Hemet Locksmith: When to Replace Locks
If you ask homeowners who have owned their homes for a long period of time how often they replace their locks, you will surely find some who have never changed the locks at all. Many of these homeowners are influenced by the era’s they grew up in. Unfortunately, the world is rapidly changing and new dangers arise daily. Personal security has become a growing concern for everyone. When thinking about security measures you can undertake to keep your family safe, the first line of defense is a sturdy door locking mechanism. So how do you know when it is a good time to replace your current door locks? Keep reading for some tips.
Wear and Tear
It happens and it is unavoidable. Your items will deteriorate over time through normal wear and tear. Worn out locks can be a serious issue as they pertain to home security. Older, worn out or rusted locks are easier to pick. You may even find that your key no longer works correctly in your older locks. If your lock has serious rust, tarnish or other clear indications of wear, it is likely necessary to look for a brand new lock so that you have one that will remain fully functional. If you find that your lock is becoming more and more of a challenge to open, and the difficulty becomes worse on colder nights, it may be time to change the locks. You don’t want to wait until the lock malfunctions altogether, leaving you and your family locked out of your home.
Lost or stolen keys
To maintain the security of your home, you should replace or rekey your locks if the keys have been lost or stolen. Once you determine which locks have been stolen, you can replace them in order of security priority. Locks that grant outside access need to be replaced right away. You don’t want potential intruders to have easy access to your home, family and valuables. Once outside access locks have been replaced, you can replace any interior locks that may be affected (such as basement locks, office locks, etc.).
If you find that you are losing your keys frequently, you may want to consider installing a combination or keypad lock. This way, you can simply remember your code to gain access to your home. The code can be reprogrammed from time to time to increase security. Many of these types of locks can also come with a lock and key backup system.
Break Ins
If you are the victim of a break in, it can leave you feeling very shaken and anxious. To restore your peace of mind, and increase the security of your home you should replace your locks immediately. The force that is used in a robbery or break in could have been enough to compromise the mechanics of the lock itself. A damaged lock can put you at higher risk for another break in. After a robbery, it is best to assume that all your household locks have been compromised. As a safety precaution, replace all household locks so that if your keys have fallen into the wrong hands, the intruders will no longer have easy access to your home.
Roommate/Renters
If you rent out a room inside of your residence, whether it be shared accommodation between you and your roommates, or you rent out your basement and the renter has their own separate entrance, it is a good practice to change the locks each time the tenants change. Even if the tenants return your keys, you do not know if they have made copies, or given copies to friends and family. For your own peace of mind, and the security of your home, you should change the locks upon your tenant moving out.
Divorce/Separation/Break-Up
Going through a divorce or break-up can be a challenging time. There are a laundry list of items that you have to take care of. One thing that people don’t think of is changing their locks. However, it is best to change your locks so that you can ensure you are the only one with free access to your home. Especially in the case of a contentious divorce, where there may be issues in regards to property - you should change the locks. You don’t want to return home to find out that half of your property is missing. As much as you may trust the other person, and even if your divorce is amicable - personal property can become an area of contention. To protect yourself you should change your locks so that you can manage who has access to your home.
New Home Purchase
When you purchase a new home from a previous owner - you are on top of the world when you get your keys. However, please bear in mind that you do not know who also has keys to your home. The previous owner could have a spare key. Even neighbors could have a copy. Not to mention any friends/family of the previous owner that were given a spare key at some time. When you purchase a new home, you should make changing the locks a priority. You don’t want to inherit any security risks from the previous owners. In this scenario, your locks should be replaced or rekeyed for better security.
Key gets jammed/stuck easily
I remember growing up my parents door lock was what they called “temperamental”. You had to jiggle it a certain way to get the door to open. The key would often get stuck, and I would be fearful that the key would break off in the lock. While my parents decided this was a normal way to live, I now know that this was a sign that the lock needed to be replaced. My parents eventually ended up changing the lock (my mom’s key broke off in the door), but they definitely shouldn’t have waited that long to address the issue. If you find that your lock is stuck, the key doesn’t turn smoothly and you have problems opening your lock with your key, this is a sign that the lock should be replaced.
If you’d like help changing the locks on your home, and increasing the security of your home call Hemet Locksmith. We proudly serve the Hemet, CA area and can assist you in replacing the locks in your home.