The First Layer of Security: 7 Situations That Call for Changing Your Locks

The First Layer of Security: 7 Situations That Call for Changing Your LocksAround the house, there’s a lot that needs to be upgraded from time to time. However, something few people think about until there is a problem is the locks on the exterior doors. While these might not be something most homeowners think about regularly or need to worry about maintaining, there are a number of situations that may lead to buying and installing new locks.

When Your Keys Have Been Lost

At some point or another, it’s possible the keys to the house will be lost. Whether a child lost the key on the walk home or the key fell off the keychain at the grocery store, it may be impossible to find. The thing is, someone may have already found it and may be able to follow the homeowner or child home to see where they live. Then, the potential thief has an easy way into the home. Instead, once a key is lost, it’s a good idea to start looking for locksmith services to have the lock replaced.

If Your House Was Broken Into

The First Layer of Security: 7 Situations That Call for Changing Your LocksIf the house is broken into, or a burglar attempted to break into the home, there are quite a few things the homeowner should do to help secure the property and keep it safe in the future. One of the best things to do is to go ahead and replace the locks to make it more difficult for someone to break in later on.

When Purchasing a New Home

The seller is supposed to hand over all of the keys to the home, but is there any way to tell they actually did? While the seller may not be likely to break into the home in the future, it has happened, and they could have given a spare key to someone who might try to get in. Instead, it’s a better idea to go ahead and change the locks to be safe.

If Your Locks are Old or Worn

When locks get old, they can stop working as well as they should. There are methods to help deal with a key stuck in a lock, but if the key won’t come out with those methods, or the key is too worn to unlock the door, it’s likely time to start thinking about getting new locks for the doors.

When Locks are of Poor Quality

Just because the locks look nice or expensive doesn’t mean they’re actually high-quality locks. Many locks are relatively easy for a thief to defeat, which increases the potential for burglary. A better-quality lock can look just as good and reduce the potential for a thief to get inside the home.

When Someone Has Moved Out

If a roommate, spouse, or someone else has moved out of the home, go ahead and change the locks. This is especially important if the person moving out was evicted, as they may not be happy about being forced to leave.

If A Loaned Key Wasn’t Returned

Sometimes, a key may need to be provided to workers who may be handling a renovation while the homeowner is not home or to someone who provides a regular service, like housekeeping. If the key isn’t returned, or there’s a concern that a copy may have been made, change the locks.

While you might not think about the locks often, these are all good reasons to consider changing the ones on your exterior doors. Contact a locksmith today to get help installing new locks for your home.

https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/susan-said-what-6065463Thanks for reading The First Layer of Security: 7 Situations That Call for Changing Your Locks. While you are here, please don’t forget to enter our most recent home, garden, holiday, fashion, beauty and style giveaways.

Susan Said… WHAT?! is your guide to style for the way you really live and was named one of the Top 50 Beauty Blogs in the World by RebateZone. You’ll find everything from fashion and beauty, to gorgeous gardens, stunning interiors and DIY projects, plus the latest ideas for holiday events and parties of all kinds. Editor Susan Conforte McNeill is an author, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the Delaware-based literacy organization Success Won’t Wait

2 Comments

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  1. 1
    Rosie

    I can relate to this, we’ve had countless robberies at our complex, management didn’t care, finally a group insisted they do something. The locks are over 70 years old, so they are going to be putting in a better lock system – finally. I’ll believe it when I see it, though, very unsafe in the building at night, the police said it is happening all over town, so our situation doesn’t seem that out of place to them. Scary.

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