Security Tips

Fact: Burglaries or break-ins occur most often during the day when occupants are at work, shopping, or running errands.

Always lock your door and windows and have a security system in place, if possible. However, a skilled intruder can break into your home or business by using many different tools and techniques such as lock picking and key bumping. The solution to help in avoiding break-ins is to have a licensed, qualified locksmith check every door for security, and to install deadbolts, if needed, to provide additional security. It is also advisable to check the security of your windows and sliding glass doors. Upgrading locks to superior hardware is a good investment. Ask Cavalier Lock for suggestions and recommendations to provide the best level of protection for you and your home.

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What does Rekeying a Lock mean?

When you rekey a lock you change the pins on the inside of the lock to work with a different key. This does not change the lock itself only the pins that are inside the cylinder of the lock.

 Why Rekey locks?

The main reason is that key control has been lost by way of lost keys, new ownership of the property, or a need to change the key due to some other reason. Remember when you buy a new house you don’t know who had keys or even if the home was ever rekeyed properly. Sometimes, homes have been master keyed to a construction master key where additional pins are placed in the locks; which means in many cases that several random keys would work those locks. With master pins as many as 16 different keys could operate those locks in your home. Another reason to have a locksmith rekey those locks and remove all master pins is to eliminate the possibility of another random key operating the locks.

Example: Employee terminated , new roommate , housekeeper , pet sitter or even that you realize that maybe too many keys have been given out over the course of time .

Note: It would not be unusual by an oversite that master pins have been left in one or all of the locks during the construction of the home. Don’t take that chance.

Why Master key locks?

The best reason to master key locks would be to allow an owner or property manager of a property to access all the locks at say an apartment building or business with one key. Now when this system is setup properly by a trained locksmith each lock can only be opened by the master key and one user key (different key for resident ) . Done correctly only the master key and the one key for the resident will work that lock and no other key. The advantage is obvious in that an owner or property manager can with a larger system assess every apartment in case of emergency or the case of the residents key having been lost. The locksmith will setup the master system and keep a record of both the master keys and also the resident key and how they are cut.

Why install Deadbolts on all your doors?

The advantage of having deadbolts on each door is that it provides additional locking or security on each door. Only having a knob lock on each door does not offer much protection from potential breakins . Many knob locks can be quickly picked open, or forced open by some other means. Deadbolts properly installed by a skilled trained locksmith will dramatically offer far better security on each door than just a knob lock could ever provide. Don’t make it easy for someone to access your home by not having a deadbolt on each door.

What is a single sided Deadbolt?

A single sided deadbolt only uses a key on the outside to unlock the lock and has just a thumb turn on the inside .   The advantage to this is that you can get out of your residence without the use of a key.

What is a Double sided Deadbolt?

A double sided deadbolt uses a key on both the outside and the inside of the lock. The advantage is that if you have glass in your door and some intruder breaks the glass and reaches in they still can’t unlock the lock without a key. The disadvantage is that you as the resident can only unlock the door if you use a key which could present a serious risk to you and your family in case of fire or some other emergency.

Note: Ask your locksmith for input in what he recommends in your personal situation.   On site he can make the necessary assessments on each door of your home or business.