Common key & lock mistakes & How To Avoid Them

Common key & lock mistakes – And How To Avoid Them

Key & Lock mistakes

It has been a while since I have produced a blog helping you to avoid needing to call out people like me. So here is a short list of common, avoidable mistakes people make that might just help you not make those same mistakes, hopefully saving you time and money.

Safe Keys

Putting override keys inside your battery operated safe: Safes are great, but if you have a key operated safe, the safe is only as good as the place you hide the key. People are quite obvious in hiding places, so digital safes are a lot better then simple key turn safes. The only problem is that digital safes have master key overrides and the safest place for these keys is in the safe itself. But if you only use your safe rarely there is a good chance you will forget about it, It gets placed in a built in cupboard, covered in clothes and out of sight, out of mind. The batteries start to die and because it is covered in clothes, you don’t hear the warning beep and pretty soon, you have a keypad that you cannot use. Thankfully, you have override keys…. But they are inside the safe. At this point, you can call a domestic locksmith who will gain access by destroying your safe and you will have to pay him for the privilege. You then have to buy a new safe. Potentially £100s because you forgot to change the batteries and left the override keys inside the safe. You can try a safe specialist to come and pick the lock, but the cost might still be £100s because safe specialists are rare (the courses and equipment are expensive) and they don’t get many calls compared to standard locksmiths.

How to avoid disaster? Firstly, take those override keys and trust a family member/good friend to look after them for you. If their house gets broken into and a burglar finds your safe keys, they have no idea what safe they open or where it is. But if they find those keys in your house, they can get into your safe. So, get those keys away from your property. Surprisingly, now your keys are not easily accessible in your safe, you will be more likely to check your batteries! But don’t rely on that. Check how long your safe manufacturer says batteries should last and halve it. Write on the calendar when to change the batteries. Use the old batteries for something else, but keep new batteries in your safe. I love Autumn and Spring because we change our clocks and this gives us a great time to do other things like regular battery changes. Have a list of other maintenance things to do like pre-winter gutter cleaning, etc, and put safe battery changes on that list. This will ensure that if you do have to call someone to open your safe, it will be because something has gone wrong rather than having to explain an expensive memory failure.

Car keys on holiday

I wish I had a sum of money for every time someone called me to say they lost their keys on the beach and the spare car key is 400 miles away on the other side of the country… Oh wait, I do! When you drive somewhere on holiday, take your spare key. When you get to your hotel/air B&B/caravan, etc leave your key somewhere safe at your destination. If you lose your car key, it will be a lot cheaper to get a bus/cab back to your holiday base than it will to call an auto locksmith to come and make a new key on the spot for you. A lot quicker too. Even when you go out on a normal day, if you have someone with you, get them to carry the spare key. If you bring the spare out and leave it in the glove box, you are making life difficult for everyone except car thieves.

Letter boxes

Sticking with cars, most cars are stolen from driveways or outside homes using the keys which have been lifted – either because the front door is left unlocked, or the thief has fished the keys through the letter box. Tools for opening locked doors via the letterbox are getting cheaper, easier to use, and ever more sophisticated. Even if you have an angled guard, there is a tool that goes around it. You might think this is a step back to your Grandma’s house, but a letter basket with closing lid, is a great way to foil the letterbox thief. Better still, seal up the letterbox, and have an external box. If you have room, get one that is big enough for parcels, We get so much delivered these days, a lockable parcel box is a great idea. At the same time, door cams record anyone approaching your door and will have images sent to your phone before they can vandalize it. But I digress..

Copy keys

If you are renting out a holiday home or have multiple carers, etc, get a locksmith to install a new lock, with all new, branded additional keys tried and tested before the lock goes in. Almost every time I get called back to job where the lock has failed, the customer shows me  a key that has been copied elsewhere on some poor-quality blank. If you get keys copied and they foul up the lock, that is invalidating any guarantee the locksmith gives you, but if you are using additional keys supplied with the lock at time of installation, you are completely covered. But, if you must get copies made, make sure the original keys are the ones that get used most. I.E. let the guests use them. Yes, they might lose them (less likely if you request a deposit), but if they have poor quality keys and the lock fails and they are locked out waiting for a locksmith who destroys the lock getting in, the cost just multiplies. If you need multiple carers, please get a keysafe. It is better than having to collect keys later and ensures better keys are used.

5 lever locks

Know your terminology; there is a difference between a five lever mortice lock and a multipoint locking system. If you have a wooden door the mortice lock, (often called a ‘Chubb’ lock) is the one that should be 5 levers. If you look at the front plate, It will tell you that it is either 2, 3 5 levers and preferably will display a British Standard kite mark that tells you it has been tested against picking, drilling, sawing and most other forms of attack. If you have a door where you lift the handle and various hooks/bolts/mushrooms, etc. move, this is not a five lever lock. This is a multi-point locking system and your insurance is happy with that, which is bizarre because these systems are only as good as the locking barrel you put your key into and insurance companies are yet to wake up to how easy these can be to bypass. Again, digressing, but please talk to your local locksmith about kite-marked barrels. And if your architect/builder/designer tries to tell you these new multi-point doors without handles are a good idea, ignore them. When there is no handle, all the force of opening the door goes through the key. The leverage ratio is tiny compared doors with nice big handles, and at some point, you will snap your key in your lock.

Complacency

My last one for this blog; Just the other day, I fixed a basic lock on the top half of a stable door. It was not insurance compliant. When I challenged the customer regarding this and told him that his insurance company would not pay out if he were burgled, he replied with one I have heard often: ‘This is Norfolk. Although I know someone in the next village got burgled and lost a lot, it’s highly unlikely I will.’ So why pay for insurance at all? If you are paying for insurance, you owe it to yourself to make sure you are compliant. A second house this week is having three locks replaced after one has stopped working. I pointed out the three locks were all 3 lever and not insurance compliant, so the customer in this case, ordered new locks without delay. If you have an older house, don’t just assume the locks are up to spec. Most decent locksmiths do a free security check and, speaking for myself, when I do security checks I will tell you where advice is necessary and where advice is just personal recommendation.

This article about insurance required locks is quite good.

Should you have any questions regarding the above, please get in touch.

Thanks for reading

admin November 8, 2022

Lock & Key mistakes / Lock problems /

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 /

Numbers of unsolved burglaries

As I passed the papers in my local supermarket this weekend, a headline from the Sunday Times caught my eye. It read: Under 5% of all burglaries and robberies solved.

Make your property more secure
Now, that figure includes the recent rise in moped robberies that seem to be in fashion with the criminal element right now, but it does suggest that if you are burgled, the chances are slim that you will ever get your possessions back again, and while that is ok for the things insurance can replace like games consoles, laptops, etc, it is not okay when it comes to special one off gifts from a departed relative, or the files that you need off that laptop in order to start contacting all the people you are going to have to inform about the burglary.

The good news for where I live in North Norfolk is that detection rates are good in comparison to the whole of the UK, but I have personally seen a rise in burglaries and if the criminal is caught, it can be weeks later, long after your belongings have been stolen.

So what can you do? We all have heard someone say; ‘If the criminal really wants to get in, he can.’ And that is correct. What you want to do is make getting in a time consuming, noisy affair with as much light as possible. When I approach a job where a customer has locked themselves out, I can tell by looking at the door and its’ lock/s just how long I can expect to get them in. Sometimes it is seconds, sometimes it takes a good long while. But I am prepared for what I have to do through experience. The burglar is no different, If your lock has a British Standard Kite mark, he recognises that and knows that is extra time. He might well be able to get in faster than me, because I am taking my time to limit damage to door and lock, whereas he can be a bit more heavy handed. Believe it or not, the window is not a worthwhile entry point if you have to come back out over broken glass with hands full of stolen items, so the burglar always wants to leave by a door. So all those keys left in a bowl on the side or hanging from hooks nearby, are just making life easy for him, especially if they are visible from a window. If your car keys are there as well, you are giving him a getaway vehicle and the capacity to take more. Contact your local locksmith, If they are any good, they will offer a free security check. Whether you can afford to act upon their advice is down to you, but you will know your vulnerabilities and how to deal with them. If my customers want to take my advice, but cannot afford the whole job in one go, I make allowances to return at reduced rates within certain time frames. Do not think your UPVC doors are especially safe, cylinder snapping is a rising attack method and once employed, renders all the hooks and bolts in your door useless. Talk to your locksmith about anti-snap cylinders that are better than the ones you can buy in DIY stores.

Slowing the burglar down is still not going to stop them all. You have to allow for the opportunist and inexperienced intruders who will have a go at anything. Wireless alarm set ups are now available in DIY stores and all over the internet. They can be controlled by mobile phone apps and can have panic buttons and smoke detectors all linked in. A kit you can buy yourself is going to be the cheapest option, but they often come with sensors you don’t want and not enough of the sensors you do want. There is also the minefield of pet friendly devices and best possible places to maximise coverage with the simplest set up. Again, your local locksmith should be familiar with good alarm systems or able to point you in the direction of an alarm specialist who will be more expensive, but will have an even greater range of products such as central control centre monitoring. Alarm systems now come with CCTV which not only keeps you safer, but because it is mobile phone app controlled, you can also use it to check your kids are not having any parties while you are away.

Make sure your alarm box is easy to see and difficult to reach. Then put up plenty of warning signs that the house is protected by CCTV. I install alarms that let you communicate with whoever is inside the house. A burglar is going to scram quick when a disembodied voice starts warning him you are just around the corner.

Security light

Security lights are worth their weight in gold. Burglars are constantly on edge. A sensor light that shines bright at night illuminating their antics is going to make them jump like they’re watching a 90’s slasher movie. They can never be sure if it is a senor or if someone is actually in the house putting lights on.

Safes are now much more affordable than ever they used to be. And if you really want to protect that information on your laptop, or that piece of jewellery that belonged to your Nan, that might be worthless to anyone other than you, then you really should look into having a safe. If it is a small safe, do not mount it on a wall where it can be easily hammered down. Safes should always be on the floor where possible and if they are awkward for you to get to, then that means more time the burglar will have to spend trying to get into the thing. If you have a small safe with lots of room, I can get into it (destructive method) within minutes. Bolted down in an awkward position is going to make it much harder. If you have an electronic safe with override keys, do not keep those keys in your house. Trust two relatives or two good friends to look after those keys (but don’t trust them enough to tell them where the safe is). And please, change the safe batteries regularly. A safe not only helps protect from burglars, but from fire damage as well.

Having spoken to victims, a burglary is more than just having your stuff stolen. Many say they go months, if not years without being able to sleep properly. There is a feeling of personal invasion. A home sometimes ceases to be a home anymore and you can then add the expense of having to move to the cost of your belongings while the villain has just sold your heirloom for a fiver at a boot sale. Don’t be a victim. Don’t resign yourself to that ‘if he wants to get in, he will,’ mentality. If you have done everything you can to deter him, he will go elsewhere to where pickings are quicker and easier.

If you have any questions about this topic or any of my other blogs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin June 22, 2018

Minimising risk of burglary / More security / Rise in burglaries /

Security Advice for when you go on holiday

Holiday security advice
Peace of mind when you go away on holiday:

At Home:

1. Put lights on a timer

2. Use a trusted friend to do curtains/blinds for you and remove you post from the door mat.

3. Leave a car on the drive if possible.

4. Use that trusted neighbour to put your bins in and out the same as everyone else.Secure house

5. Don’t tell the world you are going away, instead tell them when you have been.

6. Invest in a safe for your more prized possessions. These days, a computer might be replaceable, but the information on it could be used for many things from password theft to identity theft.

7. All back up devices like memory sticks with important information should be left in the care of that trusted neighbour.

8. Be vigilant. Close to me, houses have been burgled while people have been on holiday, but these houses are in small closes where any watchers would be noticed. We pass on a lot of information when we book holidays. How well do you trust the travel agent/booking site?

9. Got a dog? A house sitter is probably on an even par with kennels. Even having a friend’s grotty teenager leaving an untidy house is better than an open invitation to the burglars, and that teen will love the freedom from Mum and Dad, so probably a cheap deal.

10. Another option is to take advantage of Airbnb. Your house is occupied while you are away and you make money!

While away:

1. Never carry your cards and money in the same place. If you lose one, the other is still available.

2. Enjoy your holiday. You can tell social media about it when you get back without alerting everyone to the fact your home is empty.

3. Spend that extra bit on the room safe. You have no idea who is coming in and out of your room while you are at the beach. Even if you have a private villa, someone, somewhere nearby has extra keys.

4. It might not be fun, but someone should always stay with your stuff at the beach. You might be told the beach is theft free, but locals are going to say that anyway.

5. If you have to get keys from a key safe, make sure the code is scrambled at all times. I have been outside a holiday apartment block where 5 or six key safes were left open. It would have taken minutes to copy the codes and be able to retrieve keys when people went out.

6. Check your wallet/purse often. Chances are you will be wearing clothes different to your routine wear. You get used to a feel of where things sit in your everyday clothes. It might be different in your holiday attire.

7. Make sure you have the numbers to call if you need to cancel your stolen cards quickly.

8. Be extra vigilant when drawing cash from machines. They often look different to the ones we know and therefore it is harder to tell if they have been fitted with card scanners.

9. Be aware of groups of children – they come and pat their hands all over you, making it harder to feel when they are lifting your wallet. If you see anyone or anything suspicious, keep your hand in your pocket and hold on to your possessions.

10. Never leave your drink unattended. If you need the loo, trust a friend to keep an eye on it.

11. Be extra careful to not need a tradesman. If you don’t know local prices, you won’t know if you are being ripped off. Back home, you can do something about it later. Abroad, you might get fleeced and it’s a lot harder to fight a case from home. So don’t lock your keys in the hire car, etc. As an example, when I was younger and more naïve, I broke a key to my apartment room. It was old, worn and the hotel would have had plenty more. But they still charged a small fortune for it, which ruined a great holiday.

Thanks for reading.
Please contact us via the contacts page for more information or 07846 643176

admin June 11, 2018

Holiday security / Secure home / Security when on holiday /

The Importance of a Safe


The other day, I did a job and the customer paid me with cash. Shortly after he went upstairs, I heard the comforting beeps of a safe combination being typed in. It sparked a whole conversation with the customer about just what a good idea it is to have a safe.

Safe
A safe is another layer of hassle for the burglar. Unless they know you have extremely valuable items in that safe, the effort of getting into it will not be worth the possibility there only being a load of legal documents that he/she can’t sell on easily. So having a safe is a really good idea, even if it’s for items that have sentimental value. A piece of costume jewellery handed down from your Grandmother that has a monetary value of £5.00 on a boot sale, but is priceless to you, stands just as much chance of being stolen as a brand new laptop if it is not locked away. Putting everything you want to keep in a safe while leaving out semi-valuable goods that can be replaced through insurance is not ideal, but a lot better than never seeing that heirloom again.


There is another good reason to have a safe as well. That customer I was talking to told me about a small fire he had in his house. Luckily he was in, and he managed to extinguish it before it could do much damage, but there was a big question of what could have been. Important documents such as passports should be kept locked away. We all have password protected online accounts for our banks, credit cards, bills, emails, social media, etc and all those passwords should be different, not obvious and difficult to crack. But if they are not easy to remember dates or mothers’ maiden names, then you are going to have to write them down alongside the particular site they allow you into. That sort of information needs to be locked away in a fireproof safe. If you don’t lock it away, either the burglar could come and have a field day while you are on holiday, or a fire could destroy it all and you would have a rough time getting back the personal information that is yours. In an age when we are all encouraged to switch everything from banks to credit cards to energy supplies, can you remember which ones you are with right now. Would you know where to start if all your documents went up in flames?


Safes don’t have to be expensive. They don’t have to be complicated either. A good local locksmith will help you choose the right safe for you and if it has a battery for digital combination, will check it over on an annual basis for a small service charge.


Should you have any questions regarding the above, or any of my other blogs, please get in touch using any of the methods on my contacts page.


Thanks for reading.

admin May 10, 2018

burglar deterrents / fire proof / safes /