylinder face. Open the door and look at the end of the cylinder. A Kitemark with stars, or a Sold Secure Diamond logo, means it has been tested.
- Check how far it sticks out. The cylinder should sit roughly flush with the handle or escutcheon. One that sticks out several millimetres is easier to attack, and police advice is not to leave cylinders protruding.
- Check the handle. A 2 star security handle has a protective shroud around the cylinder.
- Check the size. Cylinders come in different lengths and offsets, so a replacement has to be measured for your door.
Will a new cylinder fit my door?
Usually, yes. Euro cylinders are a standard profile and swapping one is a quick job for a locksmith, as long as the length is measured correctly on both sides. The trickier part is when the door itself is out of line. A new cylinder will not fix a door that is hard to lock because it has dropped. That is covered in our guide to UPVC doors that have dropped or are hard to lock.
Want your locks checked?
Steve fits anti-snap cylinders wherever the door will take them, and can match a cylinder to what your insurer asks for. If you have just moved, or you are not sure what is on your door, he can check it while he is there.
Read more about lock repairs and replacement and UPVC door repairs and alignment. Steve works across Hereford, Bromyard and the rest of north Herefordshire. Call 07948 117374.