Types of Locks

There are several types of locks you can choose from and they also serve different purposes so when you go out to buy one, you need to consider several factors. First you need to think what kind of lock you would like: a combination dial, a keyed lock, or other type of security device. Then you need to consider where that lock is going to go, if it’s going to be used indoors or somewhere it will be protected, or if it’s going to be used outdoors in a front door where it will be exposed to the weather, or if it’s going to be used in a harsh, industrial environment. Another thing you need to consider is the value of the property or equipment that the lock will be protecting. Of course, the higher the value, the better quality lock you need to acquire.

If you are looking for a lock to a store unit, storage locker, workshops or garage then a combination dial is a good option. If you are looking for a lock to your business then you should definitely go for a keyless lock. There are different kinds, for instance you can go for one in which you have to insert the right code so it unlocks or you can go for something even more sophisticated: a fingerprint lock. Nowadays, many businesses are going for the fingerprint lock because it’s easier. It takes less time than inserting a code and your employees won’t have to spend days trying to memorize the code. Also, if an employee resigns or is fired, you don’t have to change the code for everyone because you just erase his fingerprint access. That’s what makes fingerprint locks such a popular choice. If you are not sure what kind of lock is the best, you should contact a locksmith to help you out and advise you on the different options. 

Master Key

I think most of you will probably know what a master key is but just in case, it is a key able to operate a set of several locks. They are quite functional and save a lot of time for those who use them. For instance, there are hotels with hundreds of rooms and every room has to be cleaned. People in charge of cleaning need to access several rooms and imagine having to look for the particular key to the 50 rooms they are supposed to clean! It would take hours finding the right key in a huge pile like this!

Master keys are important in places like hotels because customers are always losing the one that was assigned to them and when they go to the lobby and ask for assistance, they expect to be helped immediately and imagine how unprofessional it would look if the receptionist took out a huge pile of keys and started looking for the right one. In addition, you are just as likely to lose it as the customer because there are so many! Oh, if only you had a master key things would be much easier.

If you run a business that has several rooms and you need certain employees to enter most rooms then I recommend getting a master key to facilitate the workload and make the process faster. All you need to do is contact a commercial locksmith and he will be able to help you out. But of course you will need to provide some sort of document that shows you have the right to get a master key because you are the owner of the business.

P.S. If you still have a keychain and you have to constantly add or remove keys, I found this great tip! 

Break-in Repairs

Imagine someone breaking into your house when you are away and taking your most expensive belongings like your TV, your laptop, and the money you had put in your nightstand. You come back from work and realize the door is open and you can tell someone broke in; then you see your house has in fact been robbed. Not only have you been robbed, but you are also now exposed because they have broken the lock of the front door but since it’s late at night then you think it’s best to wait till the next day to get it repaired, plus what are the chances of being robbed twice in one day?! Well, they might be higher than you might think, so don’t risk it. 

The smartest thing to do when you realize someone broke into your house and ruined the lock is to contact a locksmith no matter the time. Most locksmiths offer 24 hour service and will most likely show up in just a few minutes. However, you should be careful about whom you hire because not all locksmiths are legit. In order to avoid even more inconvenience and trouble you should always contact a locksmith who you know is licensed.

If you ever go through something like that then the best thing to do is to step up the security system in your house. A more expensive, state of the art lock might suffice but you can also request your locksmith to install an alarm system in your house so that you and your family are kept safe. Remember that no price is too high when it comes to your life and the lives of those you love. 

Associated Locksmiths of America

It’s no news that many of the locksmiths you find online are people trying to rip you off but I guess it’s up to you if you want to be taken for a fool or not. Everyone has gotten locked out at least once, some from their cars, others from their house, and the most unfortunate from both. You should always keep a locksmith’s business card in your wallet. If you have never contacted a locksmith you probably don’t have the number so what you have to do right now is to look for one near your area. Go to www.findalocksmith.com and get the number of a locksmith in your phone or wallet. Finding a locksmith in that page instead of any random site on the internet guarantees that your locksmith will have a license and that he is part of the Associated Locksmiths of America. In order to be part of the Associated Locksmiths of America, the locksmiths have to go through a background check and anyone with a criminal history will not qualify.

Something many locksmiths tend to do is provide an estimate over the phone and then they show up and after they finish the job, they tell the customer there was a problem with the lock and the only option was to drill it and they end up charging hundreds of dollars, which obviously is just an excuse to get a lot more of your money. That’s why you need to make sure that before the locksmith performs any job, both of you sign a paper that contains the specific amount you will be charged. Also, a trustworthy locksmith will usually wear a uniform from the company he claims to work for, and something very important is checking his car. They will often have a van that has the name of the company on it. But of course always make sure you request to see their locksmith license and if they don’t have it, it’s better to contact someone else.

Trust Your Locksmith

I know we are all grateful to the locksmiths who have served us in the past because they have probably saved us from a big inconvenience. But not all locksmiths are the same and you have to be careful with the one you choose. First of all, try to get a locksmith that has a license because then you know you can probably trust him. If you already have a locksmith you know and you like then great. On the other hand, if you have already gotten a locksmith service and everything related to the job he performed was alright but the service itself was poor and you were not comfortable with the attitude of the locksmith then you should probably consider looking for another one.

If you get locked out of your house in the middle of the day you can easily contact a locksmith and they can go and let you in. But service is also important because your locksmith should be someone you can trust and someone that you can feel comfortable with. Why? Because it is a whole different story being locked out during the day than at 3am. Getting bad service sucks, even if the job is right, we want people to be nice to us and that create confidence in us. If a grumpy locksmith makes you uncomfortable during the day, imagine being stuck with him in the middle of the night when everyone’s asleep and there’s no one around to help you if something goes wrong. The guy might not be bad and maybe he’s in no way trying to hurt you but a bad attitude is enough to freak you out.

Furthermore, it’s better to get service at night from a locksmith that you already know because there are many locksmiths out there that are just trying to rip people off and take advantage of the situation they’re in. For instance, if you are in an area where there aren’t many 24 hour locksmiths around and you finally find one, he may want to overcharge you. And I’m not talking about $50 but try $300 or a similar price. If you go online you’ll see how many different stories exist about locksmiths trying to get people’s money. 

Why Do Locks Matter?

Security is a concern for everyone, especially if we don’t live in the safest neighborhood. Locksmith services can be expensive and state of the art locks might hurt our bank accounts a little bit. But we spend money every day on irrelevant things like movies, or our favorite dessert and when we add them up they may go as high as hundreds of dollars a month. So why wouldn’t we sacrifice those luxuries for a good cause like is our safety?

When we think of a burglar breaking into our house we panic. Whenever we hear a strange noise in our house we consider the possibility of an intruder being in there and our hearts start racing, we start shaking, and we freeze. But what we don’t take into account is that the person trying to steal from us is having the same exact reaction. We are afraid of getting hurt and the thief is afraid of getting caught, facing jail time, etc. That’s why thieves consider their options before taking the risk of breaking into a house. You can never eliminate the possibility of having an intruder but you can certainly reduce it.

Like I was saying, there are several things that a burglar considers before breaking into a house and this can make a difference between being robbed or not. If your house has obstacles that anyone would have difficulty overcoming then you are going to be safer than the next guy. You can do different things like getting a big scary dog to guard your house or getting advice and service from a reliable locksmith that can tell you which is the best lock and the one that will be harder to break.

If someone sees a sophisticated lock like that in the front door they will be more hesitant about trying to break in because if someone has a nice lock like that in their house, chances are they are also equipped with an alarm system that will put the burglar at risk of getting caught. So remember that when it comes to making your house safer it is not just about the quality of the lock but about the overall impression it gives to potential burglars. 

Commercial Locksmith Services

What do locksmiths do? Yes, they are the ones who save you every time you lock yourself out of your house or car but they do more than that and you should take advantage of them. A big problem is that not all locksmiths are legit that’s why you should always ask for their license to make sure you’re getting what you pay for.

Anyway, El Paso Texas Locksmith offers commercial locksmith services so they can take care of commercial security lock repairs or installations. If you are a retailer then you probably have a store filled with thousands of valuable products that cost thousands of dollars. Imagine someone breaking an entry and stealing several products. You would incur in big losses, huh? Well protect your business before it’s too late! El Paso Locksmith can advise you on what kind of lock is best for your company and proceed to install whichever you like. 

They offer simple deadbolts and more sophisticated keyless office entries, which are highly recommend to business owners who need to keep their business protected and burglars away. Having keyless office entries has many benefits. For starters, you make it a lot harder for burglars to break in. The other wonderful benefit is that you will never have to worry about leaving the keys to your office at home or about misplacing them and wasting hours looking for them. 

Another advantage of keyless office entries is that if an employee is fired you don’t have to be asking for his key back because you can simply change the code to the door. This is a lot better because people can’t be trusted and if you get the key back you still can’t be certain that the employee didn’t make copies! Just imagine how dangerous it can be to have a resentful former employee with the keys to your business. Controlling the entrance by a code spares you time and money because even though they may be more expensive than any regular lock, it protects you and it keeps you from having to change the lock just because you don’t trust a former employee. So keep this in mind if you are the owner of a business and act now. Contact us for a free estimate at 915-740-0846!