Valuable Lock Tips

The Local Locksmith Company not only provides professional residential locksmith services, we can also be a resource to help you.  We cover these very popular topics and ways to do certain things to prevent an emergency situation.  Let’s face it, when it’s below freezing and you’re locked out of your car or house, nothing else matters except resolving the situation.

Popular Topics to Review

• Times when you consider a rekey
• How to rekey a lock
• When? Why? Would you consider new door locks or hardware?
• 4 ways to prevent being locked out of your house

At The Local Locksmith Company, it’s not always about a financial transaction. It’s also about an educated customer.

When you might want to change locks

There are several times when you might want to consider a lock change or having your locks rekeyed:

1. When you purchase a new home. Purchasing a new home is a stressful yet exciting time. A lot of things are going through your mind like the big move, painting, and possibly decorating. One thing is for sure, you should have your locks rekeyed. Having your locks rekeyed when you move into a new home, apartment, or condominium ensures that as the new owner, you are the only one with a key to access your new home.

2. When you have lost house keys. Losing your house keys is a hassle and sometimes scary.  It’s not only the fact that there isn’t access to your home, but the possibility that someone else may have access is frightening. Make a simple call to The Local Locksmith Company and we can resolve this problem.

3. Break up with a spouse or significant other. Sometimes big life moments such as a breakup will require you to rekey your door handles, deadbolts, and doorknobs. For your safety and for your protection, The Local Locksmith Company will rekey your locks for you.

4. Firing a home-care worker. Home-care workers are entrusted not only with helping to take care of one of our relatives, but they are also given access to doors and deadbolts. Changing locks is a wise idea after relieving a home health care worker of their duties.

5. Key control. Basic key control is a good reason to rekey your locks. Over the years you may have copied, lost, or given a key to a person in the past, and just out of your busy lifestyle you may have forgotten how many of your keys are really out there. In one visit, The Local Locksmith Company can rekey all of your locks and give your key control back to you, where it belongs.

6. Consolidate the number of keys. You may have a separate key for your doorknob, door handle, and deadbolt. You may have multiple kinds of keys and multiple brands of door locks. Or you may have a different key for your garage and your front door. Keying all of your door locks, handles, knobs, and deadbolts the same makes entering and exiting more convenient so you are not fumbling through multiple door lock keys to secure your home.

The Local Locksmith Company is focused on residential security. Our primary focus as a company is to cater to homeowners and just everyday people.

How to Rekey a Lock

The Local Locksmith Company rekeys hundreds of locks monthly. When the typical homeowner watches, they’re usually pretty fascinated by the undertaking. Here’s a short how-to if you’d like to try and rekey your own locks. Rekeying your own locks requires very few tools and most people already have what they need. On a scale of 1 to 10, this job is probably a 7.

Tools you’ll need:

• Phillips screwdriver
• Possibly a flat-head screwdriver

Materials you’ll need:

You can go to Lowe’s, Home Depot, Menards, True Value Hardware, Do it Best Hardware, or most any hardware store and pick up a rekeying kit by a company called “To Change A Lock.” They also have a website www.changealock.com. This is a standard rekeying kit for Kwikset locks or Schlage locks. These kits will contain pins, new keys, a plug cylinder follower, any tools required to disassemble the lock, and detailed instructions on removing the lock cylinder.

1. Remove the doorknob, handle or deadbolt from the door.
2. Remove the plug from the cylinder of the lock.
3. Using the plug follower tool, remove the plug that contains all of the pins (tumblers).
4. Remove all of the old pin tumblers and you can discard these.
5. Insert the new key into the plug and insert the correct size pin into the proper hole on the plug.
6. Reinsert the plug into the lock cylinder at the same time, holding tension onto the plug following tool so that no space between the plug and following tool is allowed.
7. Reattach all pins, clips, springs, washers or nuts to the plug and to the lock cylinder.
8. Reinsert the lock cylinder with the plug back into the fixture (doorknob, door handle, or deadbolt).
9. Reinstall the doorknob, door handle, or deadbolt back on the door.
10. Job completed!

When is a Good Time to Consider New Door Hardware

Several times to consider new door hardware are:

1. When your current hardware is malfunctioning. When your current door locks, doorknobs, door levers, door handles, and deadbolt locks are malfunctioning, it is imperative that you consider replacing your door hardware. If nothing is done, you are increasing your risk of being locked out. Don’t take that risk.  Replace your door locks before they fail.

2. When you’re decorating and you want a new look, color or feel. During and after making home updates, oftentimes the color of cabinet hardware, fixture hardware, and light switch plates are changed. If your new remodeled look is done in brushed nickel but your doors have polished brass doorknobs, levers, handles, and deadbolt locks, now would be a good time to update the look. Not only can your door locks add security, they can also add style.

3. When you want to update your hardware from doorknobs to door levers. Let’s face it, levers are definitely easier to open and require less work than doorknobs. According to the Americans with Disability Act as of 2010, it has become a requirement to replace doorknobs with levers. This makes it easier for anyone with disabilities and that’s just the right thing to do.

4.When you’re rekeying your door locks and have some locks with a Kwikset keyway and some locks with a Schlage, Yale, or other keyways. Changing your door locks, knobs, handles, levers, and deadbolts to all the same keyway can reduce the number of keys necessary to enter your home. So when it’s pouring down rain, the humidity is at 100% and it’s 85 degrees, or it’s so cold you just want to get in the house, having one key makes it very convenient. Rekeying your old hardware to match your new hardware keyway will increase safety, security, and convenience.

5. Just because you want to. The Local Locksmith Company doesn’t require you to have a reason to change your door hardware. We will come to change your doorknobs, handles, levers, and deadbolt locks any time.

Ways to Prevent Being Locked Out of Your House

You can avoid getting locked out of your house by:

1. Installing a new keypad deadbolt. Installing a new keypad deadbolt will allow you to access your home without a key but, at the same time, you’re not sacrificing your security. Some of the bigger door hardware companies like Kwikset and Schlage offer electronic coded push button deadbolt systems.

2. Installing a lockbox. Never hide a key outside of your home under a rock or in a planter. Places like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Ace Hardware sell high-quality lockboxes for homeowners. Simply bolt down or utilize the padlock clasp to secure the lockbox. Put a spare house key inside, lock it up, and you will never be locked out of your house.

3. Leaving a spare house key in your car. Having a spare house key in your car is another way to prevent you from being locked out of your house.

4. Leaving a spare house key with a trusted neighbor. Leaving a spare key with a trusted neighbor is a good way to prevent you from being locked out of your house.

Life happens and sometimes we accidentally lock ourselves out of our home. Calling a qualified locksmith who can open your door is the solution to the problem. These four tips will save you money, time, and the headache of accidentally locking yourself out of your house.

The Local Locksmith Company can always assist you in these situations. Call us at 734-925-6647 and we will send a qualified residential locksmith to you today.