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Guidelines For Securing Your Home and Possessions


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Guidelines For Securing Your Home and Possessions

Keeping one's self, personal property and belongings safe is a top priority. For this reason, it's very important to have dependable locks, keys and safes. Locks should be sturdy and secure, safes must be durable and impenetrable. Hi, my name is Matthew and my interest in locks and safes started when I began hearing news reports about an increase of burglaries in my city. Before beginning to secure my home and possessions, I spoke with an experienced locksmith who lives nearby. I also searched online to learn everything I could about the various types of security devices, safes, locks and keys. After securing my home and valuables, I now feel very safe. I am writing this blog to share my information with others so they can be safe in their homes too.

Lock Upgrade?

Almost everybody worries about the security of their home, even if it's just from time to time. Though this is a normal worry, you should as yourself questions about your lock systems. Do you still have the bog-standard lock that came with the place you moved into? Maybe the neighborhood has gone a little downhill in the last few years- this is fairly common. Or maybe you gave a key to somebody and then later realized they weren't someone you could trust. Changing the locks is important, but maybe it's time to upgrade? There are lots of things to consider. 

What Do You Need From a New Lock?

Think about your day to day life. Do the kids need to be able to come and go, but you want the door to be secured? Some kids are great at keeping track of their house keys, and some are... less so. (In fairness, this is true of adults, as well.) There are keyless locks where all you need is a passcode to get in. There's also doorknob lock safes for retaining keys, also retrievable with a passcode. Of course, you need to consider that passcodes are often vulnerable in the same way that keys are- if you give the code to the wrong person, you're back where you started. 

There are also keyless entry systems of a different sort- RFID and Bluetooth enabled. Many require having a key fob programmed to go with the door, which comes back to the problem of something to keep track of, but some are also RFID and passcode enabled, so your family members who are apt to lose keys (and fobs) can still come and go, and you can have the door unlock at a touch while still carrying too many bags of groceries at once. 

There are also high-security locks, for the extra assurance you might need. These are often made of much sturdier materials than your average lock, and have much more complex locks- more difficult to pick, in other words. Several have additional deadbolts as well as stronger ones. In these cases, it's important to look at the type of break-ins that have been happening in your area and designing your decision around that.

While most of these newer locks can be installed by a DIY, they are more complex than the standard locks. If you're curious about what kind of upgrades might be useful in your area and need help with selection, or just need help installing a new and fancy but somewhat incomprehensible lock, contact your local locksmith for help.