Take locksmithing, for example.

Multi-unit buildings often have more stringent security requirements than even single-tenant properties. Whether you own or rent a high-rise residential apartment or a space in a multi-story commercial building, here are some ways a locksmith can help give you peace of mind.

1. Rekeying Your Unit

If you own your unit, make sure you rekey it immediately upon moving in so that no one has access to it—whether it’s a past resident or someone unknown. If you rent, you can check with your landlord to see if this has happened (and request it if not). Either way, a locksmith can work with you or the building owner to easily rekey your unit and give you peace of mind.

2. Adding Locks to Your Door or Window

Additional security is always welcome, especially for your front door or window, as these are two of the most common areas of an apartment or condo where people break in. While a more prevalent issue for spaces on the lower floors, it’s a wise idea regardless of your unit’s location. A locksmith can install an impact-resistant additional lock that can only be unlocked from the inside, for example, or increase the security of your windows via a locking bar or other mechanism.

3. Installing a Doorbell Camera

Adding a front door camera is another good security measure to take, whether you get frequent visitors or not. Opening the door to check who is there is a security mistake, but a camera will let you check first from the safety of your interior. While cameras used to be an issue with landlords due to old models that had to be drilled into the building, newer models aren’t as invasive and more landlords are open to them.

4. Helping During an Emergency

If you’re locked out of your condo or apartment and building management or maintenance isn’t there, a locksmith can help. This is especially helpful during emergency situations, such as when a child is left alone inside or an elderly person has fallen. A professional locksmith can help you quickly access the unit again.

5. Repairing Locks or Locking Mechanisms

If the door, window or safe locks in your multi-unit property is compromised due to age, damage or another factor, a locksmith can help repair it. Again, if you rent, you might want to ask the landlord first (or make sure you’ll be compensated), but if you own, it makes sense to get these issues addressed right away.

These are just a few ways locksmiths can help with multi-unit properties like high-rise apartments and condominiums. To learn more and request a consultation or no-obligation quote, contact A-1 Locksmith today.

Whether for your home, automobile or business in Carrollton, the last thing you want to deal with is the stress and hassle of losing your only key. Here’s how to prepare ahead of time and prevent needing an emergency Carrollton lock rekey.

Avoid Automobile Lockouts in Carrollton

Let’s start off with automobile lockouts, one of the most common types of lockouts in Carrollton, TX. If you’re smart and diligent, you can develop habits that will help you remember where your keys are at all times and avoid locking them in the vehicle. Here are some tips for avoiding automobile lockouts in Carrollton:

• Make checking for keys a regular part of your routine for exiting the vehicle
• Be aware of situations where your routine gets interrupted or changes
• Keep a spare car key at your home, office or other places you frequent (somewhere secure)
• Keep another spare car key in your wallet or purse

Avoid Residential Lockouts in Carrollton

Next, let’s talk about getting locked out of your house in Carrollton. This is another common situation that you can avoid if you develop proper habits and take proper precautions. Here are some tips for avoiding residential lockouts in Carrollton: 

• Hide a spare key in a fake rock, under the mat, with a neighbor or another secure/hidden location
• Keep a spare house key in your car, wallet or purse
• Always check for keys before closing and locking your door
• Install smart locks that use a keypad or fingerprint instead of, or in addition to, a key
• Buy a tracker for your keys and use an app to track them

Avoid Commercial Lockouts in Carrollton

Finally, a relatively less uncommon, yet still frustrating, situation: locking your keys in your business. If you’re a business owner, this can definitely interrupt your day and affect your bottom line. Again, you can prevent this from happening. Here are some tips for avoiding commercial lockouts in Carrollton:

• Keep an extra key with a trusted employee, friend or family member
• Invest in smart locks that allow you to enter the building via passcode
• Don’t let untrusted employees or anyone else borrow keys
• Establish a routine of checking for keys, just like you do for your home and car
• Consult with a professional locksmith for commercial lockout tips

If you’re in need of an emergency lock rekey in Carrollton (or would like further advice on how to avoid one), give A-1 Locksmith a call today at (972) 284-7500.

Of course, once the purchase is complete, the homeowner may still be left with one question regarding future safety: should I re-key my locks? In fact, a homeowner is never legally obligated to change the locks on his or her house once the home-buying process is finished. Doing so, however, may be one of the simplest actions you can take to protect yourself and your new home.

Why it is Necessary to Re-Key the Locks to Your New Home

Have you recently purchased a new home? If so, it is imperative that you re-key the locks as soon as possible.

Why is it so important that you re-key the locks on your home quickly? Consider, for a moment, who retained the keys to your current home before you took possession. The same structure could have passed through multiple hands over the past years, belonging at one point to individuals of all walks of life. As such, numerous individuals, as well as their trusted friends and family members, likely have had direct access to your new home through the possession of a key to the front door.

If you fail to re-key the locks on the doors, then, you are effectively allowing any number of people to retain access to the inside of your house. Access could be granted to only the last owner, or, in some cases, to a long line of owners beforehand. Either way, though, it puts your safety at risk, as well as the safety of your new home and everything within. It is impossible to know who possesses a key to your home, how many duplicates exist, and whether or not any of these unknown individuals can be trusted to stay away.

The Easiest Way to Protect Yourself

With this information in mind, consider re-keying the locks in your recently-purchased home. And you can do this in one of two ways.

The simplest way of changing the locks is through re-keying. The process of re-keying allows you to keep the same locks but change the pins within; upon completion, the lock will remain intact but will only provide access to those with the new key. This process, as you very well may know, is known as re-keying.

However, if the lock is too worn from years of use, you may need to replace it altogether. Doing so provides you with a new lock and a new set of keys entirely.

Are you unsure of which option is best for your situation? If you need to re-key the locks to your new house, contact the professionals at A-1 Locksmith today. We’ll help you decide on the best course of action and let you settle comfortably and safely into your new home.

Of course, in some cases, an individual may take the correct steps, and follow the DIY guidelines exactly, causing them to re-key the locks without flaw. Far too often, however, homeowners rely on DIY lock re-keying kits, only to discover a mistake later on.

Don’t attempt to re-key your locks at home without understanding the ramifications of your actions. Instead, consider the following perils you may encounter, which you can certainly avoid by reaching out to one of our skilled locksmith professionals at A-1 Locksmith.

Re-Keying When a Replacement is Necessary

What is one of the most common results that arises when individuals attempt to use DIY kits to re-key their own locks? After following all of the instructions included in a manual, and taking all necessary precautions, many homeowners find that they have only exacerbated the problem that already existed. And this doesn’t occur because the individual made a mistake during the process; instead, the problem remains because the locks should have been replaced, not re-keyed.

In many cases, homeowners won’t realize that a lock is far too worn to be eligible for re-keying, and will waste them time attempting anyway. With the help of a professional locksmith, you can avoid this wasted time; a locksmith can examine the lock, and help you understand whether re-keying or replacement is the right option for you.

Leaving the Locks Unusable

Of course, the ultimate goal of the re-keying process is to be left with a functioning lock that only opens using a new set of keys. Far too often, however, homeowners will make a mistake while attempting to re-key their locks, leaving it entirely unusable and requiring an entire replacement.

This situation can ultimately be remedied by contacting a professional locksmith beforehand. To be sure, while DIY re-keying kits may promise to provide you with all of the information necessary to re-key the locks in your home, it is still possible that you may a mistake, albeit a small one, during the procedure. Unfortunately, even a small mistake can leave the locks unusable.

Avoiding the Perils of DIY Re-Keying

What is the best way to avoid any of these pitfalls of re-keying your locks at home? The answer is simple: reach out to a professional locksmith at A-1 Locksmith. Our professionals have years of experience assisting clients and are prepared to help you immediately.

If you find yourself facing this question, then, how can you decide whether to re-key or replace your locks? To understand the benefits and drawbacks of both options, read through the following guide, and consider speaking to a professional for help.

Cost Considerations

When facing the choice of either re-keying or replacing the locks in your home or business, one of the most important factors to consider is the cost of the project. And here, in nearly every situation, you will find that it is less expensive, perhaps significant, to choose to re-key. By choosing to re-key, you will only need to make slight modifications to the existing locks on your structure; choosing to replace the locks entirely, however, requires the purchase of new equipment, which can be costly.

Simplicity of Re-Keying

In addition to allowing you to save money, re-keying also happens to be a much simpler process, as well, potentially one that you can facilitate at home with the help of professional instructions. To be sure, an individual in need of re-keying a lock may be able to do this at home; however, when in doubt, it is always a smart choice to contact a professional locksmith in the area who can provide assistance.

Of course, you may also be able to replace your locks yourself, yet doing so requires a significant larger investment of time, and is, again, best left to a professional who can ensure the locks are installed properly.

When is it Necessary to Replace the Locks?

There are, undoubtedly, very clear benefits to re-keying a set of locks over replacing them, including the cost and simplicity of the process. When, then, should an individual consider replacing the locks altogether?

Ultimately, you should opt to replace a set of locks entirely if the lock has sustained damage, has become worn over time, or is not working properly for some other reason. In this case, re-keying the lock may not provide a solution to the problem, and you may instead be required to replace the set.

In turn, this begs an additional question: how can you tell if a faulty lock can be re-keyed, or if it needs to be replaced? To find the answer to this question, you should consult a locksmith at A-1 Locksmith in Dallas. By speaking with a professional locksmith you can find answers to this and any other questions you may have, and pursue the best option for your specific circumstances.