The door cylinder plays a very important role in protecting your house or flat. You can use this check-list to see whether you are on the ‘safe side’ with your door cylinder. Certain cylinders have convenience features that you can also obtain by checking off the items on the list.   Can duplicates of your key only be made with a security card? No? You can never be sure who may be in possession of a spare key. Duplicates of a profile cylinder equipped with a security card can be made only by the manufacturer or an authorised dealer. Take a look at the film „Schwarze Schlüssel“! [‘Illegal keys’] in the service area. Do you use knob cylinders in your household (with the exception of glass doors)? (Ease of handling is just one aspect, e.g. for frail people – particularly in situations of danger you don’t have to look for keys with one of these cylinders. But if you have small children these knob cylinders should be used only with an extra door lock, since it would be too easy to open the door otherwise). Does your cylinder have an emergency and danger function? (If it does, you can open the door using a spare key if the worst comes to the worst, even if there’s a key inserted on the inside. For instance if someone’s asleep indoors, or you forget to take the key out from inside when pulling the door to). No? Just think how quickly something like this can happen. Does your cylinder protrude more than 3 mm? You can work out which is the right cylinder by adding the thickness of the door and the protective fitting. Yes? Then you should get one that fits as soon as possible, otherwise you might jeopardise your insurance cover. ABUS makes a gauge you can use to work out the exact size – or go by our diagram. Do you have to get out a different key for every lock? (Forget all about that thick bunch of keys – a locking system does the trick. Every lock from the garage to the front door can be opened and locked with just one key). Yes? Although it doesn’t have to be relevant to security, once you’ve experienced the advantages of a master key you’ll never look back! Things worth knowing about door cylinders The door cylinder has to be regarded as the smaller component in a combination of door cylinder and protective fitting. It is precisely with entrance doors to flats or front doors of houses that you really have to consider these security matters, including a security striking plate. We recommend protective fittings with pull-out resistance. Again, not relevant to security but good to know: the door cylinder can be ordered in the same colour as the protective fitting, depending on your taste. ‘Save your trousers!’ Everyone is aware of this problem, of course. You’re in a hurry, you put your bunch of keys in your trouser pocket and when you take it out it ‘rips’. The key bit tears a hole in your pocket or pulls threads. If you have dimple keys this cannot happen. Unlike most types of key, this one does not have any ‘teeth’ – a two-sided profile with no edges or corners operates the locking mechanism and enables more lock variations. Switch over to it – not just for the sake of your trousers.