Locksmith help in Knebworth

How did Knebworth grow?

There are really two Knebworths. Old Knebworth is the small original village close to Knebworth House and its park. The larger village grew up around the station after the railway arrived in the 1880s, about a mile away, and for a time was simply called Knebworth Station.

In the early twentieth century the Lytton family, who own the Knebworth estate, began a garden village here, with Edwin Lutyens advising on the plan. Lutyens designed some buildings in the village, and other houses of the period follow the same Arts and Crafts and neo-Georgian ideas. Parts of the village, including Deards End Lane and Stockens Green, are now conservation areas. Later in the century, estates of semis, bungalows and detached houses filled in around the older streets.

What does that mean for locks?

Edwardian and interwar houses often keep solid timber front doors, sometimes with original or very old locks. These can be well made but worn, and many would not meet BS 3621, the British Standard some insurers ask for on the main door. A modern mortice deadlock can usually be fitted into an existing door. Where a house is in a conservation area, it is better to upgrade the lock than to replace a handsome old door, and changing the door may need consent from North Hertfordshire Council.

Houses of this age often have timber casement or sash windows too, and fitting locks that suit the frame keeps them secure without spoiling them.

What about later homes?

Many of the post-war and later houses now have uPVC or composite doors and windows. If yours were fitted some years ago, the euro cylinder may not be rated against snapping. Check the cylinder face for a Kitemark and star rating, or ask a locksmith to look.

Do bungalows need different security?

Knebworth's later estates include a good number of bungalows, and they raise a particular point. Every window is at ground level, so each one is as easy to reach as the front door. Window locks that need a key matter more here than in a house, and so does keeping those keys where everyone can find them quickly in a fire. Many bungalows also have a back door or patio door out of sight of the road. An anti-lift block on a sliding door, or a second lock on a single back door, can make a real difference. Anyone living alone may also value a door chain or a viewer at the front. It also helps to note the make of any window locks you have, so a locksmith can supply spare keys or matching locks later.

Are commuters' homes more at risk?

Knebworth sits on the line into London, and a house left empty all day can be a target. That makes a quick walk round your doors and windows worthwhile: back doors, side gates, garages and windows over flat roofs are often weaker than the front.

Which villages are covered?

The SG3 district also covers villages such as Datchworth and Woolmer Green. Include your full postcode so that coverage can be checked.

What happens with my enquiry?

Describe the door, the lock and what you need. If you agree, it is forwarded to one locksmith covering SG3, where one exists, and if nobody covers the village, we say so.