If you have recently moved into a new home or new office, one of the first things you want to do is change the locks. Those who were there before you, all of their friends, and even those people who worked on your home have keys, limiting the number of keys that are out there to your home or office is the first step in security.
It is important to learn to choose the right lock for your doors. What you are choosing a lock, you should look for one that is tamper resistant and one that has a key that is impossible to duplicate without your knowledge. What makes your lock tamperproof is the plate that controls how the lock is opened.
Look for a lock that has rotating discs in the lock instead of pins. The pins in a door lock can be tampered with and can be easily opened. The discs that turn when a key is inserted are very difficult to maneuver.
Are you living in a neighborhood that you just don’t feel safe in and want to add a bit more security to your home? You most likely have seen the bars on the windows of first floor homes in the worst sections of town. If you are having problems with burglaries or if you do not feel safe where you are living, installing bars on the windows will prevent anyone from breaking or climbing in a first floor window.
On all the doors of your home, you can have steel plates installed so that the doors cannot be pried open. Steel plates and steel doors can be kicked in or broken in, giving you added protection.
If you are hiring a locksmith for your home, to have your locks changed be sure that you visit the locksmith shop. You are not going to want a locksmith that does their business as a side business, because you never know if they are out to collect keys or if they are honest. When you visit an honest locksmith, they will have an actual store, and they are going to have a license to be a locksmith. If you do not find these two things, do not deal with that locksmith find another!
What type of door should you purchase if you want the best in protection? Purchasing a steel door with a steel frame to match is going to do the trick. This type of door is going to be a bit more expensive than some others, about $700 but it is well worth the investment for your own and your families protection.
On all doors used as a front door, you want a peephole so you can see who is outside. If you have glass on either side of the door, a burglar can break this glass and open the door right up. Sidelights look nice but can be hazardous to your own protection.
Continued >> on the next page
