Keys

Besides your mobile phone, what is the most important thing you carry around with you every day? Very few people even think about their keys, but without them you cannot function. Be it getting into your home or office, or starting your keys are always needed. So when was the last time you bothered to look at your keys, clean them even, or check that they were not bent or damaged in any other way?

Scandanavian locks 2

A lot of locks fail because the keys being used to operate them are worn, damaged or badly cut copies. I’ve seen people try their best to service their own locks, but then fail to keep the actual keys clean. We know toddlers love to put keys in their mouths and we snatch those keys away because we know they are dirty, but we never even give those grubby, bacteria ridden lumps of metal so much as a quick scrub to remove surface dirt.

The bodies at the top of the locksmithing industry in the UK suggest that we locksmiths should tell you to change your locks every 5 years, one of the main reasons for this is that people just do not maintain their locks, or they use too many copies that are cut poorly. So here are my top tips for keys:

1. Keep your keys clean. I know it is obvious, but I see loads of grubby keys, especially in the work place or where anyone needs a big bunch of keys. Dirt and grime collects in the grooves, which is then transferred into the lock where it builds up, wearing away the internal moving parts. Hot, soapy water and a stiff nail brush should get rid of the worst of it and be sure to dry the key straight away so as to avoid rust.

2. Only take the keys you need. Big bunches of keys just rub against each other and generally wear away. If you have mortice (Chubb) keys with thin prongs, those prongs are likely to get bent far easier when the keys are on a big bunch. Separate your keys into smaller bunches for use when you need them. This will also keep the keys cleaner.

3. Don’t get too many copies made. Any more than four keys is going to be more expensive than a basic keysafe. If you run a business, giving staff members the code to the keysafe that can be changed is a lot better than chasing them to return their key when they leave, and if they leave under nefarious circumstances, you might have to change your locks when they don’t return their key. A keysafe just requires changing the code to the keysafe. It also saves a load of bad copies wearing out the lock quicker.

4. Having said that, do not let your stash of keys run down to just the one, especially if that one is a copy. You should always be in possession of a branded original key for the lock. All locks come with at least two keys. If you only have one, not only are you going to be in trouble when you eventually lose it, but that means there is at least one other key in someone’s possession who can gain access to a door you want to secure, be it your home or workplace.

5. If you need to get copies made, always keep the originals as primary use. Just the other day, I attended a job in Blakeney where the lock wasn’t opening or locking on one side. I asked the customer to fetch me the original keys which worked just fine. Your original branded keys are the most important. Treat them with the utmost care. If you need to change your locks, think about how many keys you might need and get you locksmith to order them with your new lock.

6. If you must keys cut at a later date, shy away from chain outlets. They have a higher turnover of staff who are not always trained to high standards. Your local engraver/cobbler will be running their own business and will more likely have years of experience. But, they will not often have genuine branded blanks. Be prepared to demand genuine branded keys, even if that means coming back a few days later and paying more for the keys. The key cutter will take even more care to cut the key perfectly as they will not want you coming back with a bad cut key. It will cost them more to honour a guarantee of a good cut if the blank is branded.

7. As said above, any more than four keys should be negated by a basic keysafe, but it is worth investing in a high quality keysafe. Dial keysafes are easier to change the codes on, so perfect for holiday lets, etc, but push button keysafes are more secure and so better for the home where you might not need to change the code too often. Keysafes should be positioned near the door the key inside is going to open, but not on general view if avoidable. If you can position in a corner, or make the angles difficult for levers or hammers, then even better, but most burglars ignore keysafes as they can usually find easier ways in.

8. Many new high security locks are coming with special keys. At least one brand uses a magnet in the key. From personal experience, I can tell you not to have these keys anywhere near vehicle keys as the small magnetic field can scramble the signal between car and car key transceiver.

9. If you have a digital safe, hand the override keys to a trusted friend or family member. There is no point keeping the keys in the house where the burglar might find them. But do not keep the keys inside the safe – they will be useless to you if the batteries fail. If you only have a manual key safe, again give one of the keys to a friend or family member and ensure the second key is not left in the home while you are out.

AC locksmiths Auto

10. The glove compartment is not the place for your spare car key. The only person who can possible benefit from the key being there is the car thief.

11. If you drive to your holiday destination and it is more than a hundred miles from home, take the spare key to the car. Leave it in the holiday accommodation, because there is nothing worse than having to call a locksmith knowing you could get in yourself if you had the spare nearby.

12. If you have a special knack for unlocking your door, or you have to hold the key at a certain angle, either the key or your lock is not right. Check the key before any further damage is done. If it’s not the key, then change the lock before it fails completely just before you need to be in and out for an important event.

If you have any questions regarding any of the points raised above or in any of my other blogs, please contact me through any of the channels mentioned on my contacts page. (Text gets fasted response).

Thanks for reading!

admin February 21, 2020

car keys / Looking after your keys / property keys /

Lessons 10 years as a locksmith has taught me

What I have learned after 10 years as a Locksmith?

AC Locksmiths Norfolk

Lessons 10 years as a locksmith has taught me:

1. The multipoint locking mechanism on a double glazed door (or any door where you lift the handles before locking) is NOT a five lever lock. Five levers refers to the internal levers in a mortice lock which sits inside a wooden door.

2. All of those hooks, bolts, mushrooms, and rollers on a lift handle door mean nothing when burglars can attack the lock barrel easily. Having the correct barrel is vitally important and while you might get the insurance company to reimburse your financial loss, they cannot replace the heirloom given to you by Grandma that has enormous sentimental value. If your locking barrels do not have British Standard kite marks, you are practically inviting burglars into your home.

3. Home security is not necessarily about keeping intruders out. We all know they can smash a window. But they do not want to leave through that window carrying your stuff. You are looking to make it as hard as possible for them to leave with their arms full.

4. Look at your neighbour’s house when thinking about home security. Your aim should always be to make them look like an easier target. Crunchy gravel, CCTV, alarms, sensor lights are instant barriers before they even reach your door. Burglars recognise good locks and will go elsewhere. Your local locksmith knows the best brands you can’t buy on the high street.

5. That sneaky place you hide a spare key in the garden is glaringly obvious to the burglar. You are much better off with a quality keysafe.

6. You do not need multiple keys for carers. A keysafe can be much cheaper and easier for all. No more worries when keys go missing.

7. A home safe is not just about deterring criminals. A good one will protect important documents in the event of a fire. But batteries should be changed annually whether the low battery warning beeps or not, and override keys should be kept with a trusted neighbour or family member. Leaving the keys inside the safe is not a clever idea.

8. Taking your car on holiday? Make sure your partner takes the spare key. Nothing worse than calling a locksmith to open your vehicle when you lock the keys in the boot knowing a spare key is at home. Do not leave the spare key in the glove compartment.

9. Very few smart locks conform to BS3621, meaning they are not covered by your insurance.

10. Most lock failures can be avoided. If you notice your lock is getting harder to operate, or you have a special knack for opening the door, then something is wrong and needs addressing. It will be cheaper to sort now and if you don’t, the chances are it will fail when you are stuck in the pouring rain and are desperate to get in because you need to get ready for that important date/job interview/wedding/etc.

11. Hanging keys on a hook in plain sight of your door, or putting them in a dish/on a saucer near the front door is not good. Most luxury cars are stolen from drives after thieves use tools to hook keys through the letterbox. Seal the letter plate on your door and install a post box at the end of your garden. The postie and those who deliver your paper will love you for it.

12. Burglar alarms are not just about burglars; They now come with optional extras like smoke alarms and panic buttons allowing you to call a family member and talk to them through the system if you take a fall and cannot get back up.

Lessons 10 years as a locksmith has taught me

13. Modern CCTV puts you in control. If you post images or film of a crime, the local community might help. A friend knew someone who did this when Christmas decorations were stolen from their garden. The theft was captured by a smart doorcam and posted. Locals soon identified the thief and the stolen items were returned (along with a box of chocolates!).

14. If you need to get copies of keys made, still use the originals as your primary keys. Ask your local key cutter to order genuine branded blanks, even if it costs more and you have to come back. 90% of my recalls for faulty locks end up being poor copies not working properly. When you order a new lock, think about the number of keys you need, and order them at the same time. If you need more than four extra keys, a keysafe can be cheaper.

15. Plastic doors are just as prone to weather conditions as wooden doors. Be aware of direct sunlight and salty sea air. Check regularly for signs of rust. Lubricate your doors every time you change your clocks (spring and autumn). You can find out how by reading my blog on door maintenance.

16. The industry recommends changing your locks every 5 years, especially when keys have been handed to builders, carers, lost by teens, etc. While 5 years might seem a bit too much, adult children might do well to check their older parents’ locks. Many older houses are simply not up to insurance standard. If you cannot find a British standard kite mark on their lock, they are probably paying insurance for nothing as the insurers will not pay out in the event of a burglary.

17. Making a new car key when you have one to copy from is much cheaper than calling out the emergency locksmith when you are stuck in the rain and locked out of your vehicle because you just dropped your car key down a drain. And some cars, like Fords, will require you to make two new keys when all keys are lost as the car will not start without two keys programmed and the process automatically deletes all existing keys.

18. Cloning a car key means any lost/stolen keys will still start your vehicle. Making new keys allows you to ensure only the keys you hold will start the vehicle.

19. Car keys have a huge difference in prices from vehicle to vehicle for many reasons. Some can only be reproduced with genuine branded parts. Others require the removal of the dashboard in order to read a certain computer chip. While most can be done on the day, you might find yourself without the use of your vehicle for some time. Another reason to have a spare key made when convenient rather than leave it to an emergency.

20. Everything comes in all shapes and sizes. Locks are no different. Beware of what you buy in shops or on the internet as they might not be the easy DIY job you were expecting. Always consult a professional locksmith. For example, lots of internet-based car key makers advertise Landrover Discovery keys, but these can only be produced by the manufacturer. In the home, only Chubb branded locks fit exactly into the place where a Chubb lock has been before. Any other brand will need carpentry work and movement of handles (which might expose paintwork that needs touching up that might lead to the painting of the whole door, meaning a quick job becomes a whole day event).

Thanks for reading. Please call us to find out more or ask any questions.
07846643176

admin January 26, 2020

car keys / changing your locks / copy keys / Key cloning / smart locks /

All about Smart locks

Smart locks

All about Smart Locks – What are Smart Locks?

The name ‘Smart locks’ applies to locks that can be opened with technology like your mobile phone and does away with the need for keys. They can be fingerprint activated, voice-activated or have keypads and sensor proximity tags, depending on the lock and how you want it to operate. Smart locks are a relatively new technology with new products appearing all the time.

What are the benefits?

Smart locks can offer controlled access to your home without having to hand out multiple keys, so they are great for people who have carers or home help and find it difficult to get to the door themselves. Teens are fantastic at losing their keys; I know of one unfortunate customer in Aylsham whose daughter got in with a bad crowd and was giving her key to unsavoury friends, who then stole from the property. Smart locks here could have quickly been re-coded to bar anyone who she did not want having independent access. Keypads and proximity tags save you from having to hunt in your bag for your keys. And some more and more are now connecting to home smart networks, which in turn, connect to your mobile phone. Connected to one of these systems with cameras and zone restricted alarms, you can be on holiday in Greece, sat by the pool and when the delivery you have been waiting for arrives, you can let the delivery driver put your parcel in your house, watch them leave and lock the door up behind them.

How secure are they?

This is where you really need your local locksmith. So many smart locks lose security for convenience. Many are latch type locks that are easy to bypass if you have the right tools and know-how. If you change your existing lock for a smart lock then you might be invalidating your insurance. Always consult your genuine local locksmith before making any purchase. They are used to the requirements of insurance companies and will be able to offer the best lock to suit your needs. Also, you might be paying too much for features you do not need. If your smart lock requires you to have a key-operated lock in the same door for security and insurance purposes, then there is no real point in the smart lock. While there are many smart locks available, few will actually be BS3621 rated. You don’t need this rating on UPVC doors (yet) but even here, there is still a mechanical aspect that the lock cannot do. It will not lift the handles that engage all the hooks before locking. That sort of takes all meaning out of the hands-free point.

Are smart locks expensive?

Yes and no. As with everything, there are cheap and expensive ends of the scale. This is another reason to talk to your local locksmith. We know brands and their quality. We do the research so you don’t have to. We go to the nerdy lock conventions and get to see the items in action before we buy them.

In summary, smart locks are a great idea for certain situations but often lose security for convenience and often that convenience can be misleading. For example, with a normal lock, you approach the door and with one hand, take your keys from your pocket, insert into the keyhole, turn and you are unlocked. With some ‘faster’ smart locks, you approach the door and take out your smartphone. Holding your phone in one hand, you turn it on with the other, insert your security code, find the app, open the app, find the button that unlocks the door and eventually you are in. If you are trying to do this while laden with shopping, the process just got longer. There are better products out there, but you will need your locksmith to help you through the minefield. However, if you are really into your gadgets, then a smart lock is a great one that you will use every day. Paired with Alexa or other smart devices and part of a home network that includes CCTV, alarm and a decent door cam, smart locks show potential intruders that you mean business (if you get the right one).

If you have any questions about smart locks or any home security issue, please do not hesitate to contact me via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

 

admin January 2, 2020

Are smart locks expensive? / How secure are smartlocks? / Lock technology /

More Common Locksmith Questions Answered

Common Locksmith questions I am asked
AC Locksmiths Norfolk

 What is Lock Snapping?

This is a particularly vile form of attack burglars use to break in where the house has a upvc or composite door (any door where you lift the handle before locking). The intruders use simple tools to rip the handles off the door and then break the lock itself to gain access to a small lever inside the door that unlocks all the hooks and bolts. It takes less than 60 seconds with ordinary hand tools. If you have a upvc or composite door, look just below where your key fits and you will see a brand name. If you do not also see the British Standard Kitemark, you are definitely at risk of this type of attack. Moreover, I have come across some kite marked locks that still fail to protect. You should always consult your local locksmith when upgrading locks as they have the knowledge and experience to sort the good from the bad. At the time of writing, AC Locksmiths Norfolk are upgrading superior locking euro cylinders to properties in Sheringham and Holt.

How long does it take to fix a broken lock?

This really depends on the lock. Some of the simplest cabinet locks with small parts and tight springs can take surprisingly long if you don’t want to damage the expensive furniture they are housed in. Sometimes, a part inside may have broken and gotten itself lodged out of sight. In my experience, half of the repairs I do are routine and half throw up something completely unique, or at least very uncommon. Just the other day, I was working on a composite door in Fakenham where the only way I could get the door open was to hammer the hooks into the open position as a gear had broken and become stick within the locking mechanism. Doing this with all the wrong angles and trying to preserve the door as well slows a job down. There is a quick way to do every job. If we are taking a long time, it’s because we care about your property. Time frustrates us as well. For a locksmith, there is nothing worse than leaving one job knowing you are already late for the next one, especially in rural areas where phone signal problems deny you the chance to explain to that next customer.

How long should I expect to wait in an emergency?

This all depends on how large an area your locksmith covers, time of day and what work the locksmith is currently doing. Larger companies and the Nationals who sub-contract can usually find someone to be with you within 2 hours, but it is surprising how often people get a call near the end of those two hours to say their locksmith has broken down! A genuine local locksmith can usually be with you in a sensible time. For example, my base is in Holt and if you need me to attend an emergency in Aylsham or Cromer, I can usually get to you easily within the hour. If you need me in Downham Market, or Stalham, or Caister, then you need to expect me to take an hour and a half to two hours. If I am working on a job when you call, I will give you a realistic expectation of time and update you as often as possible. If that time is too long, I will suggest another locksmith, but I can neither guarantee their ability to get to you sooner or the quality of their work.

Do you carry the parts to fix my locks?

In almost all cases we can fix or replace your lock, and if we can’t fix it on the first visit, we can make your door secure until we have had a chance to order the parts required. Carrying everything for every occasion would mean towing a small DIY store around with us! Before writing this blog today, I attended a property in Fakenham where they need a completely new mechanism for their composite door. The brand they need has about 20 different variations of mechanisms and that brand is only one of about 15 common brands, so I have locked their door and rendered it usable in emergencies only. The new part will be with me tomorrow. There is no additional charge for the second visit, just the cost of the part itself and my standard flat fee. Beware, some locksmiths will charge labour for every visit.

Do you cover evenings and weekends?

Yes. AC Locksmiths Norfolk is a 24/7 365 day per year service. However, I am human. I do like to celebrate peoples’ birthdays and observe other traditions and even sometimes get to go on holiday. My phone is always on me. If I cannot cover emergencies, my voicemail will tell you so. If I am away and cannot answer the phone, for non-emergencies always leave a voicemail and if possible, back it up with a quick text and I will get back to you with honest advice, and/or work timeframe estimations. Unlike many other locksmiths, my flat fee labour charge is fixed. So if you have an emergency on Sunday evening in Dereham, the labour charge will be exactly the same as if you call me out on Wednesday morning from Reepham. Pricing for distance is a little different when dealing with car keys due to the minimum amount of time they take to produce, but when you call me, you can be sure you are getting a fair price.

Should I change the locks when I move home?

Yes. If the home has had people living in it before you, you just cannot know how many copies of keys have been made. I once changed locks for a couple in Norwich who after having been moved in for six months, found a neighbour ‘just checking’ their home after they had not arrived back at their usual time. This neighbour had been given a key by the previous owner to use in emergencies. If you move into a new home on a large complex, the developer will have fitted the same brand and types of lock in all the houses on that development. Statistics show that several properties will have keys that open other properties on the estate. Best to change to a completely different brand and upgrade.

What are the insurance requirements for homes in the UK?

For wooden doors, insurance usually states a five-lever mortice lock on all final exit doors or a kite marked equivalent. Basically, if the locks on your wooden door do not have kite marks, then they are probably not covered unless you have a special agreement because of preservation orders, etc. Some five lever mortice locks do not have kite marks and are fine with your insurance, but make life so much easier for the burglar. Be very careful when looking at ‘smart’ locks as many will actually downgrade your security. For upvc and composite doors, there is no kitemark requirement for most insurers, but having kite marked cylinders might well reduce your premiums. For peace of mind, you should always upgrade to kite marked products. At a time when we are all worried certain standards will drop after we leave the EU, rest assured, in many cases the kitemark outstrips EU standards in the area of locks. Insurers will try all things to get out of paying. If you have a kite marked lock and the burglar does manage to defeat it, the insurer might inspect your home and find another lock that does not meet standards and refuse to pay because you have a lock that does not conform. All ground floor windows should have locks and most insurers will insist on first-floor windows as well with a note that all accessible windows be lockable. If you have children of any age, window locks or cable restrictors are highly advisable anyway as kids are very good at falling from windows and they make such a fuss when bones break!

If you have any questions regarding the above, please don’t hesitate to get in contact via any of the usual methods found on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading
Alan,
AC  Locksmiths Norfolk

admin November 22, 2019

British Standard Kitemark / broken locks / emergency locksmith / lock snapped / locksmith emergency / Locksmith questions /

Locksmiths Most Commonly asked Questions

 

AC Locksmiths Norfolk

 

Locksmiths most commonly asked questions:

Do Skeleton Keys open all locks?

A key to open all locks is only found in magical fantasy. Even us locksmiths need many different lock picks for the different types of locks we come across, so that hero you see on the TV who carries a few needle-like implements in a little pouch, is only making a small representation of what is really needed, and even then, the speed shown would be for very easy, smooth running locks. That being said, each lock type and brand have a finite number of combinations and if you were to try your house key in enough other houses using the same brans and lock type, you will find houses that you can enter with ease. This is an important point when moving into a newly built home on a large estate. The average new house comes with front, back and patio doors. A 500 house estate means around 1500 locks and the developer will use the same brand and lock type on every one of them. Locking doors to garages and sheds could easily make that 2,500. With that many locks, the statistics say there is an extremely good chance someone else’s key on that estate will fit your lock. So, it is very good advice to change your locks, even on a new home, preferably to a different brand to all the rest.

How will the locksmith gain entry?

There are many ways to bypass a lock. You might even want to see for yourself how it is done. Please do not be offended if the locksmith asks you to step away while he works. Some techniques require a learned feel or special technique. Watching the locksmith work can show people how to get into other people’s homes which is not really a morally good thing. Also, watching the locksmith and trying to replicate what they do next time, might lead to bigger complications and an even bigger bill. Besides, if they are given room to concentrate, they can work faster, getting you in quicker.

Why do locksmiths charge so much?

Hopefully, you only see the locksmith for a very short time. What you don’t see are the endless hours driving between jobs. It is very that two people have an emergency next door to each other and usually the case that a locksmith will criss-cross his patch several times in the same day. In cities, the patch may be small but the traffic will be horrendous and rurally, the patch is much bigger due to lack of population density. On top of that, locksmiths need to keep up with the latest changes in law and products, keep on top of their own accounts, maintain their vehicles, replace tools and nowadays, write blogs! There might be additional training programs. This doesn’t just mean the cost of the course itself, but losing however many days work the course entails. Then there is the time spent ordering parts online or time spent in shops purchasing tools, etc. As a cost example, I have to do two jobs a month just to pay for the chisels and drill bits I will need to replace each and every month. So you can see, there is a lot more cost involved than just the time the locksmith spends with you.

If I have my locks changed, how many keys do I get and where do I get more cut?

Most locks come with two or three keys. If you are booking a lock change for a future date, it is wise to get the number of keys you require ordered with the lock. This way, you can guarantee the keys will have been tested in that lock before they get to you. Some locksmiths can cut keys on site which again is a sure way to see they are tested. The alternative is to go to your local engraver/cobbler who will usually provide key cutting services. But here you are chancing your luck because you will have to wait until you get home to try the keys and if they don’t work, you have to go all the way back to the shop again, still, with no guarantee, it won’t happen again. Chances are, key cutting outlets will not use genuine branded blanks either. You might think chain key cutters would be the best option but these have high staff turnover and very basic training. Every time I have been recalled to a faulty lock that I have installed, the problem has been poorly cut keys from chain stores. If getting keys cut, always ask for genuine branded blanks that should show the same brand name on the head of the key as the one you getting copied. Many will tell you the non-brands are just as good, but this just isn’t so. Demand genuine. Leave a deposit and pick up the keys a couple of days later if needed. This could save you a much more pricey second visit from the locksmith. Never use an already copied key to cut another. If you have lost your original keys, get a new lock an order the appropriate number of keys with it.

What is British Standard and why do I need it?

British Standard or BS3621 is a rating for the effectiveness of locks against certain attacks that include; picking, drilling, slipping, bumping and a whole host of other terms you might not be familiar with. Your home insurance will demand your locks on wooden doors to be up to this standard. While it is not an insurance requirement for doors where you have to lift the handles before locking, every locksmith will correctly tell you that you should a BS3621 lock on these doors as well because, without them, the intruder can enter your home in under 60 seconds with no power tools. Even if the intruder does get in through a BS3621 rated lock, your insurance might not pay out if another door on your house is not up to standard, so check now that all your final exit doors have a BS3621 kitemark.

What is a fair price for my locksmith?

This is a bit of a minefield. The nationals will charge more because they have to make their profits, pay office staff and pay the locksmith they sub-contract to do the work, but they will do the work that saves you ringing several people in an emergency, and many local locksmiths rely on the work that comes in from the nationals while they get themselves established. That aside, locksmiths seem to have a standard rate, evening rate and through the night rate, plus weekend rates and bank holiday rates. If possible, you should check the locksmith’s website to see if they have any indication of what you might expect to pay. Personally, I have one rate no matter what time of day of what day of the week it might happen to be. But if you have the time, you should ring two or three locksmiths. The cheapest one will probably be the least experienced or hiding costs until he gets there. The most expensive one will be overpricing and you should usually go with the one in the middle, especially if these prices are wildly different. Be sure to get a quote on the phone, a revised quote once the locksmith has visually assessed the job, and find out if the price includes VAT. You also want the locksmith to inform you if anything happens that will cause a price increase. The locksmith should tell you about any potential price increase reasons before continuation.

How long does it take the locksmith to open my locked door?

This can be seconds to a very long time. Locks are often worn, rusty or might have something causing a jamb. The locksmith is wary of damaging your door so they will take time and care to make sure the job is done quickly with the least amount of damage. A simple latch lock might be opened in seconds, but a seized multi-point locking system can be very difficult to open without causing damage to the door. Rest assured, the locksmith wants to get you in just as quickly as you want to be in yourself. With car locks, the picks require the feel of springs inside the lock itself. If the lock is old, this feel can be difficult, or if the internal workings are too loose, the individual parts can keep passing beyond their opening point, making a three-minute job last an age. Patience is your only requirement.

Why do I need to pay on the day?

You are paying for a service and often new products. Most locksmiths are sole traders and unable to run back accounts like big companies. The costs of materials and van/tool maintenance keep things tight all the time. We just cannot add tracking who owes what where and when all the time in addition to everything else. Now that doesn’t mean we are heartless and unsympathetic to those who just don’t have the means to pay in an emergency situation. If you genuinely cannot pay on the day, make the locksmith aware before work commences and something can usually be worked out, but be aware, should you not pay the locksmith within an agreed time, he may well charge late payment fees or you might just find yourself paying more should you need that locksmith in another emergency.

if you think of anything else you would like to know please contact us:

AC Locksmiths Norfolk
07846643176

admin November 9, 2019

gain entry / Getting keys cut / locksmith charges / Locksmith questions / Most commonly asked locksmith questions /

When is a Smart Lock not so smart?

The answer to the above question, is ALL TOO OFTEN!

I have just done an online check of UK available smart locks on Google and I don’t like what I see. If you have a standard wooden door, getting a smart lock to replace your existing lock might look flashy, but you could well be invalidating your insurance because you are reducing your security levels.

Most of the wooden door smart locks are based around a latched lock. In the industry, we call them Nightlatches, but you might be more familiar with calling them Yale type locks. There are very few insurance standard nightlatches out there and part of what gives them their British Standard 3621 rating is the anti-pick and anti-drill key hole. Replacing that key hole with something else gives your insurer an excuse to not pay out in the event of a claim, even if a burglar entered via another route. If you are fitting a smart lock to a standard nighlatch, chances are, the burglar can bypass the whole thing with a method called ‘slipping’, faster than you can activate the lock via your phone app (more on that later). I did see a couple of smart locks that operated deadbolts. But the deadbolts that come as part of the kit were very small. One available on Amazon plainly states it replaces your existing deadbolt. But taking your existing deadbolt out and putting the replacement in would be like putting an apple in a hole big enough for a melon! And again, to conform to British Standard 3621, and therefore insurance, the dead bolt has minimum size requirements and should have anti-saw capabilities, a feature this lock certainly does not have.
Smart lock

If you have any door with a multipoint locking mechanism, you are a bit luckier because the insurance industry still does not require British Standard locking barrels. Or are you? Over the last few years, burglars have increasingly attacked these door types because they are easy to get into and once you are in, the door is open for you to carry out whatever you want without leaving DNA on broken window glass. None of the new smart locks make this any harder. And you can’t use them very well in conjunction with Kite marked locking cylinders. One of the big things that deter burglars is an obviously strong cylinder. Smart locks cover up the cylinders so the burglar who cannot tell your house is well protected, is just likely to have a go anyway, destroying your expensive smart lock in the process.  
smart locks

A better investment would Kite marked cylinders and a smart doorbell that records people approaching the door. Era

But a smart lock is more convenient and saves the hassle of keys, I hear you argue. Let’s face it, we all want to be able to open the door without having to put our bags down while getting soaked in the rain and a smart lock allows us to do that. Or does it?

Without a smart lock, you approach your door, retrieving your keys from your pocket/bag put the key in the door and you are in. Maybe you do have to put some bags down first. With almost all smart locks, you have to take out your phone, wave it front of your face so it recognises you (put in a code if it doesn’t recognise you or your fingerprint), open the smart lock app, find the unlock feature, and activate it. You might need two hands where the key only required one. All in all, it might take longer to use the smart lock rather than lock and key. Your alternative is the code version entry. These not-quite-smart locks still enable you to go key free, but what if the batteries go or the electronics fail. You are still better off with the key. Besides, knowing your eldest childs’ birthday will probably let me into your home anyway. People are too obvious with key codes.

So, you really want smart technology. What do I actually recommend? Well, I’m not changing my mind anytime soon on multipoint doors. You really need a good Kite marked cylinder as a deterrent to keep you safe. And the best ones are only available through locksmiths to my knowledge. Even smart products still require you to lift the handle before locking and you still have to use the handle to open the door. Coupled with a smart doorbell, this is your best option by far. Smart doorbells are a great Xmas prezzie idea for your older generation relatives if they are able to use smart phones. It lets them see who is at the door without having to get up. I know there are plenty of people with mobility issues who could benefit from this technology.
Doorcam

If you have a wooden door, it gets even better. A new smart lock is due out in September. It is a Nightlatch, but it carries the all important BSI 3621 kite mark, making it acceptable to insurers. It will link in to Alexa and other smart devices. While it will require you to have an app, the app will run in the background on your phone, so you won’t need to take your phone out and turn it on. As long as the phone is on you, you will be able to open the door. All you do is approach your door and place your finger on the sensor. A truly secure, smart, lock.

If you require any more information regarding the above, please do not hesitate to get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin May 31, 2019

Keyless locks / Smart locks any good or not? /

What Simple Security Steps will make your home much Safer?

Simple security steps to help make your home safer 

Every other week, I help my kids out with the delivery of the local community magazine. We do just over two hundred houses in a small town. Every time I do these deliveries, I am shocked to see people’s front doors with keys in which I could have taken, using their own cars as getaway vehicles (‘It was only for five minutes,’ they tell me), or doors ajar, just waiting for someone to poke their head inside with no one around. In these latter cases, you can’t use the letterbox as the door swings, but you can open the door a bit more, unchallenged, which reveals all sorts of easily stolen items. I also see letters piled up, indicating no one has been home for a few days at least (easy prey). Just today, I noticed the magazine I posted two weeks ago, which told me a lot.

I do also see good things, and it is those I would like to talk about because they offer security you wouldn’t think about. An awful lot of the non-destructive entries I do are through the letterbox. And if I can do that, the burglar can. So if you have locks that look like this on the inside:

Thumb turn Thumb turn

Night latch Night latchI can get to these through the letterbox and open the door in seconds. Even kitemarked products are not impossible to open. Leaving keys on the inside of the lock is just as bad. You can get letterbox guards that stop me using my specialist tool, but even these can be bypassed. But here is something that is going to cause me problems.

Letter box cage

A letter cage stops all tools being able to get more than a few inches through the letterbox.

Better still, bolt your letterbox shut and get one of these external letterboxes;

Not only will this mean no one gets in through your letter plate, but a separate letterbox at the end of your garden will have you loved by the postman and paper deliverers everywhere.

If you have any questions regarding the above information, please get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin March 17, 2019

Improving your home security / letterbox security / make my home safer /

Blow torch attacks and door maintenance

It seems there is a new spate of attacks in the UK where the burglars use a blow torch on plastic (upvc) double glazed doors. Because they are using fire, this makes a major mess of the door and frame. You are not just looking at replacement locks, but a whole replacement door. If you have the anti-snap cylinders available in DIY stores, then you are still going to be a victim with this sort of attack. If you have an inner anti-snap protector, as used on many new build properties, the burglar will still have a go before he sees the protector. You might not be burgled, but your door is ruined.
Kite marked lock

To be properly protected, you need the advice of a good local locksmith who has access to the very best locks and equipment. They will provide you with the locks that show the burglar they are wasting their time attacking your property. The potential intruder needs to see from a distance that easier pickings are to be had elsewhere.

Thinking anyone can get in if they really want to is unfortunately usually correct, but burglars want to get in as quickly and quietly as possible. The other worry with this blow torch method is heat transference; the intruder can see the damage they are doing to the outside, but they cannot see if they are causing flames inside. It is a very dangerous form of attack especially as nearly half of all burglaries occur when someone is home.
Moving on from that last point, recent reports show that adults and children suffer long term effects of insecurity following burglaries.
Finally, while I was halfway through writing this piece about blow torch attacks, I had a recall from a customer whose lock had failed. Once I got the lock open, I discovered the door was sticking a lot at the bottom. Where the door was not closing properly, the latch was being placed under long term pressure, which led to the lock breaking internally. Doors warp, drop, swell and buckle. Kids will try and slam them with the bolt extended and all sorts of other damage can occur. As a general rule of thumb, if the door is even marginally difficult to lock/unlock, then something, somewhere, is going to be out of alignment. If your door needs a boot at the bottom to get it closed, do something about it before the cost becomes prohibitive. If the door is ok, but the lock is still difficult, a good locksmith will lock at the problem without charge. It’s then up to you whether or not you enter into a situation where the locksmith corrects the problem for a fee. If your lock is stiff and you don’t sort out the problem now, chances are it will fail when you get home from the school run with three screaming kids and their buddies on a sleepover and all of them will be wanting the toilet. On top of that, all the local locksmiths will be busy for the next seven hours or not even picking up the phone, meaning you have to call a national, who will charge you double, and you will wish you had gotten around to dealing with the problem when time was on your side. This same advice applies to locks where you need a special knack to unlock it. That knack might have been good for five years, or five minutes, but sooner or later, a lock that does not function normally, will fail and it will be at an inopportune moment.
Thanks for reading.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please get in touch via the contacts page.

admin February 28, 2019

Home maintenance for locks / Keeping safe / Minimising risk of burglary in your home /

Which lock have I got?

Can you see your lock? Do you know what type of lock you have? Is it secure? Is it insurance standard? – All are important questions to look at your home security.

This weekend, I found myself walking through the high street of a Norfolk coastal village. One that is much quieter in winter because most of the homes are holiday lets. My wife, who is usually bored by my lock information, has obviously been taking in a lot more than she cares to admit, because she pointed to a door and told me it was not insurance rated. She was correct. This prompted me to look at all the other doors we passed and I soon discovered the majority of houses in that street would not receive insurance pay outs if they were burgled. On top of that, many would have been extremely easy for the burglar to gain access to.

So here is another visual guide to what makes you a burglar’s target, and what makes him look elsewhere.

If you have a door with one of these Horizontal sashlocks;

Sashlockthen beware! Most of these in Norfolk at least are three lever locks. If this is the only lock on your door, the burglar might just have a go because they have short bolts, no anti-drill reinforcement and are usually quite old. The five lever versions are very strong, but equally very expensive and require more holes in the door. Having a five lever deadlock fitted as primary security is the cheapest option that will satisfy the insurance people.

If I see a door with handles like the one in this image below,

Door handle
then I have no clue as to the strength of the lock fitted into the door as the mechanism is essentially hidden when shut. While your insurance is still going to demand a five lever version of this sashlock, the burglar is less likely to waste time on this unless he knows what is in your house and is specifically going after it.

 

Yale lockNow, if you have a lock like this as your only security, then get it looked at right now. This is the nightlatch (often called a “Yale” lock) and will probably take seconds to bypass. Seriously, I could walk up to one of these and be in so fast, a passerby wouldn’t even notice I didn’t use a key. There are some that have handy little additions to slow the burglar down, but mostly it is so easy, the burglar has nothing to lose when attacking this type of lock. The outside of the British Standard version of this type of lock looks like this.


Nightlatch

When I am faced with this type of nightlatch as a locksmith, I know I’m going to be earning every penny of my fee and there is probably going to be sweating and cursing going on before that door is open. The burglar is simply going somewhere else. Again, these are more expensive than their basic cousins, but they do have many features to make life harder for the intruder.

 

UPVC door

Next, we have the upvc door;










Or composite doors;

Composite door

These doors are supposed to be super secure. After all, they have all those extra hooks and bolts and rollers that engage when the handle is lifted. But the door is only as good  as the lock, and the standard locks are not very good.

                                               standard lock

Here is the standard lock,









Snapped lock cylinder

And here is what happens with cylinder snapping.

So, while these locks are still acceptable by your insurance provider, they will not deter the burglar. 





Kite marked lock
To do that, you need a cylinder like this one;
From a distance, the intruder can see the lock is not standard. If he does get close, he will see the kite mark. These locks are reinforced where the standard ones are weak, and actually designed to break closer to the front, meaning the attacker still cannot get to the bits he wants to.





Finally, if you have any version of a rim lock which will be in a similar style to this,

Rim lock









as your only door security, then you need something else as well. I find these on many farm houses and older buildings. They are very poor for stopping the burglars and easy to spot from the outside because they look like the horizontal locks but the key hole is usually lower or higher than the knob handle, so the intruder can identify them with ease.

There are many variations to all the types of lock mentioned above and this information is for guidance only. If you feel your security is not adequate, then ask your local locksmith for a security check. If he/she is any good, they will provide this service for free. Please also check elderly friends and relatives. I often visit older people who have lived with the same locks since before British Standard kite marks were even thought of. By talking to them about their security, you just might be saving them from an intruder.

Should you have any questions about the information above, please feel free to get in touch via any of the ways on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin March 1, 2017

What lock have I got? / What's wrong with my lock? / Which lock? /

Scandinavian Locks

All about Scandinavian locks

All abount Scandanavian locks

While Scandinavian multi-point locking mechanisms are not very common in Norfolk, there are enough of them to warrant a mention.

The locks look something like this :

Scandanavian locks
These locks operate with a mechanism that typically employs two hooks that come out from the door and fit into specially cut spaces within the door frame, just like many upvc doors. They are always fitted to wooden doors, which is where the problems start.

In Scandinavian countries they are geared up for cold, damp weather and treat woods accordingly. Here in the UK, we seem to use any wood going and think a coat of paint or varnish will be adequate. That works okay for standard locks where all the working parts are protected within a lock case, but locking mechanisms have exposed moving parts which get pinched and moved by doors that expand and contract in wet weather. The untreated inside of UK doors holds water like a sponge, right next to the metal of these mechanisms which quickly become prone to rust. The problem is compounded by the fact that there used to be several variants of these mechanisms available, but now all but one design have been discontinued, meaning that if your mechanism does go wrong, the replacement is likely to be different. An example being a job I have recently done where everything looked identical, but the door needed much chisel work to accept the replacement.

Scandanavian locks 2

The next problem is cost. These units are extremely expensive.  A complete set up can cost between £250 and £400 depending on who you use to fit the device with labour and VAT to be added to that figure.

Finally, these locks are not particularly secure. While many insurance companies will accept them as adequate, they do not get the British Standard 3621 rating I would recommend to feel properly protected.

If you think you might have Scandinavian locks and they have not been serviced recently, it might well be worth contacting your local locksmith to have a look at them, especially if they are hard to lock, or the handles have gone floppy. A little maintenance now, might save a lot of cost later, or at least alert you to the likely cost of replacement, rather than have it all come as a shock when you can least afford it.

Should you have any questions regarding the above information, please feel free to get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin August 20, 2016

insurance standard locks / What are Scandinavian locks /

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