Even with the best hardwoods, steel or aluminium door panels, the level of convenience when operating your door depends on the door handle that you choose. It determines how easily people can access certain sections of the house. For instance, some door handles are quite difficult for children and pets to open, thus they can help you restrict access without necessarily relying on the lock mechanism. On that note, here is a close look at door levers and doorknobs to help you make the right choice when buying:

Doorknobs

Doorknobs are round symmetrical door handles that must be turned before the door's latch can disengage from the strike back (fitted on the doorframe). A great benefit of doorknobs is that they can work on doors that swing in either direction. This is because of their symmetry. The round configuration means that door knobs have no particular orientation to the right or left direction and that operate similarly regardless of the way your door is configured.

Note that the rotational movement required to open the door with a doorknob requires more force compared to a lever. Particularly, pets and children will find it difficult to turn doorknobs, and you can consider it a safety measure for those areas of the house that you wouldn't want them to access without your supervision. Moreover, doorknobs do not have anything projecting from the lock mechanism, which makes them generally safe They do not clip onto people's clothing or cause severe cuts when someone bumps into them.

On the downside, people with arm disabilities might find it hard to twist doorknobs. This is why you might not be able to use them on all areas of the house due to compliance issues with physical disability laws and regulations.

Door Levers

Levers are a high end and elegant alternative when it comes to door hardware. They have a lever or arm projecting from the lockset, making it easy to open or close the door. In this way, children, pets and people with arm disabilities find it considerably easy to open the door, unlike a case where you have doorknobs. To add on that, you are less likely to have any installation hindrances because of physical disability laws and regulations. A significant drawback of door levers is the fact that they must match the orientation of the door. They are designed as left or right hand, and unlike doorknobs, you cannot interchange them. Furthermore, door levers can lead to serious injuries when children bump into them. When buying, make sure that they do not have narrow or sharp edges that can elevate the severity of the injuries.