Homebuilders and homeowners alike want to know if the products they’re buying are suitable and reliable without having to do extensive research. And so, the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) has created the BHMA Certified Residential Hardware Program which covers deadbolts and locksets. This program consists of products certified by BHMA through rigorous independent testing for security, durability, and finish. The BHMA Secure Home Label is placed on the packaging and helps users identify certified products from the rest.
Rating and Testing Categories
BHMA Certified products meet the requirements of BHMA’s residential hardware standards, which are approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). BHMA has two residential standards: ANSI/BHMA A156.39 for Residential Locksets and Latches and ANSI/BHMA A156.40 for Residential Deadbolts. Every deadbolt or lockset certified by BHMA is given a rating of Good (C), Better (B) or Best (A) in each testing category. Each certified product, regardless of its rating, is guaranteed to be thoroughly tested in these three areas:
Security = Safety
Security measures how well a lock or deadbolt can withstand impact, whether from a possible intruder or extreme weather conditions.
Durability = Functionality
Durability measures how well a lock or deadbolt functions after repeated, long term use. It also measures how well a lock or deadbolt operates with excessive weight on the door – such as hanging a purse.
Finish = Withstanding the Elements
Finish measures how well your door hardware can endure under a wide variety of conditions over the span of the product’s life. Severe weather events and other factors, such as sun exposure, humidity, saltwater, dew and even the oils on our hands, can cause damage to entire structures and cause the finish of a lock or deadbolt to discolor or corrode.
The BHMA Certified Secure Home Label
Certified residential hardware can be identified by the BHMA Certified Secure Home label, which is seen on a product’s packaging and/or on its website description. The label is easy to identify and displays the products A, B, or C rating in each of the three testing categories. A complete listing of certified residential products is available online within BHMA’s Certified Products Directory (CPD).
Know Your Certified Residential Hardware
BHMA launched the Secure Home campaign to educate homeowners, retailers, and trade professionals about BHMA and the Certified Secure Home label. This program also aids professionals involved in residential building projects by providing extra guidance for deciding which products to select for each individual project or application. For more on Secure Home, please visit https://securehome.org/ and additional information on the label can be found in this Secure Home infographic.
Contributing Author: Michael Tierney, BHMA Standards Director
For more than 20 years, Tierney has served as the Products Standards Director for BHMA where he coordinates the development and revision of the BHMA performance standards for building hardware products. He came to BHMA following a 20-year career in manufacturing management at United Technologies, Honeywell, Black and Decker, and Yale Security. He is a principal member on technical committees for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the ICC A117.1 Committee for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, and ASTM. Tierney can be reached at mtierney@kellencompany.com
How can locks produced in China be certified with this label? Is there a certification body or agency in China?