Alpharetta Quick Locksmith
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Being a homeowner comes with a lot of responsibility, especially if you don’t live in a fancy community where maintenance is included in your HOA fees. But, there’s one thing that you should never forget to check out- your locks. Often, there are many points of entrance or exit on a home. Although you may only have a front door as your means of entry, don’t forget to think about the many windows on your property.
Most homes come with locks already installed on the doors. Some even have them on windows too. So, you may already have locks that are functioning well. But, do you know when to replace those locks? Are you just going to keep them around forever? Do you have a specific time frame where you just change all locks? How do you go about it?
Locks don’t tend to come with expiration dates. You may purchase a lock and get a good warranty on it. But, does it mean that you’ll need to purchase a new one after the warranty has expired? Certainly not! But, locks aren’t made to last forever. At some point, you may have to replace them. So, how do you know when it’s time? Well, there are some signs to look out for. These signs will tell you that your lock’s performance is not optimal. Hence, it becomes quite important for you to replace that lock.
Here are some of the signs that you should look out for on your locks.
Now, here’s a fun fact- not all metals rust. Did you know that? All metals undergo corrosion, but rust is only unique to items that include iron. So, although you may not notice rusting on your lock, check to see if the metal is corroding. Corrosion is a sign that the metal is weakening and if that metals weaken, you automatically become an easier target for burglars.
If you notice any rust or corrosion on your locks, you may still be able to keep them around for a little while longer. But, it is heavily dependent on the area of the lock that’s corroding. The absolute best thing to do though is get that lock replaced as soon as you can. We wouldn’t like to hear that you became a victim because you were hesitant to replace a lock.
Locks can get damaged in several ways. It could occur because of a break-in, it may occur if the lock is manhandled, or maybe you accidentally dropped the lock for some reason. Dents and other damages to locks is a clear and sure sign that a lock needs to be replaced. Just as much as you shouldn’t buy dented tin foods, ensure that you do not use dented or damaged locks in your home, business or even on your vehicle.
There are several other situations where lock replacement is a necessity…
When you move into a new house, all your doors may have locks on them. You may think this is a very good thing since you won’t have to purchase new locks for all those windows and doors. But, that’s not quite the case. You still need to purchase new locks. Why? You never know who has the keys for those old doors. Instead of leaving your security to chance and fate, it’s better to get those locks replaced. If you’re fortunate enough, you may be able to rekey the locks instead of purchasing entirely new locks to install.
If you have a housemate or roommate that moved recently, it’s time to get those locks changed. This is even the case with landlords who get new tenants. As a security measure, you should ensure that the previous occupant has no way of entering or accessing the property. The only way to do this is by changing the locks or at least rekeying them. So, you won’t have to worry about whether there are other copies of those old keys floating around somewhere
After someone attempts to break-in your home, business or motor vehicle, it is very likely that you’ll notice that there is damage to your locks. Damaged locks mean compromised security. So, don’t hesitate to get those locks replaced. In this case, rekeying should not be an option. It is a much safer and smarter decision to just get rid of those locks entirely. You may even want to consider increasing the level of security that you receive from your locks.
Lost key? Stolen key? Either way, it’s a similar problem- you don’t know whose hands your keys will end up in. Do you think it is in your best interest to take guesses or chances with your safety? We wouldn’t advise that at all. Once you realize that you can’t find your keys anywhere, it’s time to do something about your locks. While you may not have to replace locks on your interior doors or windows, you should do so for the exterior ones.
