Keeping your family and house safe…..

With the bad economy there has been a big increase in burglaries and home invasions.  Studies have shown that a break-in occurs every 12 seconds in our Country. With this increase in break-ins comes a question we all need to think about, is my house safe?

When people think about home security they think about alarm systems. There is a problem with this being your only security solution. An alarm system tells you that someone is already in your house and with the response time from the police department being around 20 minutes this is not the best solution. Alarm systems are a great idea to have in your house, but they should not be your only solution to keeping your house safe. With most break-ins coming through your front door or window a great step to better your home security would be stopping them before the alarm goes off.  Take a look at what you are using on your doors and see if they will keep your house safe.

Browse around our site and see some ways to better secure your house and keep your family safe.

www.locksmithtoolandsupply.com

Big move coming up? Protect your family and property, rekeying your home or apartment

With everything you have going on when buying your new home it is easy for you to forget a very important project, rekeying your new home. This should be the very first thing that you do after closing. Once you have closed it is your responsibility and anything that happens to your new home can cost you money. You never know who has the keys to your new home. The last residents, their family, friends and neighbors, you simply do not know who has a key and what they are willing to do.

Anytime you move into a house or apartment rekey the locks as soon as you take possession of the property. Years ago a friend ask if I could help them move, we loaded up the truck and took the first load over and went to get the next load and when we arrived with the second load we found that the first load was gone.  Someone with a key had come in and stolen almost everything from the first load.  It was a costly mistake by not rekeying the home. When I asked, did you have it rekeyed? They replied that they did not want to spend the money.

I have talked with people that have had people just walk right in to their home or apartment at all times of the day and night using a key that they had from the former owner or tenant. The safety of your family and your property is worth more than the little money it would cost the have a locksmith rekey your new home.

Security tips in a Neighborhood.

It is reported that there is a burglary every 10 seconds in the United States. The best defense is to make sure your home is secure by keeping your locks in good working condition. Make sure your home is secure by keeping windows and doors locked when you are home or away.

In these times you will want to increase the security of your home. Look at points of possible entry for a burglar and increase the level of security. Burglary is a crime of opportunity. If you make your home difficult to gain access a burglar will often move on to an easier target.

Sliding glass patio doors is a favorite point of entry for burglars. The locks used on these doors do not provide the level of security needed. These doors are often neglected and normal wear on the door can make these doors easy access to burglars. Adding a second lock to these doors will make it more difficult to enter. There are a number of patio locks available.  We recommend a locking bar such as a Charlie Bar or High Security Sliding Door Lock as a second lock.

Doors and windows that are not in sight to neighbors or that are not visible from the street hidden by hedges or foliage are easy targets as well and should be secured better. Trim the landscaping so that it does not provide concealment to burglars.

If you have a fence there should be a lock on the gate to keep burglars from gaining access to your fenced area. This is an area where they are not in sight to neighbors or that are not visible from the street. A gate lock that is accessed by key or combination will secure your backyard.

Motion detector lighting will light up areas of concern and is a great deterrent

Report any suspicious activity in your neighborhood. If you do not have an organized neighborhood watch in your neighborhood you should seriously consider starting one. You can contact your local law enforcement for information to how to start one. Most sheriff departments should have a community outreach division that will be happy assist you.

Kaba (Simplex) E-Plex 2000 PowerStar

In January 2011 Simplex announced th E-Plex 2000 PowerStar digital lock. This lock is a digital stand- alone lock that operates without batteries and is not hardwired.  Green technology charges the lock each time the lever is pushed down eliminating the need for batteries. Simply push down on the lever once then enter the code.

• Features:
• Users—100 Codes; over 100 million possible code combinations
• Non-handed, pre-assembled for left hand door installations—easily changed in the field
• Lock is easily programmed via keypad without removing lock from the door – No software required
• Optional Key-in-Lever cylinder in Schlage C Keyway with black Kaba cap
• Small format Best and Equivalents (6 or 7-pin length)
• Locking Device Options:
• Cylindrical: Cylindrical latch with 3-hour UL/ULC fire rating on “A” labeled doors
• Mortise: American Standard Mortise, with and without, deadbolt; auto deadbolt available
• Exit Trim: Compatible with most leading brands of exit devices
• Operation Mode Options
• PIN access
• Passage—can be toggled on/off or can be pre-programmed to re-lock after a certain number of hours
• Lockout

• Certification and Standards:
• BHMA Grade 1 Certified
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• UL 10C Fire rated
• Environmental:
• Indoor/Outdoor Approved; -31° F (-35° C) to + 151° F (66° C)
• Warranty:
• 2-year warranty from date of installation; built-in warranty counter in lock memory

The Eplex 2031 Powerstar is available at Assured Lock         

 

 

Simplex 900 Manual

900 Manual

Bump keys & how to stop them.

Bump Key Break in from jim Sitton on Vimeo.

With the recent introduction of bump keys a couple of years ago the average residential lock has become ineffective and even inviting to intruders.  With the bump key epidemic your home is more likely to be burglarized than ever before. This puts your family, home and property at risk.  Someone with a bump key can be in your home as fast as you could enter with your house key and no one would even notice.

Recently you may have seen the reports on the news and internet where homes in entire communities have be burglarized with no physical evidence of entry and the intruders are rarely noticed.

Typically bump keys are made to be used but not limited to several different of the most common keyways Kwikset KW1 and KW10, Schlage /Baldwin SC1, Weiser  WR5, Dexter DE6, Yale Y1 and Master padlock M!. Having these locks on your home is an invitation to intruders to your home.

Installing high security locks such as Mul-t-lock, Medeco, or Schlage Primus on your home is your best defense against bump keys. These locks have built in defenses against bump keys and are bump resistant.

A high security lock will provide you and your home the security and protection you will need.

Check out are complete line of bump proof locks.

LD450/470

Simplex LD 450

• Features:
  • Single access code—one easy to manage code for all users
  • Lock is easily programmed via keypad once removed from door
  • Pre-assembled for right hand door installations (easily changed in field)
  • Locking Device Options:
    • Tubular latch
• Operation Mode Options
  • Single credential—access
  • Latch holdback (easily removed in field)
• Finishes:
  

  Bright Brass

  Satin Stainless

  Antique Brass

Simplex LD 450

 
• Features:
  • Single access code—one easy to manage code for all users
  • Lock is easily programmed via keypad once removed from door
  • Pre-assembled for right hand door installations (easily changed in field)
  • Locking Device Options:
    • Tubular latch
• Operation Mode Options
  • Single credential—access
  • Passage (easily changed in field)
• Finishes:
  

  Bright Brass

  Satin Stainless

  Antique Brass