Here are four quick questions you can ask to give you more peace of mind before opening the door of your home to a stranger.

1. ‘Who’s there?’

First, establish the identity (or self-proclaimed identity) of the person on the other side of the door. Be wary of any confusion or inconsistent answers. If you have a peephole or window, try to also confirm whether the person is wearing a uniform or driving a company vehicle and whether that’s consistent with their stated identity. Or, see if there’s anything else that can help you identify them. If you have an intercom doorbell or a video doorbell camera, it makes this step easier.

2. ‘What do you want?’

Try to gauge the trustworthiness of the person by asking about their intentions. They shouldn’t have to think about it. Ask them several questions about what they do and what they want. If you’re a little more confident and have interest in their stated objective, you can crack open the door to confirm (and see what they look like if you don’t have a peephole, convenient window or doorbell camera). Just be sure to keep your guard up and conduct cautious behavior like planting your foot on the bottom of the door to maintain a defensive position.

3. ‘Is this an emergency?’

Many criminals will use emergencies as excuses for people to open their doors, whether it’s running out of gas or a medical issue. If that’s the case, they should have no problem with you calling the police to help them out. If they aren’t who they claim to be, however, they will almost always leave at the suggestion of police aid.

4. ‘Can you come back another time?’

Usually, solicitors, service professionals and other legitimate visitors will agree to set up an appointment and come back later. If you’re confident about the trustworthiness of the person, feel free to open the door, ask more questions or let them in (if this is absolutely necessary). But if you have any doubts, maintain your peace of mind by keeping the door closed and wishing them on their way.

If you’d like additional home security advice or would like to purchase an upgrade to your home’s security including doorbell cameras and full-home security systems, contact A-1 Locksmith or stop by any of our DFW-area locations today.

Camera doorbells are receiving greater adoption, yes, but not everyone purchasing these handy devices has the “know how” to properly install and configure them. If you’re having trouble with your camera doorbell installation, here’s why you should consider hiring a locksmith to help you out:

It’s Convenient and Makes Financial Sense

When you try to install a camera doorbell on your own, you’re going to have to invest significant amount of time researching how to install it. Then you’ll have to invest time installing it, which can be excessive if you run into any trouble. Finally, you’ll have to invest time testing it to make sure everything is set up correctly. How much is your time worth? Let’s say you make $40 per hour and spend just three to five hours installing your camera doorbell — you’re looking at $120-200 just in time investment alone. With a professional locksmith, you’ll enjoy an efficient installation and service.

You’ll Have More Peace of Mind

Do you have years of experiencing installing camera doorbells? How do you know you’re doing it properly? Do-it-yourself YouTube videos will only get you so far. Additionally, we’re talking about home security here. Are you confident that your installation will provide the level of home security that your family needs to sleep peacefully at night? Most people want to buy a camera doorbell in the first place for peace of mind. By hiring a locksmith to install your camera doorbell, you’ll have the confidence that everything is set up properly by a certified locksmith and will work when it matters most.

You Can Make Sure You Got the Right One

How do you know that the camera doorbell you’re purchasing (or purchased) is the right one for your particular situation? Just because a camera doorbell has the best reviews or is the most popular doesn’t mean it’s ideal for your home. A trustworthy locksmith can recommend a camera doorbell with features you might not have thought of before, such as:

• Full HD video with motion sensor and live monitoring
• Free video recording for multiple users and two-way communication
• Activity history with color night vision and quiet mode
• Photo-taking capabilities
• Weather and theft guarantees

If you need help with your camera doorbell installation, A-1 Locksmith has you covered. We have 10 locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, so there’s sure to be one near you.