The Best Times to Change Your Locks
The key to keeping your home or business safe from intruders is having a comprehensive alarm system outfitted with motion detection sensors, wireless security cameras, and mobile access. That said, your alarm system isn’t the only device needed to protect what you value most. Having secure locks on your doors is a simple, yet essential, measure to keep your home and business safe from intruders.
According to studies performed by the U.S. Bureau of Justice, over 30% of unlawful home entries can be traced back to a door left open or unlocked. However, even locking your doors and setting your alarm isn’t enough. Approximately 6.4% of unlawful entry is committed by someone with a key.
Changing locks regularly can provide an easy but effective additional safety measure to ensure your peace of mind and protect your most important assets from break-ins. Read on for advice from the experts at Coggin Security on when the best times to change your locks are.
When Should I Change My Locks?
After a Move
Moving into a new home or apartment is an exciting experience and an important life transition. Changing the locks should be at the top of your priority list when moving, whether you are moving into a house you just bought or renting a new apartment. You never know who may have access to spare keys, so changing your locks will ensure that only you and your housemates can enter the space. If renting an apartment, make sure the only individuals with keys to the new locks include yourself, your current roommates, and your landlord.
If Your Keys Are Lost or Stolen
Instead of waiting for your keys to reappear, take a proactive security step, and change your locks immediately after you discover your keys have been lost or stolen. Taking chances in keeping your locks as-is puts your home at risk of a break-in from those who may have found your key and plan to use it to enter your home. You and your family will be much safer if you prevent these negative occurrences at the source.
As an added safety measure, be sure to never keep your home address or locational clues on your keys or keyring!
If Your Locks Are Aged
Even the strongest locks start to deteriorate over time, putting your home at risk. If and when your locks begin to show visible signs of natural wear and tear, it’s time to change them. Experiencing difficulty opening or locking and unlocking your door, jiggling, stiffness or giving can all be warning signals that it’s time for new locks. For your own convenience and protection, ensure that your weakened locks don’t fail by replacing them. This will keep your home safe while preventing your lock from being vulnerable to tampering. Many believe that a door lock will work for decades. If you know your locks are aged but aren’t yet showing signs of failure, it’s still a good idea to periodically change them. With technology constantly advancing, an older lock may not protect you as well and could be easier to pick or pry open.
Considering replacing your old locks with high-tech, keyless smart locks? Click here to learn more.
Other Situations
If you have recently decided to have renovations or other work done, contractors and other professionals may have been given access to your home or business. After the renovations are complete, you will want to change your locks to protect against unpermitted entry from individuals who may already have knowledge of your home.
Approximately 2.5 million burglaries occur every year. If you are one of the many that have been victimized by a break-in, this is all the more reason to change your locks. While you may not be worried about your keys being in the wrong hands, preventing an extended lapse in home security is crucial.
Smart Home Security Solutions
While there’s really no exact timeline on how regularly your locks should be changed, it’s important to remain aware of incidents or situations that may warrant it. While the majority of people are aware that changing your locks is something that is crucial to keeping your home or business safe, most rarely do. Make sure to frequently change your locks, especially after the events we outlined above, so that you always know who has access to your home.
Once you have determined that changing your locks is the best course of action for protecting your home, the security experts at Myrtle Beach’s own Coggin Security can assist you with the process. Coggin Security offers a variety of smart home security services to fit your unique budget and needs.
Smart locks may be a great security update if you are looking to ramp up your locks and take a more active role in your own home protection. Be at the forefront of home security with keyless smart locks protecting your home using the latest mobile-enabled technology. Send secure keys to pre-identified users and monitor activity around your home at the touch of a button. If you are ready to change your home’s old locks, we can help quickly replace standards locksets with our Smart Lock technology.
Choosing a trusted security system makes all the difference in protecting your home or business. Coggin Security Inc. has proudly provided residential and commercial security solutions in Myrtle Beach for nearly three decades. Browse our website for a range of smart home security solutions including Smart Locks and other Home Security Systems and contact Coggin Security Inc. today to upgrade to one of our smart security systems today.
