In the beginning of last year, Phila-Locksmith asked some of its professional locksmiths what some of the top tips that they had for homeowners would be. Many of these tips and actions that you can take may seem like common sense, but it takes just one moment of forgetfulness to give thieves and burglars access to your home. This is why we have brought back our five tips for protecting your home, in order to help residents who may not have taken heed of the tips previously.
1. Using a deadbolt lock
By having a deadbolt installed on the entrance doors to your home, you can easily make your home much more secure. Standard knob locks can easily be susceptible to picking and even opened using something as simple as a credit card. While deadbolt may be susceptible to professional lock picks, a deadbolt can protect you from the untrained thief who uses a trick like a credit card to easily enter your home.
2. Don’t Leave Spares Outside
Leaving a spare key outside may be an easy way for you to get yourself back inside if you have lost or forgotten your key, but it is also an easy way for thieves to get into your home while you are not there. One of the first places that a burglar will check for a key is in many of the so called “hiding places” that a person would think about leaving a spare key. By skipping the spare left outside and simply remembering to bring your house keys with you, you can eliminate one easy access option that a thief would have.
3. Keep Gun Safes Locked
For many reasons you want to make sure that your firearms are securely locked inside of a gun safe should a break-in occur, especially if you are not in the home at the time. It is also recommended to keep the access, whether it is keys or a code, in a well hidden location so that your firearms can not be stolen by a burglar. Additionally a gun safe can help to provide security for homeowners who have children and want to limit any possible access that the child may have to a firearm.
4. Preventative Lock Maintenance
Locks can jam or malfunction for a majority of reasons. If there is a chronic issue with your locks function, even if it seems minor, it is highly recommended to have your lock inspected by a locksmith. A small issue can easily manifest itself into a lock problem that can compromise the security of your home. Head-off any possible security breaches by taking preventative maintenance action on your locks.
5. Lock the doors!
As mentioned in our previous article, one of the biggest reasons that our technicians see break-ins occur, is simply because the entrance door lock had not been armed. No matter how much energy and money you spend on residential security, if you forget to arm your lock it can all be for naught. Whether it is before you go to bed, or before you leave the home, always remember to arm your lock and bring the keys with you.
While these five tips are useful there are also a wide range of locksmith services and other preventative actions you can take to have your home become a less appealing target to potential thieves and burglars. Our technicians are always aiming to give customers the knowledge and hardware that they need in order to help to better protect their home and valuables.
Also see: Top 5 Ways to Save with a Locksmith