is your Washington DC home secure against intruders ?

TIMES HAVE CHANGED

There was a time when we did not feel the need to lock the doors of our homes. As times have changed, so has the need to use locks for protection and to seek better locking technology for our homes and businesses. Deadbolts emerged on the market during the 1960s and gained popularity through the 1970s as a way to add additional security to a door. Today even newer technologies are available to further enhance security to a door. According to the national Crime prevention Council (NCPC), burglars look for homes that are easy targets. More than ever locks are the most critical element in a protecting your family and possessions.

LOCKS HAVE CHANGED

Not all locks are created equally. As you shop the lock aisle at your local hardware store, you quickly become overwhelmed with the options. There are three things you should consider when buying a lock.

Key Control: If you give your keys to anyone else, even for a short time, will they be able to make a copy without your knowledge or permission.

HIGH SECURITY (RECOMMENDED)

Key is protected against unauthorized duplication by utility patents. This offers additional protection against such physical attacks as drilling, pulling, wrenching or kicking.

KEY CONTROL (ACCEPTABLE)

Keys are protected against unauthorized duplication by patent.

STANDARD LOCKS (LOW SECURITY)

Offer the minimum level of security available. Keys can be copied at over one million locations in the U.S. Some keys are stamped “do not duplicate,’ but offer no legal protection against unauthorized duplication.

Physical Strength: How well will the lock withstand abuse such as kicking or jimmying? In addition to strong locks, the strike needs to have reinforcement to the door frame with 2”- 3” screws.

Durability: Will the lock stand upon to years of use without failing or becoming difficult to operate.

COMMON OVERSIGHTS

Key duplication:

If you give your keys to others, they can have copies made quickly and easily at one of millions of key cutting centers. Be sure to understand how easily this can happen and protected by a patent and carry the appropriate certifications. How often do you give your keys to other people? Consider the babysitter, the gardener, neighbors, friends, family, parking attendants and how easily they might duplicate a key for convenience and forget to tell you.

Physical bypass:

When searching for s truly secure lock, always look for locks that provide protection against drilling or picking, as well as those that have a long enough bolt so that the door cannot be pried open. Additionally, some locks have bolts that are made of hardened material or have hardened inserts to protect against a possible intruder from sawing the bolt.

SECURING DIFFERENT DOOR TYPES

Front door with glass:

A common way to enter a home is to break a glass window near a door and simply reach in to unlock the door. A double cylinder deadbolt, or a special deadbolt that has a removable thumb turn, can offer protection against this type of entry. Be sure to check with your local officials to verify if either of these types of locks are allowed in your community before changing them.

Front door without glass:

A heavy duty tubular deadbolt or mortise lock provides good protection on a front door so long as it has at least a 1” bolt and can provide protection against picking, drilling, and other forms of physical attack.

Garage door:

Be sure to put a deadbolt on the door between your garage and home as many garage doors are easily opened by errant radio signals. Review the suggested requirements for the front door to determine the type of deadbolt to use.

Securing windows:

Windows should be secured with either locking hardware that utilizes a key for operation or with removable pins so that a burglar cannot easily force the window open.

Patio and Garden doors:

Many patio or garden doors offer a burglar the ideal opportunity for entry. Sliding doors should be secured with either a locking pin type lock or some type of auxiliary locking device that prevents the door from being lifted off its track. Garden doors often employ multipoint locking, which offers good physical security, but have an inexpensive cylinder that offers no protection against drilling, picking, or unauthorized key duplication. Retrofit cylinders are available for the door to allow the use of both the multipoint hardware AND a better cylinder.

Utility doors:

Any storage door or basement door should be secured with the same types of locks as the other doors on the home. A burglar can easily identify the least secure door on a home and will often use it to gain entrance. Typically these type of doors should be secured with a good quality deadbolt.

Out buildings:

There are two risks associated with unsecured utility doors. The obvious is the items contained within the out building could be taken. Less obvious is that a burglar could use the building as hiding place to further scope out an entrance to the main home.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Locks represent a significant part of your comprehensive approach to home security. NCPC recommends that homeowners should also keep their shrubs trimmed, so that burglars cannot hide behind them, and install and use appropriate lighting to illuminate entrances and walkways.

Remember that your security is only as good as the weakest link in your security strategy. All elements must be considered in concert with one-another for the most reliable system. Don’t rely entirely on an alarm for security. An alarm notifies police and neighbors AFTER the crime event. Most burglars realize that even after the alarm sounds, they have at least 10 minutes before the police arrive. Good quality locks can prevent the burglary from occurring and should be considered as a key element of a homeowner’s prevention strategy.

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At Mr.LOCKSMITH DC We provide all of your locksmith needs. We specialize in all types of locksmith services from Emergency, Automotive, Commercial, and Residential locksmith services. Mr.LOCKSMITH are experts in all service, installation, and repair of any locks/Keys, and safes.With our highly trained locksmith professionals available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we handle all types of emergency locksmith calls whether if it's for your home, office or auto.We handle all locksmith issues and problems with the fastest service possible.