Swift Key San Diego is a referral service. Independent locksmiths install deadbolts. We match you. We do not install hardware or set a default scope.
Builder hardware on an exterior door is a shopping question, not a published county mix. Ask what grade is on the door now, then whether Grade 1 or Grade 2 is the match for that opening. We connect you for deadbolt installation. The locksmith quotes after they inspect.
If the grade label itself is unclear, what ANSI Grade 1 actually means is the sibling for the name on the box. This page is the buy-and-install question list. It does not republish unsourced test tables.
What to ask about ANSI/BHMA grades
The American National Standards Institute and the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) publish lock grades. Ask the locksmith or the maker what this model is listed as, and which tests that listing covers (cycles, force, finish). Do not treat numbers on a blog as the standard.
Grade 3
Ask whether this lock is listed Grade 3. That grade is a common interior and light-duty conversation. For an exterior door, ask whether they recommend stepping up.
If you are swapping off a low-grade Kwikset or similar, lock replacement is the connect path.
Grade 2
Ask whether Grade 2 is the listing they want on a standard residential exterior door (front, back, side). Example names people compare include Kwikset 980/985, Schlage B250, and Defiant Naples. Confirm the listing on the box. “Most locksmiths recommend Grade 2” is not a logged consensus. Ask yours.
Grade 1
Ask whether Grade 1 is listed for this model. It is the usual “maximum residential / light commercial” shopping label. Example names: Schlage B60/B62, Medeco Maxum, Mul-T-Lock Hercular, Kwikset Titan. Confirm each listing.
A rural Julian cabin with no close neighbors is a different risk picture than a gated condo. Match the door, not a slogan.
Which Grade-1 models to ask about
Not every Grade-1 lock is identical. Ask the independent locksmith what they will install on this door.
Schlage B60 (and B62 for double-cylinder)
Relative cost: mid shelf lock, plus install Best for: Many residential upgrades
The Schlage B60 is a common Grade-1 deadbolt locksmiths quote. Keys are widely supported. The standard Schlage keyway can move to a restricted keyway later if you want tighter key duplication rules. Confirm the current listing on the unit.
Medeco Maxum
Relative cost: high-security hardware, plus install Best for: Restricted-keyway systems when that is the product you want
Ask when you want listed pick and drill resistance plus a dealer key card. Confirm how copies are authorized.
Mul-T-Lock Hercular
Relative cost: high-security hardware, plus install Best for: Restricted keyways and drill-resistant cylinders when that is the spec
Same conversation as Medeco: listing, key control, and this door. Poway and Rancho Santa Fe / Fairbanks Ranch are service-area examples, not a crime map.
Kwikset Titan
Relative cost: Grade 1 with SmartKey, plus install Best for: Homeowners who want Grade 1 and a user-rekey tool
The Kwikset Titan pairs a Grade-1 body with SmartKey on some versions. You can rekey with the included tool when that system is on the lock. Ask the locksmith what generation they are installing and what bump tests that listing covers. Do not treat a blog history of older SmartKey as a current-gen fact.
The strike plate is as important as the lock
A Grade-1 cylinder on short trim screws can still fail at the jamb. The bolt needs a strike that reaches framing.
Ask for 3-inch strike-plate screws (or another length that hits the stud on this jamb). Short factory screws often bite only trim. The screws are a cheap hardware-store pack. Ask the locksmith to include that line unless you decline. If they install a deadbolt and never mention the strike, ask.
Single-cylinder vs. double-cylinder deadbolts
A single-cylinder deadbolt has a keyhole outside and a thumb-turn inside. You can exit without finding a key, which matters in a fire. That is the usual residential choice for a solid door.
A double-cylinder deadbolt is keyed both sides. It is a conversation when someone could break nearby glass and reach a thumb-turn. The trade-off is exit: you need the key inside. We are not citing a building-code default or a glass measurement from memory. Describe the glass and the reach to the locksmith or your building official.
In most San Diego homes: start with single-cylinder unless glass beside the lock is the problem you are solving.
Finishes: what to ask
The finish affects how the hardware ages. In San Diego:
- Coastal homes (Coronado, Del Mar, Imperial Beach, Oceanside, Carlsbad): ask for brass, stainless, or a marine-rated finish the locksmith will stand behind. Salt air is the setting. We could not confirm a 5-10 year pit window, so do not treat years as a published life.
- Inland (Escondido, El Cajon, Santee, Borrego): choose by look unless the locksmith sees a specific corrosion issue.
- Mountain (Julian, Pine Valley, Mount Laguna): ask what finish they use for cold and wet. Solid brass and powder coat are common asks.
What about smart deadbolts with ANSI ratings?
Some smart deadbolts are sold as Grade 2 (examples people compare: Schlage Encode Plus, Yale Assure Lock 2 with a deadbolt). Ask the locksmith or the maker whether this model is listed Grade 1. Do not treat “none are Grade 1” as a market rule on this page. If maximum listed physical security is the goal, a traditional Grade-1 deadbolt on the main door and a smart lock on a secondary door is a layout people use. Confirm both listings.
A realistic upgrade sequence to quote
For a typical single-family home in San Diego, ask the locksmith to price:
- Front deadbolt as Grade 1 (Schlage B60 is a named example)
- Back / side as Grade 2 or Grade 1, their call after they see the doors
- 3-inch strike screws on every exterior door
- Rekey keyed-alike, quoted per cylinder
- Optional smart lock on the most-used door
The locksmith quotes each line. How many doors they finish in one visit is their schedule, not a published single-call rule.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to have a Grade-1 deadbolt installed in San Diego?
Ask for hardware, labor, and strike-screw upgrade as separate lines. Higher-spec options such as Medeco Maxum or Mul-T-Lock Hercular cost more. Swift Key does not quote.
What’s the difference between a Grade-1 and Grade-2 deadbolt?
Ask what listing each box carries and which tests that listing covers. For many San Diego homes Grade 2 is the back-and-side conversation and Grade 1 is the primary-entry conversation. Confirm on the product, not from a cycle-count table here.
Do I need a single-cylinder or double-cylinder deadbolt?
Single-cylinder with an interior thumb-turn is the usual call when you want a fast exit in a fire. Use double-cylinder when glass beside the lock is the reach-through risk you are solving. Confirm with the locksmith and, if you need a code answer, with the building official. We are not stating a code default here.
Does the strike plate really matter that much?
Yes. Short trim screws can fail at the jamb even when the cylinder is Grade 1. Ask for screws into the structural framing. We connect you for deadbolt installation. The locksmith decides whether that upgrade is in their scope. Swift Key does not include a default package.
What Grade-1 deadbolt works best for coastal San Diego homes?
If the grade label is the unclear part, what ANSI Grade 1 actually means covers the name. Schlage B60 in a finish the locksmith likes for moderate coastal exposure is a common quote. For homes right on the water in Coronado, Del Mar, or Imperial Beach, ask for solid brass or marine-rated hardware. Chrome and thin nickel can pit in salt air. Ask them what they will warrant, without a year band from this page.
Ready to upgrade deadbolts in San Diego? Call (858) 400-4082 to connect with a licensed independent locksmith. That locksmith quotes Grade-1 or Grade-2 hardware after they inspect the door. Swift Key does not quote. You pay the locksmith.