Customers often ask me about when and under what circumstances I should change their doors locks. Here are 8 of my top reasons.
Low quality lock on the exterior door
This is the number one reason to change your lock. Low quality locks pose a threat to your property and allow intruders easy access. All final exit doors of your property must meet British Standard BS3621. Both front and rear doors. This standard of lock is also required for home insurance policies. A lock must be able to resist a drill or bolt attack for at least five minutes and offer additional protection against lockpicking.
Your keys have been lost
It’s a good idea for you to change your locks if your keys have gone missing. It’s a simple job for a professional locksmith and not as expensive as you might think. It will make it easier to worry about who has your keys and access.
You move into your new home
It’s a smart idea to change locks when buying a home. You don’t know who the keys may have been given to by the previous owners, even if they seem nice and honest.
At the end a tenancy
If you have a rental property, it is a smart idea to change the locks at termination of tenancy. This is especially important if the end of the tenancy was not amicably. This allows you to manage the number of keys that are currently in circulation for your property.
When the construction work in your house is done,
You may need to allow a lot of tradespeople to access your home during major renovations. Although 99.9% will be honest and trustworthy, it is possible for a subcontractor to gain access to your keys and pass them on. A new lock can provide you with complete security for a modest additional cost.
After a break-in, or attempted break-in
A break-in is a costly and very stressful experience. Even a failed break-in attempt can be distressing. The intruders may have picked a lock to gain entry to your home. This is an indication that the locks on your property are not strong enough and will need replacing. Even though an intruder may have entered your home via an open window or door they could have discovered a set of keys while looking around. They have easy access to your home at all times. You also lose your home insurance coverage if they use one of your keys to break into your house.
After a divorce, you can get separated
Some divorces and separations can be difficult. Sometimes emotions can flare and it is necessary for you to limit access to your property. Before you call a 24 hour locksmith to fix your locks, make sure to verify with a solicitor that this is legal.
Lock jammed, or difficult to lock/unlock
Locks are made up of moving parts that can be damaged over time. An indicator that something is wrong with the locking mechanism is a jammed lock. The problem could be due to a jammed deadlock, a dropped or broken snib, or a multi-point locking system issue. No matter the reason, it is worth calling a locksmith for assistance. He can check the lock and make any necessary repairs. You can’t fully protect your property if the lock isn’t working correctly.
