The Importance of Deadlocks and Window Locks for Home Security
When people think about improving home security, cameras, alarms and smart technology often come to mind first. While these systems can be valuable, the physical security of your doors and windows remains one of the most important parts of protecting a home.
A good security system starts with making it difficult for someone to physically enter the property.
At Lockwise Locksmiths, we regularly upgrade deadlocks, door locks and window locks for homeowners, landlords and property managers across Brisbane Southside and Logan. In many homes, improving existing mechanical security can make a substantial difference without replacing every lock or installing an expensive electronic security system.
Why Are Deadlocks Important?
A deadlock provides additional physical security to an external door by positively locking the door into the frame.
Unlike a basic latch that is primarily designed to hold a door closed, a properly selected and installed deadlock is intended to provide additional resistance against forced entry.
The lock is only part of the equation, however.
The door, frame, strike, fixing method and lock all work together. Installing an expensive deadlock into a badly damaged door frame doesn’t automatically create a secure entry point.
This is why a locksmith should assess the complete door rather than simply choosing the strongest-looking lock.
Queensland Police recommends that external doors are solid and fitted with quality locks. Its home-security material also identifies deadlocks as the preferred type of lock for entry and exit doors. Queensland Police Service
What Does a Deadlock Actually Do?
The terminology can become confusing because people often use deadlock, deadbolt and door lock interchangeably.
In practical terms, the important difference is whether the locking mechanism can be easily manipulated or simply pushed back.
A proper deadlocking mechanism positively secures the bolt or locking component once the door has been locked.
Depending on the type of door and the security required, this could involve a deadbolt, deadlatch or another purpose-designed security lock.
The correct lock depends on the door.
Timber entrance doors, aluminium doors, sliding doors, security screens and internal garage access doors can all require different solutions. There isn’t one lock that is appropriate for every situation.
Don’t Forget the Back and Side Doors
One mistake we regularly see is concentrating all of the home’s security on the front entrance.
A good front-door deadlock doesn’t help much if a side, rear or garage access door has significantly weaker security.
Queensland Police recommends assessing home security using a layered approach and specifically advises homeowners to ensure external doors, including internal garage access doors, are solid and fitted with quality locks. Queensland Police Service
When Lockwise assesses a home’s locks, we’re therefore interested in every practical entry point, not just the front door.
Window Locks Are Just as Important
Windows can easily become the forgotten part of home security.
You can have excellent locks on every external door, but an accessible window with a poor latch can still provide another potential entry point.
Queensland Police specifically recommends fitting secure window locks that meet Australian Standards and advises against leaving keys in window locks. Its home-security audit also states that key-operated locks strengthen window security. Queensland Police Service
Good window security is particularly worth considering on accessible ground-floor windows and other windows that could reasonably be approached from outside.
What Types of Windows Can Be Locked?
Many common residential windows can have their security improved, including sliding aluminium windows and a range of hinged and opening window designs.
The correct solution depends on the window.
A locksmith needs to consider the frame construction, existing hardware, opening direction, condition and how the window needs to operate in normal use.
Simply adding a lock wherever it fits isn’t necessarily the best approach.
Deadlocks and Window Locks Work Together
Home security is strongest when it isn’t dependent on one product.
Think of the perimeter of your house as a complete system.
If you install good deadlocks on the doors but leave easily accessible windows unsecured, you’ve strengthened only part of that perimeter.
Similarly, fitting locks to every window while leaving a weak rear door doesn’t solve the underlying problem.
Queensland Police describes this as layered security: identifying vulnerabilities and applying appropriate security measures rather than relying on a single device. Queensland Police Service
That’s essentially how we approach residential locksmithing as well.
How Common Is Residential Burglary in Queensland?
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded 40,088 victims of burglary in Queensland during 2025.
Importantly for homeowners, 64% of Queensland burglaries occurred at residential dwellings, representing 25,495 recorded victims. Australian Bureau of Statistics
National household survey data also estimated that 196,600 Australian households experienced a break-in during 2024–25, while another 217,500 households experienced an attempted break-in. Australian Bureau of Statistics
Those figures don’t mean that fitting a particular deadlock will prevent every burglary. No reputable locksmith should make that claim.
What good locks can do is make doors and windows more difficult to defeat, removing some of the easy opportunities presented by inadequate or poorly maintained hardware.
Security Is About More Than Just the Lock
One of the advantages of having an experienced locksmith assess a property is identifying weaknesses that aren’t necessarily obvious.
For example, there is little benefit in installing a quality deadlock if the surrounding timber is badly damaged or the strike isn’t adequately secured.
Likewise, we might find an entrance with good hardware while another external door has a basic lock that provides significantly less security.
We look at factors including:
Door construction and condition – The lock needs a suitable structure to secure.
Door frames and strikes – These are an important part of the overall locking system.
Existing locks – Good-quality locks don’t necessarily need replacing simply because they’re old.
Windows – Accessible windows should be considered as part of the same security assessment.
Key control – If you don’t know who has copies of your existing keys, rekeying may be appropriate even when the locks themselves are perfectly serviceable.
Convenience – Security needs to remain practical enough that people actually use it.
That last point matters more than many people realise.
Can My Deadlocks and Window Locks Use the Same Key?
In many cases, locks can be keyed alike, meaning one key operates multiple compatible locks.
Queensland Police actually recommends having quality door and window locks keyed alike where possible. Queensland Police Service
For homeowners, this can make a substantial difference to everyday usability.
Instead of carrying a large collection of keys for the front door, back door, garage and windows, compatible locks can potentially be arranged into a more convenient keying system.
The exact options depend on the brands and types of locks already installed.
At Lockwise, we can assess existing locks to determine what can be retained, rekeyed or keyed alike before recommending unnecessary replacement.
Should You Change Your Locks When You Move Into a New Home?
It’s usually worth considering rekeying when moving into a property.
The issue isn’t necessarily that there’s anything wrong with the existing deadlocks.
It’s that you may not know how many copies of the existing keys have been made over the life of the property.
Previous owners, tenants, contractors, cleaners, tradespeople or family members may have had keys at different times.
Rekeying changes the internal combination of compatible locks so the previous keys no longer operate them. Where appropriate, we can also key compatible locks alike at the same time.
It’s often a much more sensible approach than automatically replacing every lock in the house.
What About Fire and Emergency Exit Safety?
More security isn’t automatically better if a locking arrangement creates another safety problem.
People still need to be able to leave a home safely during an emergency, and particular attention should be paid to locking arrangements on required exit paths.
Queensland Police’s guidance acknowledges this balance, including the need for security grilles and shutters to allow an emergency exit. Queensland Police Service
This is another reason we don’t recommend simply buying the strongest lock available and putting it on every door or window.
The type of property, door or window, occupants and intended use all matter.
When Should You Upgrade Your Home’s Locks?
There isn’t a single schedule for replacing residential locks. Instead, it’s worth reviewing your security when circumstances change.
Common reasons include moving into a new property, experiencing a burglary or attempted break-in, losing keys, having keys stolen, discovering damaged locks, renovating, or simply finding that older doors and windows no longer lock securely.
It can also be worth having a locksmith look over an older property where the locks have accumulated over many years.
Sometimes a relatively straightforward combination of rekeying, repairing existing hardware, adding deadlocks and installing window locks can significantly improve the consistency of the property’s security.
Deadlock and Window Lock Installation in Brisbane Southside and Logan
Lockwise Locksmiths is a family-owned locksmith business based at our Hillcrest workshop, servicing Browns Plains, Logan and surrounding Brisbane Southside suburbs.
We install and repair residential deadlocks, deadbolts, door locks and window locks, as well as rekeying existing locks and creating keyed-alike systems where suitable.
Our approach isn’t to replace everything simply for the sake of selling new locks.
We assess what is already installed, identify the weaker points and recommend practical improvements based on the property.
If you’re concerned about your home’s security, have recently moved house, experienced a break-in or simply have doors and windows that don’t lock as securely as they should, contact Lockwise Locksmiths for advice.
Good home security starts with making sure the doors and windows that separate your home from the outside are properly secured.
FAQs
Are deadlocks worth installing?
A suitable deadlock can improve the physical security of an external door. Queensland Police home-security guidance identifies deadlocks as the preferred type of lock for entry and exit doors. Queensland Police Service
Should every window have a lock?
The appropriate security depends on the property and window design, but accessible windows should be considered when assessing home security. Queensland Police recommends secure window locks and identifies key-operated window locks as a way of strengthening window security. Queensland Police Service
Can you install deadlocks on existing doors?
Usually, yes, provided the door and frame are suitable. We assess the construction and existing hardware before recommending a particular lock.
Can all my house locks use one key?
Often they can. Compatible door and window locks can potentially be keyed alike, allowing one key to operate multiple locks. Queensland Police also recommends keyed-alike locks where possible. Queensland Police Service
Do I need new locks when moving house?
Not necessarily. If the existing locks are good quality and serviceable, rekeying may allow you to retain them while ensuring the previous keys no longer work.
Can you install deadlocks and window locks at the same visit?
Yes. Lockwise can assess doors and windows as part of the same residential security job and recommend which existing locks can remain and where additional security would be beneficial.