Lately, we have received requests to install mechanical "Shabbat" locks on front doors. There are advantages and disadvantages and before you ask a locksmith to install one, read this article and watch the videos.

The number one reason people install these locks is to avoid having to carry a key. Children are very independent in Israel and will walk to stores, schools and friends at a young age. Giving them a key can be problematic, because of the concern that a lost key might be found and used to gain silent access to your home.  Another advantage is to enable someone, such as a cleaner or repair person to enter, without giving them the key. Some use it on a case by case situation and ensure that the door is locked with a regular bolt lock at night or when away for long periods of time. Most of these locks let you change the combination when you want.

The mechanical locks seem like an ideal choice for parents who want to have some sort of security and not require a key. But are they secure?

Many mechanical pushbutton locks are designed for convenience. They can be used for washrooms in public buildings or internal rooms within an office where using a key is inconvenient or where the combination needs to change from time to time.

So what can be the problem of using them on a front door?

Putting a mechanical pushbutton lock on a front door of a home is very different from installing it on a bathroom. A bathroom does not contain precious and sentimental objects that need the protection of a solid lock. The consequences of someone breaking in undetected to your home are different from a washroom and the results are of course can be devastating.

There are locksmiths and handymen who will sell you the lock and do the installation, but before you make that decision, understand how easy it is to defeat these "locks". Ask your insurance company and they will likely tell you that unless your steel door is locked with a rav bariach type of lock mechanism, you do not qualify for insurance. And even if you do have a rav bariach type of lock mechanism on your door, and you choose to not use it and instead use a mechanical pushbutton lock you are likely not covered unless there is evidence of a forced entry.

A locksmith or handyman might try and convince you that they are fine to use, but think again. If your home has ever been broken into whether you were away, or asleep at night, the feeling of vulnerability is inevitable and the damage done with thieves looking for hidden treasure can take weeks to repair.

If you think it takes an experience safe cracker to open your door, you have to watch this video. Watch Roy Sammons defeat a mechanical pushbutton lock without any tools.

This video shows how easily some mechanical locks can be opened by using a magnet. Watch BosnianBill defeat a mechanical pushbutton lock with a magnet.

Some people think that if they use a mechanical lockbox, with a key inside, they are still protected. A thief will look for the weakest link in a security chain, and in this case, it is the lockbox. Watch the Lockpicking Lawyer quickly defeat a lockbox.

Once a mechanical lock goes on a door, even for occasional use, there is no control over when and how it is used. Someone might use it for minutes, while they run to pick up the kids at school or one afternoon to let a repairperson in. There is no way to control it. Break-ins do not always happen in the middle of the night or when you expect them. You can never tell when someone will test your home's vulnerabilities. Make a smart decision.

Doctor-Lock does not install mechanical pushbutton locks.