Homeowner Resources

The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) is the only organization accredited by the America National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop and maintain performance standards for door hardware. Any product bearing the BHMA Certified® Secure Home™ label has been tested and audited according to these standards—the highest in the industry—to ensure product quality.

Each lockset and deadbolt with the BHMA Certified® Secure Home™ label is tested for security, durability and finish and is rated in each category based on its level of performance (C=Good, B=Better, A=Best). So, determining which areas (security, durability and/or finish) are most important when it comes to your specific hardware need(s) will help you select which combination of ratings is right for you.

For example, if you’re looking for a new lock for your bathroom door, you may be most concerned about the product’s durability and less concerned about the security or finish ratings. Therefore, you would want to look for a product where the durability rating is higher or equal to the ratings of the other two categories.

Security measures how well a lock or deadbolt can withstand impact, whether from a possible intruder or extreme weather conditions.

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.

Finish measures how well a product can withstand sun exposure, humidity, saltwater, dew and even the oils in our hands – all of which can cause the covering of a lock or deadbolt to soften, peel, discolor or corrode.

While BHMA® is known for developing and maintaining performance standards for commercial hardware, some of these standards include information that can be used for residential hardware as well. In 2014, BHMA® determined that the requirements and needs for residential products were different enough from those of commercial products and that, in order to set the highest possible requirements for each type, it would prove best to separate them. The purpose of the Secure Home™ program is not only to make it easier for homeowners to buy hardware, but for them to understand the importance of purchasing hardware that is certified.

Right now, there are only two standards for residential hardware: ANSI/BHMA® A156.39 Residential Locksets and Latches and ANSI/BHMA® A156.40 Residential Deadbolts. BHMA® expects to develop a residential standard for hinges in the near future, and other hardware used for residential applications – like thresholds, screen door holders or gaskets – will be considered for standard development as well.

You can find certified locksets and deadbolts wherever hardware is sold.

In order for a lock or deadbolt to be considered for BHMA Certified®, it must first go through rigorous testing for security, durability and finish. As such, there are standards for locks and deadbolts that set progressive levels of performance requirements for these types of hardware, along with corresponding ratings for each levels (C=Good, B=Better, A=Best). If a product is capable of meeting the specific performance requirements for security, durability and finish that have been set forth in its respective standard, it is given an A, B or C rating in each category (based on how it performed). It’s important to note that any product bearing the BHMA® Certified SecureHome™ label is of utmost quality, regardless of the rating combination it displays.

The BHMA Certified® Secure Home™ label helps you better assist your customers when it comes to meeting their hardware needs. In providing products with the BHMA® Certified Secure Home™ label, your customers can easily identify which door hardware product(s) have the ratings combination best suited for their family, room type and, even, climate!

While BHMA® is known for developing and maintaining performance standards for commercial hardware, some of these standards include information that can be used for residential hardware as well. In 2014, BHMA® determined that the requirements and needs for residential products were different enough from those of commercial products and that, in order to set the highest possible requirements for each type, it would prove best to separate them. The purpose of the SecureHome™ program is not only to make it easier for homeowners to buy hardware, but for them to understand the importance of purchasing hardware that is certified.

The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) is the only organization accredited by the America National Standards Institute (ANSI), to develop and maintain performance standards for door hardware. Any product bearing the BHMA Certified® Secure Home™ label has been tested and audited according to these standards—the highest in the industry—to ensure product quality.

Right now, there are only two standards for residential hardware: ANSI/BHMA® A156.39 Residential Locksets and Latches and ANSI/BHMA® A156.40 Residential Deadbolts. BHMA® expects to develop a residential standard for hinges in the near future, and other hardware used for residential applications – like thresholds, screen door holders or gaskets – will be considered for standard development as well.

To help you better understand the program, BHMA® has developed two (2) infographics that explain how to read the BHMA® Certified Secure Home™ label and how consumers can use the label when buying locksets and deadbolts. BHMA® has also developed an educational website, www.securehome.org, which is home to all the information you need to know about BHMA® and the Secure Home™ label. BHMA® also has the Certified Secure Home™ label available in Spanish, French, Spanish/English and French/English versions to help you better serve customers who may not speak English as their first language.