What are the best deadbolts for a home in Fort Collins?

Q: What are the best deadbolts for a home in Fort Collins?

For most Fort Collins homes, a Schlage B60N or Schlage B62N (ANSI Grade 1) is the best deadbolt — strong, widely available, and built to handle Colorado's temperature swings.

What Lock Grade Should You Buy?

Start with ANSI/BHMA grade ratings. Grade 1 is the strongest residential deadbolt rating, Grade 2 is mid-range, and Grade 3 is the minimum — and the most common lock installed on new builds in Midtown and the Harmony Corridor. Most Fort Collins homes built between the 1970s and 1990s shipped with Grade 2 deadbolts. That's an upgrade waiting to happen.

According to FBI crime statistics, the majority of home burglaries involve forced entry through a door. A Grade 1 deadbolt requires significantly more force to defeat than a Grade 3 — enough that most opportunistic burglars move on to an easier target.

For any exterior door, Grade 1 is the right call. For interior doors or low-risk secondary entries, Grade 2 is acceptable.

The Best Deadbolts for Fort Collins Homes

Best Overall: Schlage B60N and B62N

The Schlage B60N (single cylinder) and B62N (double cylinder) are the most practical choice for the majority of Fort Collins homeowners. Both are ANSI Grade 1, widely stocked at local hardware stores, and priced around $45–$65. They have a 1-inch bolt throw, anti-pick pins, and a reinforced strike plate that's far stronger than the typical 1-inch wood screws builders use.

The B60N is the standard pick for most doors. The B62N requires a key on both sides — useful if a door has glass panels nearby, but check your local fire egress rules before installing one. The NFPA guidelines address egress requirements for double-cylinder deadbolts in residential settings.

Best Budget Pick: Kwikset 980

The Kwikset 980 is Grade 1 and runs about $35–$50. It's a solid lock at a lower price point. One caveat: Kwikset's standard keyway is easier to pick than Schlage's. If you're in the CSU area or managing a rental property with higher turnover, the Schlage is worth the extra $10–$15.

High-Security Option: Medeco or Mul-T-Lock

Medeco and Mul-T-Lock deadbolts are in a different class. Both feature drill-resistant cylinders, pick-resistant pin stacks, and restricted keyways — meaning keys can't be duplicated without authorization. These are worth considering for Old Town rental properties, small businesses, or any door that has seen multiple tenants over the years. Expect to pay $150–$300 per lock, plus $120–$200 for installation.

💡 Tip: If you're upgrading a lock in an older Old Town home, measure your door thickness and backset before buying. Many historic Old Town doors are non-standard sizes. A lock that fits perfectly at a hardware store can require shimming or a new strike plate to work properly on a door that's been repainted and re-framed over the decades.

Why Fort Collins Weather Matters for Deadbolt Selection

Colorado's Front Range temperature range — as low as -15°F in winter and up to 95°F in summer — causes wood door frames to expand and contract significantly. This is what locksmiths call a "cold-bind": the deadbolt works fine in October, then won't retract smoothly in January because the frame has tightened around the bolt.

A deadbolt with a full 1-inch throw and a bolt with rounded corners handles slight misalignment better than cheaper locks with a ¾-inch throw. Both the Schlage B60N and Kwikset 980 have 1-inch throws. If your deadbolt is already sticky in winter, that's a door alignment issue — not always a lock replacement issue. A locksmith can often fix that with a strike plate adjustment.

For car locks in Fort Collins winters: if your key won't turn, heat the key with a lighter or use a commercial de-icer. Never pour hot water into a frozen keyway. And skip the WD-40 — it attracts dirt and makes the problem worse. Dry graphite lubricant is the right call for both car locks and residential deadbolts.

⚠️ Watch out: Many Fort Collins homes — especially in Midtown and the CSU area — have strike plates secured with ¾-inch screws into the door jamb. That's nearly useless against a kick-in. Replace them with 3-inch screws that anchor into the wall stud. It costs under $5 in hardware and dramatically increases kick resistance, even on a Grade 2 lock.

When to Replace vs. Rekey

If your existing deadbolt is already Grade 1 hardware in good condition, rekeying is almost always the better move. Rekeying in Fort Collins runs $75–$120 per lock — it changes the internal pins so old keys no longer work. Replacing the lock entirely costs $120–$200 installed with Grade 1 hardware.

Rekeying makes sense after moving into a new home, after a tenant leaves, or after losing a key. Lock replacement makes sense if the hardware is worn, damaged, or Grade 2 or lower and you want to upgrade. CSU-area landlords often rekey between every tenant — it's the fastest and cheapest way to maintain access control without replacing hardware each time.

If you're unsure what grade your current lock is, look for an ANSI grade stamp on the lock face or packaging. No stamp usually means Grade 3. See our FAQ page for more locksmith answers, or get a free quote on a deadbolt upgrade.

Fort Collins Deadbolt Quick Reference

Best overall: Schlage B60N — Grade 1, ~$45–$65, 1-inch bolt throw
Best budget: Kwikset 980 — Grade 1, ~$35–$50
High security: Medeco or Mul-T-Lock — $150–$300 per lock
Installation cost: $120–$200 with Grade 1 hardware in Fort Collins
Rekey cost: $75–$120 per lock — the right call if hardware is already solid
Colorado tip: Get a 1-inch bolt throw — handles seasonal frame expansion better
Free upgrade: Replace ¾-inch strike plate screws with 3-inch screws into the stud

Bottom Line

For most Fort Collins homes, the Schlage B60N at Grade 1 is the right deadbolt — durable, reasonably priced, and built to handle Colorado winters. If you're managing a rental in the CSU area or Old Town, consider rekeying your existing Grade 1 hardware between tenants before assuming you need a full replacement. If the hardware is Grade 2 or worse, upgrade it. Call Fort Collins Lock & Security at (970) 999-0689 for same-day deadbolt installation or a rekeying quote — pricing is given before any work starts.