FAQ'S
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Some of the frequently asked questions are featured below.
Choosing the right main door lock for your home
Worried for the security of your home but confused as to which lock will provide maximum security for your main door?
There are 3 aspects that come into play while choosing the right lock to suit your home.
1. Function – For a main door or any door that opens to the exterior of the house, the primary concern is security. While it should be remembered that no lock is 100 percent guaranteed to deter or keep out all intruders. However, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of intruders by making it as hard as possible for intruders to break it. Usually, intruders look for easy targets and do not want to waste time on a relatively secure house.
A deadbolt with a 1″ bolt and 3″ reinforcing screws is the best lock choice for home security. Deadbolts should be installed on all entry doors-from front, rear and side entrances.
A mortise or interconnected lock with a dwelling entry function is another option for exterior doors. This lockset features an integral deadbolt that is keyed from the outside and inside the home, both the deadbolt and the latchbolt are retracted by turning the knob. This allows for faster exit during an emergency.
Also for all those people who are clumsy with their keys and/or require to grant access to people when you are unavailable, or what locks that are high tech, there are fantastic options keyless security like biometric locks with fingerprint scanning, digital door locks and RF card operated door locks. Some of these locks, lock automatically when you leave the house. This is ideal for all those people who worry about forgetting to lock your door.
2. Style – For all those looking to add pizzazz to your front door choose handlesets for entry doors rather than levers. Handlesets use a deadbolt to provide a high level of security, and are available in a wide variety of styles to complement the home’s decor. From the very contemporary stainless steel and high chrome finishes to the antique, country, arts and crafts type of style.
3. Finish – Take careful consideration of the look and style of your door and complement it with the right finish of door locks. There is a wide variety of finishes available today that will complement the look of your home.
4. Type of Door – A factor that is often neglected but has to be considered before buying a door lock is the thickness of your door. Most good quality locks cannot be fit on doors which are less than 30mm thick. Solid doors provide much more security than hollow doors.
Note: Rim locks are very often used for main doors in India, but do not provide as much security as deadbolts and mortise locks.
That covers the basics of choosing the right lock for your main door.
Keeping your home safe while you soak up the sun is essential so that you can truly leave your worries about your home, at home!
Here is a guide to how to keep your home safe while you are out.
Tip 1- Cancel the newspaper delivery
Outdated newspapers outside your door or in your mailbox tell burglars that there is no one at home. To add to your home’s security, stop your newspaper delivery while you are away.
Tip 2 - Store your valuables in the safe
Add to your home security by hiding valuables from anyone who may be peeking through your windows. This acts as a secondary line of defense once burglars break in.
Tip 3 - Inform a trusted neighbor
You should inform a trusted neighbor to keep an eye on your house during your vacation. A trusted neighbor is always the most intelligence to keep your home secure They can call the police depending on the severity of the situation
Tip 4 - Lock all doors and windows
This is obvious, but the most important home security procedure is to lock all doors and windows before you go on vacation. With the home unoccupied for so many days, anything can happen. Also, check if all your locks are functioning correctly. A faulty/broken or ill fitted locks makes a burglar’s job that much easier.
Tip 5 - Keep the Landscape Trimmed
If you’re a diligent homeowner who mows his lawn every week, and things start to look overgrown and neglected, it’s easy to come to the conclusion that you’re not around. If you plan on being away for an extended period of time, hire someone to take care of the landscaping chores in your absence.
Tip 6 – Curtains Closed or Open?
Before you leave for vacation, you may decide to close your curtains to prevent people from peering inside your home to see whether you’re there. However, closed curtains also stop those who aim to help the police, your neighbors or friends from seeing inside your house. So what’s your best bet? Leave your curtains exactly as you usually keep them when you’re home, since noticeable changes could hint that you’re not around anymore — especially if your curtains are uncharacteristically left closed for two weeks. Move expensive items, like jewelry or cash, out of plain sight if they’re visible from the window.
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Keeping your home safe while you are on vacation
A properly locked door is your first line of defense against unwanted intruders in your home. When arranging for reliable home security, it is best to be proactive in replacing locks. Replacing a lock is a small cost which can cost a lot more if it is not done before the lock malfunctions. To avoid expensive late-night calls to professionals, keep an eye open for signs that your locks need to be replaced
Wear and Tear
Worn or rusted locks are a serious weakness in home security. Old, worn out locks are easier to pick and break, and they are more difficult to open legitimately with a key as time goes on. If your lock has severe tarnish, rust, or other visible signs of wear, it may be time to look for a replacement lock. If your lock is becoming increasingly difficult to open with the key, especially on cold nights, you need to replace or service the lock immediately to avoid an inconvenient malfunction that may leave you locked out.
Lost or Stolen Keys
For better security in your home, you must replace or re-key your locks if your keys are lost or stolen. Figure out which keys you have lost, and replace the locks in order of security priority. Outdoor locks which would give an intruder access to your home should be replaced immediately. After your outdoor area is secured, you can replace inner locks in order of your personal security priorities.
If you frequently lose your keys, you might benefit from a combination door lock such as a digital door lock. Combination door locks can be opened by inputting a code into the lock. Most combination locks also have a keyed lock for backup in case the combination input malfunctions, or to gain entry if the code is lost. You should change the combination whenever you feel that its access may have been compromised, just like you would replace keyed locks if you had lost your keys.
New Roommate
If you rent out space in your home, protect yourself by replacing locks or re-key every time you change tenants. You will gain peace of mind knowing that your locks are secure and protected, and you won’t have to suspect your past tenants in the event of a break-in. Even if the last tenant turned in their key, you can’t be sure they didn’t make a backup copy. They may not even remember having given a copy of their key to a neighbor or friend in the past.