Home Security Matters: Re-Keying and More Locksmith Security
When it comes to your home, security measures should be among your top priorities. After all, your home is what stands between your treasured memories, your family, and the rest of the world. Interviews with convicted home burglars have shown that a few routine security measures go a long way to preventing theft, so what are you waiting for? Here are a few simple steps you can take to increase your home’s security easily.
Re-Key the Locks
When you move into a new home, whether it was just built or has been around for a century, one of the first steps you should alway take is re-keying all the outward facing locks. This is a simple step that changes the key needed without altering the hardware on your doors and most locksmiths can do so simply and easily in an hour or two. Re-keying is a great way to increase your home’s security quickly and easily because it makes all previous keys to the home cease to work. This way, if the previous owners never collected all the key copies they made, or the builder didn’t keep track of which contractors had access to the home, you can ensure that all those keys floating around won’t make your home a target of opportunity.
Check the Installation
One of the other things to check as soon as you move into a new home is the deadbolt installation. Deadbolt locks are only effective when they have been installed correctly and, sadly, many contractors skimp on this step. For a deadbolt to serve as a tough deterrent to thieves, the plate screwed into the door frame should be attached with screws at least three inches long. Any shorter, and the screws won’t have enough of a hold in the wood and give way to force, allowing a burglar entry. If you’re unsure whether your deadbolts were installed properly, a local locksmith can check for you and handle any repairs necessary.
Keyless Entry
If re-keying isn’t quite secure enough for you, go keyless! You may have seen these systems in use on businesses before, but keyless entry isn’t just for commercial use. Keyless entry systems are locks that replace your deadbolt and require a passcode to open—generally with a code you can set and reset as often as you choose. It’s a perfect option for those who habitually lose or temporarily misplace their keys. In addition to taking keys out of the equation, most modern keyless deadbolt systems allow you to program more than one code in and many can be accessed remotely thanks to a wireless internet connection. What this means is you can provide a separate code to each of your kids, or give a special code to a cleaner or dog sitter then remove that code from the working list when they no longer need access.
If you’re looking for ways to improve your Columbus home’s security, contact Buckeye Locksmith today! Our experienced technicians can re-key your home, install a keyless entry system, and offer other suggestions to improve your home’s security. Don’t wait, call today!
