The buildings and the hardware
The building stock in this part of Montgomery County affects the hardware you see. Older single-family homes often have thicker solid-wood doors and mortise or surface-mounted hardware that needs different keyways and deeper mortises for new cylinders. Newer houses and townhomes usually use bored cylindrical locks and a separate deadbolt, which simplifies replacement but calls for precise backset and strike alignment. Small storefronts and mixed-use buildings require commercial-grade cylinders, exit devices or reinforced frames; those entries demand different screws, longer bolts, and attention to the frame condition so the lock actually functions under daily wear.