Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
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KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR HOME SECURITY
There are always things you can do to better secure your home.
Your home ought to be a safe place, a sanctuary from the rest of the world, where you can truly relax. No dwelling is impervious, but there are still plenty of ways you can protect your home and family from potential criminal trespass. Let’s consider how you can make your property less attractive to a thief. To keep your peace of mind, be on the lookout for any possible vulnerabilities that may come up regarding your locks, points of entry, and the premises.
Follow simple daily rules.
- Lock all your doors and windows anytime you leave, and before you go to sleep.
- Answer your door only if you know the person. (Install a peephole if you don’t have one. It’s best to use a wide-angle 160-degree peephole mounted no higher than 58 inches.)
- Keep any valuables well hidden in unexpected places.
Unclutter your yard.
Keep your shrubs, hedges, plants, and trees properly trimmed, in order to eliminate potential intruder hiding spots. If they’re too tall, not very well spaced, or otherwise unwieldy, a potential burglar will be able to hide easily.
Don’t keep a “hidden” house key.
Don’t keep your house key inside your mailbox, under the mat, or under a flower pot, because any smart intruder will find it. If you have a fake rock as a keyholder, a professional burglar will already know what it looks like. Instead, give a spare key to a trusted neighbor.
Keep all keys and garage-door remotes stored sensibly.
Don’t keep your keys and remotes in plain sight next to a door with a window, or otherwise visible to someone outside. It’s smarter to keep them handy hidden inside a cupboard or drawer instead.
Secure your air-conditioning unit.
To keep someone from getting through an unsecured window, protect your air-conditioner with a bracket, corner braces, or a sliding window lock.
Keep your ladders properly stored.
Don’t keep a ladder outside, because a burglar can pretend to be a handyman or contractor, and take your ladder to get in through an upper window, or maybe make it up to your balcony.
Keep your garage secure.
Don’t forget about the garage door. Keep it closed and locked when you’re not around, and you’ll prevent a potential criminal activity.
Use top-quality lighting, and keep your lights in working order.
Install outdoor lights with infrared motion detectors near each outside door. Motion detector lights will effectively keep trespassers away because they cannot hide. You can also choose lights that respond to changes in temperature, sound, or light, or time of day. Some lighting systems will even allow you to connect to a smart device with a mobile app, so you can continually monitor for possible undesirable activity and respond immediately.
Install timers.
You can put your outside lights on timers. Whenever you’re out for the day, or gone for an extended period, you can make it seem like people are home by using timers on your interior lights too, as well as on your radios and TVs. If you’re away on vacation, it’s even possible to monitor and control everything with a mobile app.
Reinforce your doors.
A hollow door is not as safe, because it’s easier to penetrate. Therefore, as soon as possible, replace it with a solid-core door made of wood or metal. Fortify your doors’ locks by replacing the strike plate (the stationary piece where the bolt enters), and mounting a solid metal plate on the doorjamb for the sliding bolt. Replace any short mounting screws with longer screws that will reach the door’s studs, and this will add more strength to the doorframe.
Replace any poor-quality or worn-out locks with upgraded locks.
Locksmith professionals will always tell you that deadbolts provide you with extra security. Get a grade-2 deadbolt lock, which penetrates the doorframe. Or, purchase smart or digital locks, which provide an additional layer of security.
Secure all your windows and glass doors.
Of course, a window left open is attractive to a potential robber. Ground floor windows are more susceptible to break-ins. Upper floor windows can also be fairly attractive if someone can enter from a tree, ladder, balcony, or fence. It’s good to use a secondary blocking device, such as a wooden dowel, on each window. For optimal safety in an emergency, make sure you can easily remove your window blocking devices from the inside.
For ground level sliding-glass doors, and for any aluminum windows that slide horizontally, use anti-lift devices. Install screws half-way into the upper track of the movable glass panel, which will prevent it from being lifted out in the closed position. Then you may want to place a decal on each glass door or windowpane, near the latch mechanism, to indicate that you have an alarm system, or a neighborhood watch in place.
Install an alarm system.
If you have an alarm system, be sure you know how it works, and then don’t forget to use it! If you’re not arming it, it’s worthless. Teach everyone in the family to operate it properly every day. Consider these strategies:
- Put your system on a timer schedule.
- Add a fire alarm.
- Always keep the batteries charged. The batteries’ warning system will tell you whenever they’re getting low, so don’t allow them to drain entirely. You want your home to be protected, even in a power outage.
- If you live in an area prone to floods, you can install a moisture monitor for your basement to detect flooding.
- Add a carbon monoxide monitor.
- With some alarm systems, you can use your smart device to monitor and adjust your security system anytime.
Finally, be a good neighbor.
Get to know the people in your neighborhood ~ at least on each side of your home as well as two or three across the street. Good neighbors look out for each other. Establish trust by communicating regularly. A good neighbor will keep an eye on your home while you’re gone. You don’t have to be friends; just be civil and help each other out. Some may be willing to care for your lawn, pick up your mail, or do small things that will make it look like you’re home. Be sure to return the favor.
When you can’t do it yourself, hire a professional.
If you do find any weak spots in your home’s security, ask an expert on the best way to remedy each issue. If you’re in Augusta, GA, you may want to request a free consultation from one of the residential locksmith specialists on staff at Augusta Locksmith.
Visit or contact us for more information:
24 Hour Emergency Locksmith Service
Monday through Sunday, all day
Dispatch Address: 360 Bay Street, Suite 345, Augusta, GA 30901
Email: Tom@augustalocksmith.net
Phone: (706) 760-7660
Further details at: http://www.augustalocksmith.net/news/locksmith-articles.html
DO YOU WANT TO ENHANCE YOUR HOME SECURITY? HERE’S WHY LOCKS WITH MASTER PINS ARE A LOUSY IDEA AT YOUR PLACE
A master key lock is a pin-tumbler lock allowing a lock to open with two or more various keys. Master pins are utilized to pin up locks so that one master key will function in the lock, as well as a change key. This is what’s usually used in door locks in buildings with numerous occupants, such as hotels, apartment houses, storage facilities, and businesses. All tenants are given a key that unlocks only their own door, called a change key. The master key unlocks all the doors in the building.
At an elementary school, for example, the custodian often has a master key that will function in every classroom, but each teacher will have a change key, which works only for a specific classroom. There are also subordinate master keys, which typically open every room on one floor of a dormitory or office building. Moreover, a grand master key will open all of the rooms in a whole office building, hotel, or dormitory. There’s also a great grand master key, which will open all the doors for an entire college campus, or every single office in a commercial building complex. The higher you go, the more intricate it becomes. Overall, the lock’s pin stacks have multiple key pins and master wafers above the key pins, allowing several keys to function in one lock.
By contrast, a residential lock at your home is different. It has only one shear line, which means that there’s one possibility only for the split to occur between the driver pins and the key pins and the ~ so only one unique key will work. If you were to introduce master pins into the pin stacks, you would have at least two shear lines for each pin stack with a master pin installed. Essentially, that means you just shouldn’t do it, because there will be more ways for a criminal to pick the lock, since there are more possibilities of creating a shear line. In a master-keyed lock, all, or at least some, of the pin stacks in the lock have three pins rather than two. Between the driver pin and the key pin is a third pin, referred to as the spacer pin. Each pin line has two shear points, one where the spacer pins and driver meet, and one where the key pins and spacer meet. The lock opens with two keys: One key aligns the first set of shear points, and the other key aligns the second set. These locks are manufactured so that one set of shear points is unique for each lock, while the second set is identical for all the locks. A more secure kind of lock mechanism has two discrete tumblers, each of which is opened by one key.
A typical method professional thieves apply is snap guns and lock bumping. A standard pin tumbler lock by itself is susceptible to lock picking. To prevent this from happening, superior-security cylinders contain specialized security pins, which are designed to catch in the lock cylinder if a snap gun or bump key is used, thus making it much harder for a crook to break in.
You can upgrade your locks. Explore your many options first. As any professional locksmith in Surprise, AZ will tell you, deadbolts are a good way to increase your security at your home. A deadbolt lock is, hands down, better than a basic lock. There are actually many different kinds of deadbolts. You may desire a deadbolt with an interior thumbturn, which you can operate without grasping. You may want to look into a bump-proof lock or combination door lock.
You can augment your security, right away. A burglar often acts from convenience. So if any lock has an obvious weakness, it will be an easy target. Some locks are less difficult to bump or pick, and others are nearly impossible to penetrate. Combination locks and padlocks are particularly vulnerable. No home can ever be completely impermeable, but anywhere you are, you can take reasonable measures to improve your security.
There is an almost endless list of various sorts of locks, so you cannot actually ever know about them all. Therefore, before you install locks, do your homework. It’s also smart to bring your questions to an expert locksmith you can trust, who can advise you on all your property’s security issues. If you reside in Surprise, Arizona, consider choosing an accomplished mobile residential locksmith specialist such as those on staff at Augusta Locksmith.
Go high-tech. Is it time to go digital? You can choose to replace all traditional locks with electronic door locks. It’s an excellent way to secure your home, and it doesn’t require any keys whatsoever. Keyless locks offer new horizons today in security technology. They work with remotes; with keypads; with an alarm system with a remote code; from your smart device; and even with biometrics (eye scans, fingerprints, hand prints, and so on). New innovations continue, which could soon become commonplace ~ such as voice recognition, ear scans, and even DNA sampling and heartbeat recognition! The systems that function with your smart device are ideal when you are on vacation, because you can monitor all activity while you’re gone, and be alerted immediately at any sign of trespass. You may want to put timers on radios, TVs, lights, and so forth, to make it appear that you are still home, an effective way to prevent a robbery.
Most keyless systems give you attractive features providing added convenience and safety. When you get accustomed to the system that’s right for you, keyless locks are relatively easy to use. They’re also ideal for kids, since your children often forget their keys, but they can usually recall a simple code number you can all agree upon. Or, if you’re frustrated because you’re always misplacing your keys, then perhaps you’ll want to decide to go keyless.
Visit or contact us for more information:
24 Hour Emergency Locksmith Service
Monday through Sunday, all day
Dispatch Address: 360 Bay Street, Suite 345, Augusta, GA 30901
Email: Tom@augustalocksmith.net
Phone: (706) 760-7660
Further details at: http://www.augustalocksmith.net/news/locksmith-articles.html
How to Make Your Home a Smart Home
Your Home in the Age of Technology
The smartphones we carry around in our pockets are powerful tools that make life easier, and every advancement in technology enhances their impressive capabilities. The next big step forward for this type of “smart” technology is into our homes. Utilizing integrated technological systems in your home is one of the most significant new trends in digital innovation. Right now is the best time to start reaping the benefits of these capabilities.
Transitioning to a smarter home can improve your control over every aspect of how your house operates, and increase the safety and accessibility of it as well. Additionally, you can reap the benefits of a more efficient home, leading to savings in your energy and upkeep costs!
Control at Your Fingertips
By installing appliances in your house, such as a smart oven, you can now use apps on your mobile device to enjoy complete control of your home’s functions from anywhere in the world. Did you leave your home and forget to turn your oven off? Air conditioner still running at home while you’re on vacation? No need to stress. You can quickly and easily power off these appliances in seconds from the respective accompanying apps.
There are no limitations to the apps that are coming to market everyday. Developers have created apps and devices to control home stereos, water usage, lighting, lawn care, garage doors, your dog’s food dish, and even grocery shopping – all easily and readily controlled by the phone you already have in your pocket.
Safety
Smart homes don’t just allow us to avert accidental house fires from unattended ovens. These homes also allow us to keep our loved ones safe. Security systems can be installed that allow owners to monitor the comings and goings of guests and alert you when suspicious activity is detected. Doors can be locked, security systems armed, and cameras monitored from your phone, creating a safer and more secure environment for you and your family.
For those of you with children, or those caring for elderly parents, these tools can make your life exponentially easier and give you peace of mind. Alerts can be sent to your phone when members of your family leave your house, and you can even keep track of where they go after they leave.
Accessibility
If you have friends or family members who are elderly or disabled, you know how difficult even the most basic everyday task can be for them. Smart home technology can greatly increase their quality of life, and utilizing voice commands can make the learning curve much easier for someone unfamiliar with computers.
Setting up automated systems for activities like lawn care removes unnecessary stress from the lives of these individuals. As the technology moves forward, more and more difficult tasks will become accessible, improving flexibility and independence in housing for people who might not be fully capable of taking care of their homes on their own.
Energy Efficiency
While many benefits of a smart home include ease and accessibility, there are even more perks to enjoy. Smart home technology allows appliances to work with the least amount of energy needed. For example, induction cook-top stoves now have the intelligence to heat exclusively when a metal pan is placed on top of it. No more burners running uncovered, and no more pans being overheated. Stove tops can even manage a perfect boil while using the least amount of energy possible.
Saving money on that water bill has also never been easier. Certain faucet technology can maximize shower water usage by shaping the individual droplets of water to create a more full and fulfilling shower experience while still using less water than the everyday shower head.
Cost Effectiveness
If “going green” wasn’t enough to pique your interest in smart home technology, the financial savings will get your attention. In a study done by the US Environmental Protection Agency, it was reported that users of smart home technology for thermostat control alone saved anywhere from 10%-30% on their energy bill. Over the course of a year, or 5 years, those savings add up quickly.
Saving money with smart home technologies is simple and easy. Timers and monitors make sure you only use the money and energy you want, and incredibly intelligent occupation detectors insure these products are only active when users are present.
To further your savings, the addition of solar power or other energy transmuting devices can save costs, and help you become more self-sufficient.
Not only do these improvements save on your bill payments, the resale value of your home increases with each addition of these technologies. It may be a chunk of change up front, but these additions soon pay for themselves.
The Future
While some technologies are only in early development, the future is already here. Some elements of a smart home may require significant investment with long-term rewards. Others are simple, affordable, and can impact your home now. Making small changes to your home’s functionality can help you embrace the larger ones to come, and enjoy the potential savings that add up.
Visit or contact us for more information:
Augusta Locksmith
24 Hour Emergency Locksmith Service
Monday through Sunday, all day
Dispatch Address: 360 Bay Street, Suite 345, Augusta, GA 30901
Email: Tom@augustalocksmith.net
Phone: (706) 760-7660
www.augustalocksmith.net/
Further details at: http://www.augustalocksmith.net/news/locksmith-articles.html
When to Replace Locks
Having effective locks is a security matter of such great importance that it can’t be ignored or overlooked. Replacing your locks can be one of the most important investments you may in your home’s security. This article aims to assist you in determining whether or not it’s time to replace or upgrade your locks.
When to Consider Lock Replacement
There are numerous situations that indicate a need for lock replacement. What follows is merely a selection of the appropriate times to consider having your locks changed. Contact a professional locksmith for advice or assistance if you’re debating whether to have your locks changed.
When Your Keys Go Missing
We all have moments when we can’t find our keys. We might panic, retracing our steps all over our home or business, checking every pair of pants in the dirty laundry. Usually we find our keys eventually and the crisis is resolved. Sometimes, however, you may find yourself in a situation where your keys truly are missing. Whether you set them down somewhere while out in public and someone took them, or they fell out of your pocket, or they just disappeared somewhere in your house, you’ll either need to have the keys or the locks replaced. Our locksmiths always recommend having a spare set of keys made as a backup in cases like these. Sometimes you just don’t get a chance to have copies made or it slips your mind. Whatever the case may be, you should have your locks changed when you lose your keys because you never know who might pick them up or what their intentions may be.
It’s even more important to have your locks replaced quickly if you suspect there could be a possibility that your keys were stolen. Even if your keys are returned to you by an apparent do-gooder, it only takes a few minutes and a little money to duplicate a key, and leaving your locks unchanged may be leaving your home or business at risk. The relatively minor investment in having your lock or locks changed is usually more than worth it for the peace of mind alone.
When Your Locks are Worn Out
Locks, like any other frequently-used piece of hardware, wear down naturally over time. No lock is meant to last forever, and some degrade faster than others. A sign of a worn-out or damaged lock is if your key sticks. While this can be a problem with the key itself, if you inspect the key and don’t see anything wrong, you should suspect that there is a problem with the internal workings of the lock. If your have to wiggle your key a lot to get your lock to operate, or wrench your key out just to get it free after you’ve locked your door, it’s best to contact a locksmith to see about a replacement. Otherwise, these problems can continue to get worse until you find yourself locked out of your home, car, or business.
When You Get a New House
When you receive the keys to your home, especially if it’s your first home, you probably feel ecstatic. A home is one of the most significant purchases a person will ever make, if not the most significant. You may feel like you’ll treasure those keys forever. However, if the home is pre-owned, and there’s any possibility that someone else might have a copy of your keys, it’s best to have the locks changed ASAP to prevent any issues.
After A Burglary or Break-In
Whether or not your locks were damaged or destroyed during the commission of the crime, it’s still important to have your locks inspected and then replaced or upgraded. That’s because your locks have proven unable to withstand an attack against them. When you contact a locksmith to discuss having your locks changed, also ask about additional security measures you can take to prevent a crime from occurring again on your property.
After a Difficult Roommate or Tenant Leaves
Whether it was a roommate who liked to “borrow” your things a little too often and never give them back, or a tenant who turned out to be hiding a criminal past, you may breathe a sigh of relief once the offending party is gone. However, don’t rest just yet. Even if they turned in all the copies of the house or apartment key that they had, it’s best to have the locks changed. As mentioned above, it doesn’t take much to have a key copied, and having a copy of a key allows the person to walk right into your home.
After a Relationship Has Ended
During divorces, difficult breakups, and other relationships that have ended less-than-ideally, people can act in unpredictable ways. If there were any issues with anger, jealousy, or domestic abuse, the situation can be even more serious. For your own person protection, as well as that of the family and belongings in your home, it’s a good idea to have your locks changed quickly after a breakup or divorce.
What About Lock Rekeying?
Lock rekeying involves taking apart an existing lock mechanism and manipulating the pin and tumbler system inside to only fit a new key instead of the old model. You may have heard of this valuable, cost-effective service before without knowing the specifics. Nearly all professional locksmiths are capable of performing this service for a lower cost than a lock change. For a lock to be a candidate for rekeying, it needs to be the right type and in very good or better condition. Talk to your local locksmith to determine if rekeying is appropriate for the locks you want to change. If you have multiple newer locks that are in need of a change for whatever reason, rekeying might be a smart option.
Visit or contact us for more information:
Augusta Locksmith
24 Hour Emergency Locksmith Service
Monday through Sunday, all day
Dispatch Address: 360 Bay Street, Suite 345, Augusta, GA 30901
Email: Tom@augustalocksmith.net
Phone: (706) 760-7660
www.augustalocksmith.net/
Further details at: http://www.augustalocksmith.net/news/locksmith-articles.html
Transponder Keys, Problems
There are many problems that can arise with your vehicle. You might turn on the air conditioning, only to notice that it sounds as though a thick leaf or piece of paper is stuck inside of the fan. You might notice that your car stalls while driving. Or perhaps you’ve noticed that the car fails to start some of the time. While a locksmith won’t touch these kinds of issues, there are certain problems that can occur that a locksmith would be able to offer a better deal for than anyone else. We are talking about transponder key problems!
Augusta Locksmith offers many different automotive security solutions to vehicle owners just like you so that you can better protect your car or truck or even your SUV, and you can enjoy more convenience. Transponder key services are quite popular because problems can arise with transponder keys. We can offer what locals like you need, from transponder key programming to transponder key duplication. So if you need any help at all with this part of your automotive security, you just have to dial our number. Transponder keys offer perks, but they aren’t immune to issues. When your car key has a transponder chip inside of it, things can eventually go wrong. The chip serves to let you unlock and start your vehicle with ease and convenience. You just have to press a button!
Transponder Keys: How Do They Work?
Let’s start with the basics – what makes a transponder key function. To put it simply, there is a chip inside of the plastic part of the top of the key. This chip works by sending a code to the computer of your vehicle. Chip technology is important because it makes theft very, very difficult if not completely impossible.
Transponder Key Issues
Here, we are going to go over problems that can occur with transponder keys. If you happen to be in Augusta, GA then we recommend you give us a call for assistance when you are having transponder key problems because we offer great deals, along with a satisfaction guarantee. Let’s take a quick look at what can happen with your transponder key:
The key is broken
If your transponder key is broken then you will want to enlist the help of a local locksmith. Whether you dropped it from the third story of your apartment complex, or it just is not working but the problem isn’t a dead battery, give your local locksmith a ring.
The chip is damaged
Chip damage happens. Many assume that the problem is the battery, but when they swap out the battery, the transponder key still fails to work. Again, this is a job for a locksmith.
The chip is missing
We mentioned before that it could be a problem if you drop your key from three stories up. If this happens, the key is likely to come apart and you will be left with a missing chip. The chip is programmed to work with your specific vehicle so you are going to have to call a locksmith for this one.
The key must be reprogrammed.
If you need transponder key reprogramming, you need an expert who has the equipment, tools and experience to do this. You aren’t going to have what you need just sitting around the house for this issue.
Food For Thought: Try to Avoid Key Problems To Begin With
The best bet is to try to avoid transponder key problems. This might sound like common sense, but you might be surprised at just how many people attempt to use their transponder key for things it is not meant to be used for. Case in point: people try to open beer bottles with transponder keys. They also open boxes with them, and so on. The point is, avoid using transponder keys for anything other than your vehicle!
To learn more about transponder key problems, get on the phone with a trusted locksmith, like us, if you happen to be in our service area. We are proud to offer free consultations for the convenience of customers, as many locksmiths also do. Price quotes are free of charge as well!
Our company offers what you need regarding transponder key problems. We also duplicate transponder keys, provide ignition changes, offer broken key extraction, carry out break in repairs and a whole lot more. There are numerous automotive locksmith services available with us.
It is always best to reach out to an expert if you are unsure of how to handle the situation. You don’t want to risk damage to your property by making a mistake that a professional would not make. Hire someone who is licensed and insured. We want to tell you to avoid working with or on your transponder key yourself because you can end up causing more harm than good.
We hope that the information we have offered is useful to you. But if you do still have questions, get on the phone with an expert – get on the phone with a locksmith! Someone who is skilled in providing automotive security solutions will be able to help you and point you in the right direction if you are looking for guidance.
The key is to find a locksmith that you can trust and who provides affordable rates. You can do this by asking people you trust who they recommend because word of mouth referrals are always beneficial – you should also consider checking the company’s reviews online. Make sure that the person you hire offers competitive prices and free price estimates so you can compare rates if you need to. And we will say it again, it is very important to hire a locksmith who is licensed and insured. We hope that you have a better grasp of how to handle transponder key problems! They do come up, no matter what you drive, and no matter how old your key is (but they tend to be more common with people who misuse their keys or have very old keys).
Visit or contact us for more information:
Augusta Locksmith
24 Hour Emergency Locksmith Service
Monday through Sunday, all day
Dispatch Address: 360 Bay Street, Suite 345, Augusta, GA 30901
Email: Tom@augustalocksmith.net
Phone: (706) 760-7660
www.augustalocksmith.net/
Further details at: http://www.augustalocksmith.net/news/locksmith-articles.html
Your Residential Locksmith Security
It doesn’t matter what type of home you live in, we all need a measure of security. It doesn’t appear that crime is going down anywhere in the world. In fact, crime is always on the rise. It doesn’t matter where you live either, crime is rampant everywhere, even in the most expensive neighborhoods. Augusta Locksmith in Augusta, GA can provide you with practical security solutions for your home. In most cases someone will contact a security service rather than a locksmith. This is simply because they likely do not know that they can receive the same quality of service from a dependable locksmith. The biggest difference between the services of a locksmith and that of a security company is the rate for services. The rate that is offered by most locksmith services is far less than that of a security company. Most security companies pay a lot of overhead expenses, whereas a locksmith doesn’t usually have as much overhead. This enables them to pass the savings to the customer.
If you do an assessment of your home security, you might notice that you don’t have all that you need to secure your property. In some cases you may have ineffective locks on your door or need something to accompany your existing locks. When you notice that you are having trouble with the key going inside your lock this means that you have bad or worn locks. Even after having a new key made and you’re still experiencing trouble getting your key to line up properly, this means that the problem that you’re experiencing is due to your lock and not the key. This means that your lock will need to be replaced. A qualified locksmith will be able to effectively replace your locks so that your home security is instantly improved. When checking to determine if you have sufficient locks on all of your doors, do not neglect checking your patio door. This is a place that many homeowners often forget to check. Burglar’s can easily break the lock of a patio door. The locks that are on the patio door are just there to keep the door shut not to keep out intruders. This is why it is important to check to make sure you have a lock installed on your patio door to further increase your homes level of security.
Most people already have some type of security on their homes, even if it is jus their locks. When you don’t have a security system installed you risk the possibility of someone breaking into your home. If you have a security system installed it will be able to detect any movement that is unauthorized. It could be monitored or non-monitored security system. In either case it will help to scare off a would-be intruder. In some cases simply seeing that someone has a security system will ward off an intruder. You don’t necessary have to purchase the most expensive security system you find or are offered in order to maximize your home security. There are so many systems to choose from that you won’t have a problem finding one within your budget. You can always call on us to come back and upgrade your existing system later. Just because a system has more features doesn’t make it any better. Start considering your homes level of security today. Give a locksmith a call and allow them to install a security system for you right away. If you don’t already have one you are leaving your home susceptible to an intrusion. You don’t have to contact the services of a security service to handle this for you, as most locksmiths are qualified to install and program your home security systems for you. Security is important to your safety. If you do not want to risk being harmed, protect yourself by having a security system installed today.
When you purchase a security system you will often receive signage or a sticker to display on the outside of your home. This lets others know that your home is being protected with this particular manufacturers product. It is just as important to make sure you post this outside your home as it is to have the system itself installed. Again, when a thief catches sight of this, they might be reluctant to try to break in for fear of being discovered.
There are certain things that you might have on the outside of your home, which could attract a thief. The one thing you can be sure of is that a thief will often try to do things in the dark so that they can go undetected. If you want to avoid becoming a target of a thief you will need to shed light on your home for all to see. When you don’t have much light around your home you are less likely to experience a break-in. It is a good idea to strategically install lights around your home.
When a burglar notices that there are not many lights around your home, they will make your home their target. When a thief sees light they often won’t even consider breaking into your home. They simply do not want to take any chance of being discovered. It is important to have lights installed on the back of your home and front. A burglar is more likely going to try to break in from the back of your home, not the front. It’s important that you make sure the lights are always working or else it would be pointless in having them installed. It will often be the one time you didn’t check them that someone will break into your home.
In addition to having lights installed it might also be a good idea to consider having a camera installed on the outside of your home to see who might be trying to get in without your authorization.
Visit or contact us for more information:
Augusta Locksmith
24 Hour Emergency Locksmith Service
Monday through Sunday, all day
Dispatch Address: 360 Bay Street, Suite 345, Augusta, GA 30901
Email: Tom@augustalocksmith.net
Phone: (706) 760-7660
www.augustalocksmith.net/
Further details at: http://www.augustalocksmith.net/news/locksmith-articles.html
Car key stuck in ignition; what to do
“The best laid plans often go awry” at least that’s what the quote from Robert Burns says. This is especially true when it comes to stuck ignition key problems! We innocently hop into our cars with plans set in our minds as to where we are about to go. It might be the grocery store or to dinner. We may be leaving for work or to take the kids to school. Our minds are thinking of our plans and our destination; not having to deal with a stuck key. Nothing is wrong until the ignition key is turned and then…nothing! The key won’t turn and it won’t come back out. Sometimes the ignition works but the key is still stuck. Other times, the key goes in and comes out but the car won’t start. Before you panic; there are some simple and free ways to often fix the problem. Read on and see.
Now, you’re stuck!
Your first thought might be to take the car to some repair place. But how can you; it won’t run! You might be thinking of locking the car up and calling someone for help. How can you do that when the ignition/door key is stuck and won’t come back out? You can’t even leave the car alone without abandoning your key and the vehicle, as the two are inseparable now. It’s a true dilemma and it is usually compounded by stress and emotion. You panic; then feel fear, and maybe even anger. What did you do wrong? How much is all this going to cost? Are you in danger now? Is your schedule ruined for the day? Who can you call? A million thoughts go through your head, seemingly all at once.
Do this first
Our Augusta Locksmith crew gets stuck ignition key calls from time to time. Of course you are always welcome to call us but there are simple and free “tricks” that you can do that can often solve the problem with no need for any kind of service call. Start by calming yourself. This works whether you are here in Augusta, GA or anywhere else in the world. Just take a few deep breaths and try and clear your mind of any worries, anger or fear. You are not dying; just inconvenienced! Becoming more relaxed allows you to think methodically and prevents you from calling the first repairman you find on your phone.
Parking brake
Next, apply your parking brake. You will be testing a few mechanisms on your car and the last thing you want is for it to roll forward or backward. Every year people are needlessly injured and even killed when the car hits them because it rolled onto them because the brake was not set; don’t be one of those.
Now, loosen the key if you can!
Apply some pressure and see if you can move the ignition key back and forth a little. Your goal is not to force the key; only to loosen it. Try not to break it; you’ll have another problem, then. Just wiggle the key back and forth and see if this movement is enough to loosen it up enough to remove it. Next, you’ll want to check your gear settings. PARK is the only choice you have. Not DRIVE, not NEUTRAL or anything in between; just PARK! There is a built-in mechanism that acts as a safety feature that will NOT let you start your car unless you are in the correct gear.
Next…
Are you ready to give up and call AAA? Don’t! If the above actions didn’t free your ignition key there are still some options open to you. Try moving your steering wheel back and forth. Is it seemingly stuck in place? Just add some more pressure until you get it to move back and forth. It’s a little known fact but sometimes steering wheels lock up if leaned upon or twisted with extra force. A locked steering wheel will also lock up your ignition and prevent you from turning or even removing your ignition key.
Drained battery?
A low battery can also affect your ignition. Your transponder key sends a signal to your car’s on board computer telling it that it’s okay to start the engine. If the battery is low, the signal can be too weak to transmit correctly and your ignition system won’t work right. Test your battery by seeing if the headlights work. You can also try your dashboard lights, radio, windshield wipers, car seats and power windows.
Wrong key used
Another little known reason for not being able to release your ignition key is that it’s the wrong one! Yes, that really happens! If you live and work around others that also have transponder keys, it’s easy to grab the wrong one and mistake it for yours. Just because the key goes in, doesn’t mean that it will work or even come back out; often, they don’t! No need to panic; just spray your key loose. Use some electrical contact cleaner; it comes in spray form. Give your stuck key a spritz of it and then follow up with a light spray of lock lubricant (silicon variety). The combination effect of these two sprays results in lock cleaning and lubrication. Usually it’s enough to get your key out.
Resist the urge to force it
This one is harder than it seems; resist the urge to just force your key out. It will break before you can force it out of the ignition. Now, your problems are multiplied as you still can’t drive your car but you also have to deal with key extraction and new transponder key duplication and programming!
Visit or contact us for more information:
Augusta Locksmith
24 Hour Emergency Locksmith Service
Monday through Sunday, all day
Dispatch Address: 360 Bay Street, Suite 345, Augusta, GA 30901
Email: Tom@augustalocksmith.net
Phone: (706) 760-7660
www.augustalocksmith.net/
Further details at: http://www.augustalocksmith.net/news/locksmith-articles.html
Introduce Yourself (Example Post)
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