JAMMED SAFE? HERE’S WHAT YOU DO!

Is your business or home safe jammed and seemingly impossible to open? Don’t worry; there’s a light at the end of the tunnel! Safes are made and used to keep our valuables “safe” but we never intend them to be unavailable to us! Hollywood movies tend to portray safe “cracking” as easy and fast but in truth, it takes skill and experience to correctly unlock and open a sealed or jammed commercial or residential safe.

PUT THAT HAMMER AWAY!

We are only half joking! All safes are not alike and some are built better than others; you already know that. Surprisingly many people resort to forcing their way back into their safe. Not only will this cause damage to your actual safe, it hardly ever works and can cause other damage to property or even persons. A jammed safe can be frustrating; after all, you don’t have access to your own cash, jewelry, art, documents or guns. You might even need access fast and can’t get it. Take for instance the need to access some cash or documents inside the safe. You may be closing on a real estate property or needing to fund a project of some kind and you are facing deadlines.

You may need to access a birth or death certificate in a hurry but due to your jammed safe, you can’t. You might even feel in danger and you keep a firearm inside the safe, just in case you need it. Calm your frustration and resist the urge to force your safe open (or destroy it!) as there are better ways to deal with the problem.

GET PROFESSIONAL HELP

Getting any kind of professional help sounds expensive and if it involves your Buckeye, AZ commercial or residential safe it just may be! That’s why it’s important to choose the right safe repair service to help. Many safe shops offer this service but all they do is call their own locksmith and add their service fee to your overall bill. Some even require you to bring the safe in to them. You really don’t need to mess with any of this. Do some checking for a solid commercial or residential locksmith that services safes on site. Here at Buckeye Locksmith AZ we do just that. Our mobile technicians will respond to your service call on a 24-hour basis and this includes holidays, too. We are well versed in all of the latest and most effective safe opening and repair techniques plus we have the experience needed to do the job right. Do you have to use our service? No; if you have your own locksmith that you are happy with you can give them a call. If not, you’ll need to start making phone calls and gathering additional information.

You’ll want to give an accurate description of your safe to your lock professional in order to get a reliable price quote and better service. Do you have the model type or manufacturer’s name?

Did you keep maintenance receipts or warranty information and are they handy? Can you describe what the actual problem is? For example is the combination lock not working or does the problem appear to be something else? Look for serial numbers and brand names on the safe itself; most likely on the bottom or sides of it.

ELECTRONIC SAFES

When you call for help the locksmith will ask you if your safe is electronic or not. How can you tell and why is this important? Here in Buckeye, AZ many residents and businesses use electronic safes. Electronic safes are also called digital safes and while they offer great security, they also occasionally break down. It’s the old adage “the more parts; the more that can go wrong” so you’ll need to be aware of a few things.

Is the safe really jammed or did you just forget the code and enter it wrong?

Do you remember the code but someone else changed it? It happens from time to time and knowing this can save you both embarrassment and service charge later!

Some electronic safes have a built-in locking mechanism that is activated when too many wrong attempts are made to enter the security code. It’s much like entering your password to many times incorrectly and getting locked out of your bank’s website.

Article source here: JAMMED SAFE? HERE’S WHAT YOU DO!

THERE ARE SO MANY TYPES OF LOCKS TO CHOOSE FROM!

Are you shopping for the right locks for your home or business? There is an almost endless selection of various kinds of locks ~ such as wall-mounted locks, high-security cylinders, pin-tumbler locks, deadbolts, bump-proof locks, lever-handled locks, padlocks, cam locks, rim locks, interchangeable core cylinder locks, mortise locks, doorknob locks, key-in-knob cylinder locks, switch locks, combination locks, keycard locks, biometric locks, and on and on. The most well-known reputable brands are:

* Ace

* American

* Arrow

* ASSA

* Baldwin

* Ilco

* Falcon

* Kwikset

* Master

* Medeco

* Primus

* Schlage

* Yale

Any locksmith professional will tell you that deadbolts are an excellent choice as a solid line of defense when it comes to protecting your home. The reason they’re called “dead” is because they don’t have springs to operate the bolt; that is, a deadbolt is operated manually ~ with a key or thumbturn.

Professional locksmiths usually recommend that you install deadbolts on all of your external doors. There are a number of deadbolt types. The most common are single-cylinder, double-cylinder, lockable thumbturn, and jimmy-proof.

* A single-cylinder deadbolt lock is the standard deadbolt lock, with a key cylinder on the outside, and a thumbturn on the inside to open or close it. These deadbolt locks are typically used on solid metal doors or on wooden doors. The only disadvantage to this kind of deadbolt is that if there’s any access to the inside, such as through a window in

the door or close to the door, then the door could be opened with the thumbturn.

* A double-cylinder deadbolt, therefore, goes a bit farther. This deadbolt type has a key cylinder both on the inside of the door and on the outside. That means that if it’s locked, the double-cylinder always requires a key to open the door from the inside. It’s perfect if your door has any glass in it, or if your door has a window nearby, because an intruder can’t break the glass and reach in to unlock the door. Its one minor drawback is that in case of fire or other emergency, you’ll have to remember to always keep an extra key available on the inside, whenever people are there, so that you’ll always be able to get out of the house safely in an emergency.

* Then there’s the lockable thumbturn deadbolt, which is essentially a blending of the single-cylinder and the double-cylinder deadbolt. With a thumbturn on the inside, it works like a basic single-cylinder deadbolt, but it can be locked with a key, so that the thumbturn won’t lock or unlock the door unless you have the key, too. Accordingly, the thumbturn can be left in an unlocked position while people are inside your house, but it will still operate exactly like a standard single-cylinder deadbolt. Then, when you go out, especially if it’s for an extended period, the thumbturn can be easily locked. This deadbolt will provide you with optimum security and flexibility.

* A jimmy-proof deadbolt is a surface-mount lock, often found at apartment buildings and on double doors. A surface-mount lock means that the lock screws inside the door, rather than with an intricate drill pattern, the way an ordinary deadbolt does. A jimmy-proof deadbolt is popular because it requires only minor door modifications. In this unique type of deadbolt lock, the deadbolt interlocks with the jamb bracket. It’s therefore not easily pulled apart and it’s difficult to force it from the outside.

The above are all smart choices in deadbolts. There are even more than these. Expert locksmiths also recommend these additional deadbolt types: mortise, rim, vertical, keyless, and digital.

* A mortise deadbolt is a lock not easily tampered with. Old-fashioned in style, you can install this deadbolt in a mortise or recess pocket, cut in the edge of the door. This kind of lock has extra resilience; but one downside is that since you have to penetrate the door frame to make a large hole, it may weaken slightly the door’s structure.

* Easy to install, a rim deadbolt is a deadbolt that’s bolted to the inside face of the door. The great thing about this type of lock is that it automatically locks behind you each time you shut the door, so you won’t ever forget to lock it. Of course, if you’re someone who forgets your keys often, you may not see this as an advantage.

* A vertical deadbolt lock is also bolted to the inside face of the door, but it is placed on top of the door, making it impossible for a potential thief to force it open by placing a bar between the door and the frame. This sort of deadbolt is also a breeze to install. A small drawback to both the rim deadbolt and the vertical deadbolt is that they’re rather bigger, so some people view them as unattractive.

* A keyless deadbolt lock is mounted on the inside of the door, but it has a keypad rather than a keyhole. You type your secret code in rather than turn a key. Since you don’t use a key at all, you won’t ever have to be concerned about losing it or having it stolen. Another advantage is that you can change your code as often as you want to maximize your security.

* A digital deadbolt is like a keyless deadbolt, with a keypad, but it requires batteries or electricity. With this sort of deadbolt, make sure you always keep the batteries charged, or you’ll be out of luck in a power outage! One disadvantage to such an electronic device is that there’s a slight possibility it could be hackable.

This is only a basic overview. There are locks to fit every purpose and location. If you want to make well-informed decisions about exactly the right locks for your residential or commercial building, ask a local locksmith you can trust. If you live any place in Buckeye, Arizona, it’s time to meet with a dependable locksmith expert such as the professionals on staff at Buckeye Locksmith AZ, where free consultations are available.

Article source here: THERE ARE SO MANY TYPES OF LOCKS TO CHOOSE FROM!

6 Signs You Need Better Security

No matter where one resides in the United States, they need to take advantage of security measures. This even applies to Buckeye, Arizona locals. Locksmith services can certainly come in handy when it comes to property protection. Commercial and residential property owners alike need to pay mind to how safe their belongings actually are. Have a look at the below list, which details some indications that better security is needed. Don’t fret if you find yourself dealing with any of these concerns. Just get in touch with your area’s local locksmith and express any concerns you might have. They will surely be able to assist you for an affordable price. You will see things here that you might not have previously thought of, but hopefully paying attention and taking advantage of the solutions which are available to you will help you tremendously in the long run. Here are 6 clear signs that you need better security for your property:

1. Lack of lock maintenance. The locks that you have on your front door and elsewhere throughout your property (for instance, the patio, garage, file cabinets, etc.) need to be maintained. Even ones that come from the most reputable brands in the world like Schlage, Kwikset, Mul-T-Lock, ASSA and Arrow will still eventually start to have problems. In a place like Buckeye, AZ, it gets very hot. Over time, locks can become rusted because of weather, age and wear and tear. Having locks looked at by an expert can help prevent them from malfunctioning. Perhaps you have a vacation to Florida coming up, and you have a trusted neighbor who will be taking care of your cats. What are they supposed to do if your lock malfunctions and they can’t get into your home? Will they have time to sit around and wait for a locksmith to show up? It is best to have these things taken care of at a more convenient time. Call a professional to come to do an inspection to ensure you don’t end up with problematic locks.
2. You’ve had a break-in. If your property was broken into, perhaps when you weren’t home, there was some sort of issue that indicated to the burglar that it was okay to come in. Maybe they were positive no one was home. Or perhaps they realized that you had rusted locks or ones that weren’t working properly. The first step is to have your locks replaced. Rekeying just isn’t good enough, because who can say for sure that the criminal who came into your property didn’t manage to get a copy of your key? Your lock might also have been destroyed completely. You need better security if your property has been broken into. You could consider having a camera system set up if you don’t have one already, too. These are fairly easy for a professional to install.
3. You travel frequently. If you are not home often, people who want to burglarize your property could be watching to see when you are there and when you are not. Steps you can take include having a camera system installed, having deadbolts put into place, locks on your garage, locks on your patio and anywhere else on your property that a professional deems appropriate. You could also leave a trusted neighbor with a copy of your key so that they can go in and out, making it look like someone is regularly there.
4. You have small children at home. If you own a weapon or very important items that you wouldn’t want your toddler to get their hands on, then you need better security in the form of a safe. Safe installation is a service that most local locksmiths will provide, and they can help you out tremendously not only by providing a means to store important items, but they can help you to stay better organized, as you will always know where to find these items.
5. You are a business that has employees. When you have employees working for you, you have liability. You want to keep them as safe as possible but you also want to avoid employee theft. Internal loss prevention is a huge topic that needs to be considered. If you have security cameras installed, you can monitor what your staff is doing. If you have cabinet locks, a safe and drawer locks, you can ensure that your most important items stay only in your possession.
6. You have nice, expensive items. Perhaps you have worked hard for years and decided to reward yourself with a brand new boat. Or maybe you enjoy jet-skis, kayaks, four wheelers, or even just fancy gaming systems. If these items are sitting in your garage, then people can see in any time your garage door opens. Therefore, it is important to have adequate security solutions in place, such as garage locks. A thief will make note of properties that have high-end items. If you are able to keep these things properly locked up, you can avoid potential loss.

These are just some of the indications that you need better security for your property. You don’t want to risk losing important items because of negligence. From having small children at home and traveling often to being a business that has employees or just having locks that you keep for many years, it is important that you take the right steps to protect what you have worked so hard for. The best recommendation is to talk with a local lock and security provider. Places like Buckeye, AZ have locksmith companies that offer competitive prices and even same day service to customers. Often times, as it the case at Buckeye Locksmith AZ, you can get a consultation totally free of charge, so there is really nothing for the customer to lose. Pay attention to the security of your property, and make sure that you are not missing out.



Article source here: 6 Signs You Need Better Security

Fake Online Locksmiths May Be Out to Pick Your Pocket, Too

Fake Online Locksmiths May Be Out to Pick Your Pocket, Too

By DAVID SEGAL

Maybe this has happened to you.

Locked out of your car or home, you pull out your phone and type “locksmith” into Google. Up pops a list of names, the most promising of which appear beneath the paid ads, in space reserved for local service companies.

You might assume that the search engine’s algorithm has instantly sifted through the possibilities and presented those that are near you and that have earned good customer reviews. Some listings will certainly fit that description. But odds are good that your results include locksmiths that are not locksmiths at all.

They are call centers — often out of state, sometimes in a different country — that use a high-tech ruse to trick Google into presenting them as physical stores in your neighborhood. These operations, known as lead generators, or lead gens for short, keep a group of poorly trained subcontractors on call. After your details are forwarded, usually via text, one of those subcontractors jumps in a car and heads to your vehicle or home. That is when the trouble starts.

The goal of lead gens is to wrest as much money as possible from every customer, according to lawsuits. The typical approach is for a phone representative to offer an estimate in the range of $35 to $90. On site, the subcontractor demands three or four times that sum, often claiming that the work was more complicated than expected. Most consumers simply blanch and pay up, in part because they are eager to get into their homes or cars.

“It was very late, and it was very cold,” said Anna Pietro, recalling an evening last January when she called Allen Emergency, the nearest locksmith to her home in a Dallas suburb, according to a Google Maps search on her iPhone. “This guy shows up and says he needs to drill my door lock, which will cost $350, about seven times the estimate I’d been given on the phone. And he demanded cash.”

The phone number at Allen Emergency is now disconnected.

It is a classic bait-and-switch. And it has quietly become an epidemic in America, among the fastest-growing sources of consumer complaints, according to the Consumer Federation of America.

Lead gens have their deepest roots in locksmithing, but the model has migrated to an array of services, including garage door repair, carpet cleaning, moving and home security. Basically, they surface in any business where consumers need someone in the vicinity to swing by and clean, fix, relocate or install something.

“I’m not exaggerating when I say these guys have people in every large and midsize city in the United States,” said John Ware, an assistant United States attorney in St. Louis, speaking of lead-gen locksmiths. 

 

A locksmith’s shop on a street in Sun City, Ariz., top, turned out to be a fiction that was created for the locksmith by a web design firm using Photoshop at what is, in fact, a vacant lot, bottom. Credit Photograph by Caitlin O’Hara for The New York Times

 To read more about it, just go to Fake Online Locksmiths May Be Out to Pick Your Pocket, Too