Author: vc_locksmiths

Stop lugging around a heavy key chain

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Stop lugging around a heavy key chain.

Are you still lugging around a heavy keychain with all your keys on it?  Locking yourself out of the house? Forgetting your keys and having to back in the house everytime you start on an errand?

Make life easy. Install outside and garage keypad door locks. Locking and unlocking is just an easy code. No jangly piles of keys needed. Plus, you don’t have to worry about who you loaned a key to over the years. Just wipe out any guest codes you created and start over. It may seem a small thing, but these little things can really make life easier. Plus, being locked out at 2am in the cold is NOT a small thing.

6 random things that could go undetected and cost you money

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6 random things that could go undetected and cost you money

  1.  A broken pipe in winter.
  2.  A small animal or bird gets into the house and wreaks havoc in its frantic attempt to get back out
  3.  Tree limbs break a window or crash through the roof during a heavy storm
  4.  Basement sewage line backup.
  5.  Appliance left on that overheats and begins to smolder
  6.  Forgotten package sits on the front step until it rains or is stolen

We could go on, but you get the point. When you’re away from home, there are just an endless list of things that could go wrong that could seriously damage your property, especially if they go undetected for any extended period.

Why wait until you get home to discover something is a miss. Consider a home monitoring system that includes video camera that enable you to use an app to check in as often as you like  so you check in at any time to see that everything is ok at home.  Locksmiths do more than make keys. Certified locksmith can offer a wide array of home monitoring systems.

What is the value to you, a commercial property owner, in having a service contract with a locksmith?

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What is the value to you, a commercial property owner, in having a service contract with a locksmith?

Locksmith services aren’t always top of mind for the manager of a commercial property. They are sort of like the fire department: you call them when something goes wrong. But does that make good economic sense? Those emergency calls are billed at premium rates, especially the after hours ones. And you’re not top priority if they are busy with a client they have services contract with.

Arranging a service contract with a certified locksmith can really help your bottom line. You get a predictable monthly fee, become top priority in an emergency, and you do away with premium priced calls. In addition, you may save money because services contract may include routine maintenance checks, so potential problems and liabilities can be discovered and repaired before they break and create troubles for you or your tenants.

Who has yours keys?

Posted on by vc_locksmiths

 

 

Who has yours keys?


Have you recently bought a new house? Have you been in your house for a long while and given keys to neighbors or relatives for various reasons?  


It may be time to think about re-keying your external doors.  Have unknown people out there with a copy of your house key isn’t an ideal situation. If you know you’ve given out a key, it can be an awkward conversation to ask for it back. If you recently bought your house, the previous owners, their relatives, and even your new neighbors may have keys.


The simpler solution is to contact a certified locksmith to have the house re-keyed and be done with it

P.S. When you do this, consider getting keyless door locks that use coded keypads for entry. That will end the “who has keys” question forever.

The latest in theft: Stealing packages from the front door

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The latest in theft: Stealing packages from the front door.


Every new invention or advancement in technology offer new opportunities. The opportunity to improve our lives as well as  the opportunity to develop new criminal activities. The internet has brought us online shopping and front door deliveries. And that means packages just waiting for a thief. One thief was caught with 30 packages in his car: he had simply followed a delivery truck around the neighborhood.


Locksmiths don’t just replace door locks and lost keys. They offer a full line of home security systems. One option for the heavy online shopper is a home monitoring camera. Check your front door when a package is being delivered so you can arrange for it to be put inside your house ASAP.  Signs that the area is under camera surveillance can go a long way to deter thieves.

  
 
Talk to a certified locksmith today.

Locked out of the car? Don’t panic

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Locked out of the car? Don’t panic.
 

Getting locked out of your car is such a frustrating feeling. You can see the key sitting there in the ignition or on the seat and there is nothing to do about it. So near and yet so far. You may think you have to have the car towed to the dealer, or find a ride to and from a dealership to get a new coded key.  Not true. There a certified mobile locksmiths who have trucks and vans fully equipped for travelling to onsite situations like yours. Just be sure you get an estimate over the phone and ask if they are certified and licensed.

Outsourcing your property’s lock and security issues

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Outsourcing your property’s lock and security issues

 
Businesses understand that outsourcing certain tasks is the best business model. Do what you do best, understand the core competencies of your business, and don’t get distracted by the other stuff. Commercial building and property owners do the same thing when they make service agreements with certified locksmiths. Maintaining and servicing doors, locks and other entry points is critical to maintaining the image of your property. It is also an important hedge against the liability of a poorly secured property. Instead of waiting until a hinge breaks or a door doesn’t close properly, allowing in an uninvited intruder, a service contract with a certified locksmith can help ensure the integrity of your property and building security.  Also,  many certified locksmiths provide a full range of security systems and service packages so you can focus on  your core leasing and property management responsibilities.

You’re going all hi-tech, so should your home

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You’re going all hi-tech, so should your home.
 

With the expansion of tools that use the internet to connect, home protection and monitoring has taken a dramatic shift.  Home security has gone past the old days of wires and sensors that alarmed in case of fire, smoke, water or an intruder.  Now you can be an active participant in the oversight of your property, as well as over those who care for it while you are away.  Internet connectivity of camera and sound devices allows you to use your phone to check for packages left at the front door or verify that the dog walker showed up on time and stayed for the entire hour they billed you for.  Take a look in the kitchen to be sure you turned off the stove.  

There are so many new ways you can feel secure that your home and valuables “stay safe” when you’re away.

Talked to a certified locksmith about the latest technology for home and personal security.

Home security is more than being burglar proof

Posted on by vc_locksmiths
  
 
Home security is more than being burglar proof
 

A home alarm system is just a fancy term for a burglar alarm, right?
It is time to get beyond the idea that home security is about keeping a building and its residents safe from nefarious intruders.  Yes, a burglar violating your personal safety in your own home is pretty terrifying, but there are a lot of other far more likely dangers out there that can threaten your home.
Obviously, any home alarm system should include sensors that alarm in case of smoke and fire, but what about other risks that lurk out there that few of us think about?  For example, a pipe in winter could fill your house with hundreds of gallons  in just a few hours while you were away for the afternoon. If the furnace went out and you were away for  winter getaway those pipes would be vulnerable to freezing and you would be entirely unaware. Temperature monitors could end this possibility.
It is time to think of ALL the dangers that can befall the building you call home.

Car Lockouts: 4 Things to Avoid

Posted on by vc_locksmiths
Car Lockouts: 4 Things to Avoid

Locking your key in the car makes you feel so totally helpless. You can see it, but you can’t get to it.

Here are 4 tricks to use to avoid this happening to you.

  1. When you turn off the ignition, make a habit to immediately remove the key and keep it in your hand. If you have packages to take out with you, stop and put it in your pocket, or only grab them with the key still in your hand. Getting gas, same rule. The key goes with you when you get out to fill up.
  2. Take the spare – On long trips, take the spare with you and keep it on your person. If you accidentally leave the key in your car, the spare is on you. Put it in a pocket, on a belt loop, or a lanyard. Don’t leave it in a purse or wallet. These might not leave the car when you stop at a rest area to stretch your legs.
  3. Only use the fob to lock the car – End the habit of locking the door manually when you step out. If you use the fob, by definition you can’t lock yourself out.
  4. Always store the spare in the same place at home – For around town driving, you aren’t likely to carry the spare. Just be sure it is stored somewhere it can be found. If you have to call a family member or friend to bring a spare to you, you need to be able to tell them where it is stored.

For these and other tips, contact your local locksmith at . Visit http://valleycyclelocksmiths.com/ for more information.

Contact us at Valley Cycle Locksmiths

Car Lockouts: 4 Things to Avoid,

5 Basics of Vacation Security for Your House

Posted on by vc_locksmiths
5 Basics of Vacation Security for Your House

Today’s blog is a simple one. It is a basic reminder about your home and vacation security. It is a good idea to take a few steps so that it is less noticeable to the casual observer that your house is empty for an extended period.

Here are 5 small changes you can make that will have a big impact

  1. Trash – Ask a neighbor to put out some trash in front of your place on garbage collection day. No trash means you aren’t home to create garbage to be thrown away.
  2. Packages – Packages are a twofold threat. Left on the doorstep for days, they are a red flag announcing no one is home. Second, they are a tempting crime of opportunity. Anyone can see them and steal them front your front porch. Place orders so that items won’t arrive until you return or else ask a neighbor to watch out for deliveries.
  3. Lights on – A few timers set to turn on lights in a pattern that reflects normal nighttime habitation takes a few minutes, but is worth it.
  4. Leave a radio on – A silent house is an empty house.
  5. Mail and papers – Fewer people get newspapers delivered today, but mail still arrives. Schedule a suspension of mail and papers, or ask someone to collect these daily for you.

These are 5 quick tips that take very little time but eliminate the biggest signs to everyone that you’ve left town for a while.

Contact us at Valley Cycle Locksmiths

5 Basics of Vacation Security for Your House,

Security is an Ongoing Commitment, Not a One-Time Investment

Posted on by vc_locksmiths
Security is an Ongoing Commitment, Not a One-Time Investment

When you buy a car, you don’t just run it and hope for the best. You change the oil, do periodic inspections, check the tires for wear and air pressure. It is an ongoing effort, but it is necessary for your own safety and to protect the large investment you made in the vehicle. You don’t want something to go wrong at 70mph.

Security for your business should be handled in the same way. You don’t just install alarms on the windows, fire detectors and some automatic door closers and then forget about it. These systems need to be checked and maintained to be sure they are in working order for whenever they are needed. If this isn’t done, you may only discover that something has malfunctioned after a theft or disaster has occurred. Security is an ongoing commitment and the best way to approach this is to have a term maintenance contract that provides routine inspections and checks on all aspects of your security. This will help prevent breakdowns and protect the investment you made in your firm’s security.

Contact us at Valley Cycle Locksmiths

Security is an Ongoing Commitment, Not a One-Time Investment,