Author: vc_locksmiths

It is sometimes amazing to us how many people leave home for extended periods and all but post a “vacancy” sign. The quick tasks to remember before you leave are easy pure common sense.

The biggest one: use light timers. No one lives in a house with all the lights off, so when sunset comes and the house is completely dark, it is obvious that no one is home. Also, papers and mail piling up are a pretty big neon sign for a thief. Have the mail and papers turned off, and ask a neighbor to check for packages at your door every day or two. 3rd, don’t leave rakes, toys and similar things abandoned in the yard. This just shows that no one is around.

And there you have it. 3 simple things to make the house a little safer.

OK. Pretty much everyone in the known world no longer uses a rotary phone. Technology changes and we move on. Things get more convenient and easier to use. Same with home security. Are you still carrying keys to every door in your house? It may be time to move on to higher tech and toss that keyring.

Coded door locks using keypads are a fantastically great new technology. There are so many reasons to upgrade.
1) No more keys to carry.
2) No more lockouts if you forget your keys.
3) No more making copies to give out to a neighbor.
4) No more awkward “asking for a key back” from someone you no longer want to have one.

Coded door locks enable you to have a different code for every potential user and to add/delete codes whenever you like. And, back to the phone, you can get apps for your phone to unlock/lock as you approach or walk away from the door. Keys are so 2000’s.

Almost everyone now has an automatic remote control garage door opener. They are very convenient and fantastic when the weather gets nasty. However, it is important to recognize the security mistakes you can make with them.

First, it is a good idea to keep the door from the garage into the house locked. If for any reason you drive away and forget to close the garage door or it catches a stray signal and decides to open on its own, you don’t want anyone to have easy access to your house.

Second, if you park in the driveway or on the street, even during the day when you are at home, make sure you have locked your car. Reason? Your remote opener is probably in plain view right there on your visor. A quick reach into the car and someone has access to your house as soon as you drive away. Finally, if you ever use valet parking, it is a good precaution to lock away the remote in the trunk or take it with you. If you have any envelopes, magazines, or documents in your car that include your address, that remote could be tempting for a not-so-honest car valet.

Sure you can run to the hardware store and get new locks for your home’s doors, but is that really the best way to do it? There is more to home security than a discount deadbolt/door knob set from the home center. For one thing, the type of lockset you buy should be determined by the type/style of door. A locksmith can evaluate that for you. Second, locksmiths often carry lines of products that aren’t available outside of wholesale suppliers, which means there may be quality products you just don’t have access to.

When it comes to home security, it makes sense to consider bringing in a professional. It is your family and your property at stake.

No, LOL. Don’t panic. That’s never useful. When you think you’ve lost or misplaced your keys, you get that horrid feeling in your stomach. Take a few breaths, calm down, and retrace your steps, trying to remember the last time you had them. Searching frantically never works. Instead, apply some logic to the search and you may just find them.

If they seem to be gone for good, you’re going to need a locksmith. Use a search engine (or the Yellow pages–yes they still exist) and look for ones in your area. Check to see that they are certified / licensed and insured. When you call them, be sure to ask for a written estimate. You don’t want to get sticker shock once everything is done and finished.

Also, when they arrive, ask for identification and the written estimate before you agree to any work. ID matters because you are effectively giving them access to your property and valuables. A little extra caution is a good thing.