3 Services Locksmiths Provide Besides Helping You Get Into Your House
The word “locksmith” formerly meant someone who makes (or smiths) locks. However, most modern locks are made by huge factories and the locksmith’s job has evolved.
Nowadays, most customers only call locksmiths when they have been locked out of their home or car. This makes sense because about 16,000 Americans are locked out of their cars and homes every day.
However, locksmiths provide many services besides helping you with a lockout. Here are three services that locksmiths provide:
Lock Repairs
Like all mechanical devices, locks can break. Age, weather, and wear can take a toll on locks. When you need lock repairs, you can call a locksmith.
Some examples of situations when you might need a locksmith to repair your lock include:
- Frozen or rusted lock: Water, ice, and other debris can get into locks, particularly when they are outdoors.
- Broken key: Keys, like locks, wear over time. A locksmith can open locks even if your key is broken. More importantly, a locksmith can provide broken key extraction if the key breaks inside the lock.
- Jammed or broken lock: When a lock will not budge even with the correct key, a locksmith can remove the lock and repair it. If lock repairs are not possible, the locksmith can install a new lock to replace the broken one.
Rekey or Change Locks
Locks provide both safety from outside threats and a feeling of comfort and security. When you lose your keys or an undesirable person has a copy of your keys, you may need new locks.
Some newer locks can be rekeyed. To rekey a lock, a locksmith must remove the lock cylinder and replace the lock pins. The lock pins contact the key and lock the cylinder from turning when the key is not present.
Some locks, however, cannot be rekeyed. For example, the lock may be made with pins that cannot be replaced. When a lock cannot be rekeyed, a locksmith can replace the locks.
In either case, the old keys will no longer work in the lock and your home or car will be secure from unwanted intruders.
Installing and Programming Electronic Locks
Electronic locks are becoming more common. They avoid many of the problems of traditional mechanical locks, including:
- Entry control: For a business, you can control which doors open for which access codes. You can also control the hours the locks can be opened.
- Entry record: Some electronic locks can record the time that a door was opened and which access code was used. This can be helpful when investigating illegal activity.
- Easily remove access: When you want to remove a person’s ability to unlock the doors, you can simply remove the person’s access code. This avoids the risk of the person making duplicate keys or picking the lock.
Locksmiths are trained to install electronic lock systems and programming them with the access codes for everyone in your home or office. More importantly, they can train you or someone else in your home or office to add or remove access codes so you can keep your property secure.
Locksmiths do not just provide damage-free entry into your home or vehicle during a lockout. They are skilled in installing, repairing, and re-keying locks. These professionals can help with almost any issue involving a lock.
