To the list of ways production and custom home builders can differentiate their brand, it’s time to add one more: entry door locks.

Not the traditional keyed or electronic deadbolt variety, either.

We’re talking a next-gen multi-point locking system.

New multi-point locks are a far cry from the ones of just a year or two ago. Those systems were infamously finicky, presenting pre-hanging door companies and contractors with installation headaches.

Yet few building scientists and residential construction experts dispute the logic and value of multi-point locking. In ways no single-deadbolt system can match, three latch points seal the door from weather and intruders like nothing else.

Tall Door Necessity

For the rising popularity of 8-foot entry doors, the multi-point lock is nearly indispensable in preventing warping, bowing, and related deflection issues. Tall entry doors installed without them are frequently the source of callbacks, warranty claims, and other homeowner dissatisfaction, explains Adam Kendall, project engineering director for building product manufacturer, Endura.

“We’re seeing some door manufacturers make multi-point locks standard on taller entry door and even conventional 6’8” doors,” Kendall says. “The multi-point lock on an 8-foot door is like an insurance policy. It reduces the number of callbacks due to water and air infiltration. Three locks are better than one.”

New in Every Way

Kendall admits the product category has a less-than-stellar reputation due to installation issues from old school multi-points. Texas-based home builder and industry personality Matt Risinger agrees. “The builders I worked for avoided multi-point locks. Too many callbacks along with limited hardware and high cost,” Risinger recalls.

What’s changed?

Everything.

Every former issue from pricing, installation, and hardware compatibility has been systematically reimagined and reengineered by Kendall and his Endura team:

• Forgiving Installation

“A modern multi-point lock and latch system is affordable, installer-friendly, and play well with off-the-shelf hardware,” explains Kendall. For example, tapered shark-tooth-shaped bolts now engage strikes with embedded rollers. The door is pulled tight to the frame, correcting imperfections up to 3/16” in three directions. Out of square? Out of plumb? It’s not an issue with a self-correcting latch assemblies.

• Off-the-Shelf Hardware Compatibility

Kendall knows entry door hardware is usually one of the last decisions made in new home or remodel construction. Asking a homeowner to decide handset hardware early “… isn’t normal,” Kendall says.

The company’s patented multiple locking point system – called PanoLock+ -- works with more than 1,300 hardware styles (and counting) from Schlage, Kwikset, Gatehouse, Baldwin, Brinks, and Defiant. That includes electronic deadbolts, too. Home buyers can select hardware at their convenience.

• Energy Savings

Multi-point locking transforms ordinary entry doors into passive house-grade wonders, according to Risinger. “I saved about $5,000 by purchasing a $750 standard door outfitted with PanoLock+ over a passive house-certified door. Blower door tests with PanoLock+ were very close to passive house standards,” he reports.

Home builders looking for a practical, high-profile selling edge may find the multi-point lock system a welcome standard feature or upgrade option. New, lower price points … fault-tolerant installation … high-performance weather sealing … and triple-latch security represent an intriguing new home feature to consider.

Learn more about how PanoLock+ can add a valuable new dimension to home security and energy conservation to your properties.