The Benefit of Having Keyless Entry Systems

Perhaps you are familiar with keyless entry locks since they are one of the most popular types of systems to have installed today. They are considered high-tech systems since they do not require a traditional key for opening and unlocking doors. A keyless lock is very versatile and enables you to gain access in different, yet convenience, ways. Keyless entry systems are available for buildings and vehicles. 

You may be wondering why someone might want to have a keyless system installed. One reason is because they may already have enough traditional keys to keep up with and are tired of trying to figure out which one is the one suited for the door they are attempting to access. With a keyless entry, this problem is eliminated. They may not want to keep a spare key around for fear that it may be found by used to gain access into your home or building. Unfortunately, thieves are familiar with the areas where people often hide their spare keys and that is why hiding it is not always a good idea. Perhaps they own an Airbnb or some other type of property share home. They likely have tenants in and out. This means that they would have to have a new key made every time someone checked in and out. With a keyless entry they can simply provide the person with a code to gain access rather than a key. Finally, perhaps you have contractors coming in and out of your home or property. Once the job is done; you do not know if they have had a duplicate key made or not. With a keyless lock, you do not have to be concerned about this, as there is nothing to duplicate.  

If you are a business owner perhaps your reasons for having a keyless system installed is different from a homeowner. You may want to simply improve the condition of your business security or keep track of employees who work for you. Evans Pro Locksmith would highly recommend that you have a keyless entry installed if any of these reasons also apply to you. 

Now that we have given you the many different reasons that someone would consider having a keyless system installed, perhaps we should also mention the many benefits you can expect to receive.  

Benefits of a Keyless Lock 

The keyless lock is one of the most convenient and innovative inventions designed. They are easy to install because many of them are a standalone system that doesn’t require wiring. When you need keyless access for your commercial or residential property, we would often recommend that you have a simple keypad installed. We are able to install them over a standard doorknob, such as a deadbolt. A keypad doesn’t require any more than a code to gain access. No key is required, just a passcode. The passcode can be changed as often as possible. Even if you should happen to forget the passcode, most systems are equipped with passkeys. This is sure to offer anyone who uses one, peace-of-mind in knowing that you can always gain access to your property while preventing unauthorized entry by others. 

They Provide Safety and Security 

If you have ever lost a key before, you are not alone. Keys are small and very easy to lose. When you lose your keys this can pose a threat to your safety and security because you don’t know exactly who holds your key. You may not even know if it has been stolen or lost, which is why it is such a problem. Having a keyless entry system will help you avoid this problem from existing. It will help you control access in and out of your home, business or vehicle. With a keyless system, you never have to worry about someone making a copy of a key since no key is needed to gain access. Being able to restrict access to your property will give you the ability to protect precious valuables from getting into the wrong hands. 

Keyless systems on your vehicle help prevent auto theft. It is not likely that an auto thief is going to try to figure out the code to get into your car since it could be anything. A keyless car is designed to prevent auto theft and that is why many manufacturers are designer newer vehicles with this type of lock. Homeowners and business owners who have peace-of-mind in knowing that thieves will not be able to pry open their doors no matter what they do. There is no denying that a keyless entry system will greatly improve your home or business security. It also enhances the security of your vehicle. The site of a keyless entry is often enough to discourage a would-be thief from even attempting to break-in, which is why it is a welcome sight for those who have them. 

Installing Your Keyless Entry System 

There are some DIY keyless lock kits on the market but we wouldn’t encourage you to use them. When you want a keyless lock installed, it is in your best interest to rely on the services of a qualified professional. First of all, they are generally trustworthy and dependable. Secondly, they know what they are doing so you don’t have to wonder if your system was properly installed. A professional locksmith likely has experience working with every type of keyless entry lock. A professional locksmith is usually bonded, licensed and insured. This means that if they damage anything during the installation process, they have insurance that will cover the damages. When you allow a qualified locksmith to install your keyless lock, you are assured that the job will be done right, as they know how important to make certain that it is. Their reputation is on the line. When you call a local Evans, GA locksmith, they will be able to offer you a quote for the product and installation that you will be able to afford. 

COMMERCIAL KEYLESS LOCKS

Local Avondale, AZ businesses that use keyless locks are “on to something!” It’s this – you can do away with many of your firm’s keys and the problems that come with them by switching to or adding keyless locks. Here at Avondale Locksmith Stars we’ve known this for a while. That’s why our licensed, bonded and insured commercial locksmiths provide this much needed hardware. Keyless locks have been providing businesses with convenience, security and ease of use for many years, not only here in Avondale, but all over the world. 

What are keyless locks? 

No mystery here; keyless locks are just locks with no keys! At first, this seems unreal. How can you have locks with no keys? In actuality, the key is replaced by something else, like a keypad, combination dial, swipe card, remote, or even a thumbprint. So in essence; keys are done away with but in reality, the lock is still able to be opened and sealed. 

Why even bother? 

If you think about it, keys and locks have been used together for thousands of years. Even tombs and temples in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia used various forms of locks and keys. An old adage says something to the effect “if it works; don’t fix it!” and at first glance, you might think that this is true. Upon closer look, keyless entry was invented not because the old ways of using locks and keys was ineffective; it just offered an improvement to something already working. 

Remember your primary school custodian? Like most, he could always be heard coming down the hall due to all the jingling of his many keys. You couldn’t fault him however, he needed them! If you consider that he needed keys to classrooms, closets, offices, gym, cafeteria, restrooms, front and back doors and lounges, it’s not hard to visualize (and sympathize) with him. In many schools today, this problem has been tackled by using either a master key system or various forms of keyless entry.  

Some keyless entry benefits 

Keyless entry can help local businesses whether they are here in Avondale, AZ or anywhere else in the country. Better key access and control is never a bad thing and once you dispense with actual keys altogether, you can start fresh with keyless entry and eliminate lost keys, broken keys, key extraction needs and key duplication problems all at once. 

Say that you have multiple employees and each one has a key to your office or store. If any one of them loses a key or has it stolen, your commercial location is at risk. The same reasoning also applies to desk keys, office keys and storage room keys; key control is always good to have and often hard to maintain. Now with keyless locks, all you have to do is give the employee a number sequence or badge. When this is entered into the keypad or swiped, access is granted, if valid. No more lugging around extra keys or worry about leaving them at home or in a public place. 

Disadvantages of keyless entry 

Like anything else, keyless entry has both pros and cons. One of the biggest disadvantages to not having keys is that number sequences can be forgotten or accessed by others when written down and kept track of carelessly. Keypads and keys alike share another problem – unauthorized access at times. If you want better control over who is accessing what, you will need to back up your authorization with something else, like video surveillance to make sure that the person accessing is really the one that is supposed to. 

How safe is keyless entry? 

While nothing is fool proof, keyless entry is relatively safe. Sometimes, our Avondale locksmiths are asked about number sequence security. Incidents like these involve unauthorized people finding your written-down code, codes entered into the keypad randomly by unauthorized parties, and forgotten codes that are entered by the staff member wrongly. Not to worry – there are safeguards in place for all of these things. A person just can’t stand outside your shop and enter number after number until he randomly finds the right one. Much like keyless entry on cars, commercial keyless entry systems will block access after too many tries and lock the person out. Lighted keypads are used in business applications so that users don’t hit the wrong numbers by accident due to not being able to see. If combinations or number sequences are forgotten, new ones can easily be issued with no problem. 

Badges and swipe cards 

It’s so much easier to wear your employee badge pinned to your shirt pocket or hanging around your neck as opposed to carrying around a set of keys. These badges are often also used as identification cards that can contain a computer chip with employee data contained on it. Some badges can be swiped through the card reader and others held up to it to be recognized. Many call centers and banks use these swipe cards in addition to keypad devices and number sequences. Other forms of keyless entry include biometric systems (fingerprint locks), voice recognition, card readers and FOB keys.  

Ease of use 

Upgrading to commercial keyless locks can be cost effective, convenient, and easy to do. Simply call our shop or your favorite Avondale, AZ locksmith and have your technician look over your operation fully. There are many factors to consider; inventory, staff, customers, building layout and traffic flow. Each firm is different and has unique security needs and wants. You’ll want to work with someone that offers free price quotes and round the clock emergency service if needed. Every type of local business can benefit from switching to or adding keyless entry systems to their location. A few examples include high rise luxury condos, hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants, banks, grocery stores, laundromats, car dealers, apartment rentals, medical clinics, call centers, private schools and so many more. If you are thinking of replacing some or all of your locks, why not take advantage of the opportunity to upgrade to commercial keyless entry? 

HOW DO CHANGES IN THE WEATHER AFFECT YOUR LOCKS?

We hardly ever think about how important keys and locks are in our lives, until that one moment comes…when a key doesn’t work in the lock. Day in and day out, we lock and unlock our doors at home; our office doors; our car doors; our lockers at school, work, or the gym; and so forth. Another point we usually don’t think about is that weather changes can have an effect on our locks. As the temperature fluctuates, the functioning of your locks can be disturbed in numerous ways.

Warmer Temperatures

As the temperature goes up, you may start to notice that some of your locks tend to stick. Jammed-up locks can happen with outdoor doors because when it is hotter, the door frame will slightly expand, causing the locks to bind up at one position. You might find that you’re significantly struggling to finally get the key to turn in the lock mechanism. This often happens on closed deadbolt locks, which can become compressed in the door itself, as the door frame swells around it. If an outside door is made of wood and/or if the door frame is made of wood, you’ll become more prone to dealing with this problem, because wood swells and contracts as the temperature changes. Be patient, and take your time. It may take longer to get your key to work in the lock mechanism; nevertheless, with some wheedling, you’ll eventually be able to go inside.

Colder Temperatures

As winter approaches, you may observe that when you go to put the key in a door lock, you may experience a little difficulty getting it to move into the right place for unlocking. What’s occurring is that as the temperature falls, it can cause the door frame to contract, just slightly, resulting in a bad fit between the door and the lock ~ just enough that you will struggle somewhat with the lock to get it to engage. What should you do? Haste makes waste. Slow down. You can often resolve this issue easily by fiddling with the handle first, to re-center the lock with the door frame, and you’ll get in.

The adjustments you need to make are only temporary. Just wait for the weather to change! As time passes, however, you’ll see that each year it will become a little bit worse. Before your locks stop functioning altogether, you should call a legitimate locksmith.

What if it Gets Down to Freezing? Vehicle locks are especially vulnerable to colder weather. Your car locks will likely be affected if the temperature gets to the freezing point. An automobile lock can even freeze solid. This occurs if water gets in between the car frame and the seal, or trickles inside the lock mechanism itself. To get into your car, you’ll have to melt the ice. Here’s what to do:

• Do you have the kind of transponder key that permits you to start up your car remotely? Then fire up the engine. As your car warms up, in all probability, after about 10 minutes the heat generated will thaw your car door from the inside.
• If you don’t have this type of transponder key, then if it’s just the car door that’s frozen, give it a good hard push. If you exert enough pressure, this may be all you’ll need to break the ice, and soon you’ll be able to stick the key in the lock.
• If it’s the car lock itself that’s frozen, to get out of this tight spot you’ll need to apply a solvent. De-icer products are available at any auto shop or hardware store. Spraying the lubricant will dissolve the ice quickly, and you’ll soon be on your way. Rubbing alcohol, or windshield wiper fluid (which is mostly alcohol), may also be effective. Caution: Don’t use WD-40, or any silicone or grease lubricant, because it will gum up the lock.
• If there’s more ice than that, get out your scraper. If you were not expecting cold weather and cannot find one, you can use anything made of stiff plastic, such as a credit card or a rubber spatula. Caution: Do not use a metal object, because it is likely to leave scratches!
• You can pour water on the ice, which might do the trick. Caution: Do not use hot water, because the extreme contrast in the temperature could break the car window. Lukewarm water, or even water from your hose, will be fine, since it is still warmer than the ice is.

• As a last resort, you could try heating up your car key. Do this only if your key is all metal! Hold the key with tongs, and use a match or a lighter. The increased temperature may allow you to insert your key in the car door lock and melt the ice just enough for you to turn it. Caution: Never do this to a transponder key, or you’ll destroy it!

Take Preventive Measures

Issues with door locks that occur because of weather changes are certainly a nuisance, but there are steps you can take to stop these things from happening in the first place. When you install new locks, hire an experienced and dependable professional who will make sure that each lock is fitted to the door frame correctly, which will reduce the chances of facing troubling problems when the temperature rises and falls. Also, keep your locks properly lubricated periodically. Moreover, there are also a good number of excellent-quality doors that are more resilient to stand up to weather changes.

If you are located any place in Avondale, Arizona, and you realize it’s time to hire an expert locksmith you can count on, consider hiring a mobile locksmith professional on staff at Avondale Locksmith Stars, where you can make an appointment for a free consultation; 24/7, they’ll be glad to answer all your questions and find the best solutions for all your lock and key needs.

Avondale Locksmith Stars: What To Do With Old Keys

Over the course of your lifetime, it is very likely that you will go through a good number of keys. You’ll have different house keys, business keys, storage keys, gym keys and so one and so forth. So what you are supposed to do when you end up with a handful of old keys that you no longer need? If someone who is dangerous gets their hands on them, are they able to do anything with them? Are you concerned about recycling and don’t want yet another item to end up in the trash? Avondale Locksmith Stars works in the Avondale, Arizona area and they have put together some ideas as to what one could do with old keys, instead of throwing them away. Have a look because who knows, maybe at some point you will find yourself with a bunch of extra keys sitting around that you don’t know what to do with. 

1. Get crafty. Sometimes, the urge seems to hit us all. Whether it’s wanting to decorate ornaments for the holidays, create a photo album, or even build something, sometimes we just get the urge to do something crafty. You could easily look up projects that involve keys on an app such as Pinterest, or you could even check out a site such as Etsy to get ideas. Keys could be glued onto boxes to make a unique looking jewelry box. Keys could be glued to the top of photo frames to make a different design. And of course, keys are also popular now in terms of jewelry. You could put a key on a chain and have a necklace which perhaps means something to you. Maybe you have the key from your first house with your partner. Or maybe you held onto the key to the house you grew up in. Instead of throwing it in the trash, do something unique such as making a piece of jewelry, or using it in a project.  
2. Start a key collection. Over the years, if you have been acquiring keys, you could store them away in a shoe box and then one day remember the meaning of each one of them. Perhaps you moved around a lot, and saved the keys to your different houses. Or perhaps you are just a sentimental person and each key from different parts of your life means something to you. A collection of keys, perhaps in a glass box, would be a unique way to remember special moments in your life.  
3. Recycle you keys. You can take advantage of the mixed metals bin to do this. Keys can actually be melted down and then the material can be re-used. The best thing that you can do if you plan on recycling them and throwing them in a mixed metal bin is to get off stickers and take off rubber edging. This will help the recycling center out and they will be able to melt the keys down. If you have any questions, you can certainly call your local recycling location and they should be able to help you out.  
4. Transform your old keys into hooks. You can do this by bending the keys with pliers and a wrench. To make them more pliable you can heat them up over a gas burner. After you do this, you can attach the keys to a piece of wood. You have hangers! 
5. Transform your keys into magnets. You can glue a magnet to the back of your key and then have a keepsake that you can continue to bring with you from one house to the next. This is a clever idea and a good way to keep your keys. 
6. Similar to recycling your old keys, you can donate them to charity. Keys for Kindness is one such organization that accepts key donations. This is an organization that helps to raise money using the metal from recycled keys. 
7. You can use old keys as weights. Okay, so a key doesn’t actually have that much weight, so it can’t be used to hold down anything substantial, but you could put keys on curtains, for instance, to prevent them from blowing when it is a breezy day. You could also use them as paperweights.  
8. Similar to paperweights and curtain weights, you could use old keys to hold balloons down. Hosting a birthday party? If you run out of string to tie balloons to banisters or seats, be sure to grab an old key to hold the balloon down. This is a clever idea and will also look unique. You could try this at a birthday party or even at a wedding in which there are balloons! 

These are just some things you can do with keys that no longer are needed to open locks. When it comes to old objects that are no longer necessary, but you don’t want to completely get rid of them, you can repurpose them in a creative way. Avondale Locksmith Stars has a team of experts who love working with locks and keys. They help customers with all sorts of security solutions, from the installation of new locks and the rekeying of old locks to the installation of safes and the installation of deadbolts. But sometimes, they enjoy getting creative and coming up with new ways to repurpose old items. So if you have keys that are no longer usable to you, consider getting creative with them. You can use some of these ideas so that you can hold onto old house keys, which might hold a lot of memories for you.  

Hopefully you found this information to be a bit inspirational. If you have old keys, think of new ways to use them. Whether you want to keep them for jewelry or even to hold down your curtains, there are plenty of reasons as to why you should hold on to old keys.  

Source: http://www.avondalelocksmith.net/news/what-to-do-with-old-keys.html

Tips to Hire a Good Locksmith

Now what do you do? You need to hire a locksmith and you want real value for your hard earned money. What shop do you call? Whom do you hire? Are all locksmiths pretty much the same? It can be a real dilemma, especially if you’ve had a not so good experience with a locksmith previously or if you’ve never hired one before. Relax! Evans Pro Locksmith can take all the stress out of this somewhat challenging job. We’ll show you what to look for in a good locksmith and why sticking to our pointers will bolster the chances of you getting a remarkable lock technician every time you need one. Of course, you don’t have to live here in Evans, GA to take our advice; use our tips to get a great locksmith in your neighborhood too!

The old ways

“Back in the day” is often used for outdated, old fashioned methods. This goes for locksmith hiring, as well. There was a time when you simply reached for those several pound yellow page books and looked for whose ad resonated with you. Did you see a smiling face on a seemingly helpful technician? Was there a first time user coupon that attracted your attention? Maybe a larger, colored ad attracted you and surely that shop was better than the single line listing with no photos or exclamation marks in the ad! Advertising is powerful and it used to work and still does. But pretty ads can be deceiving; is the best looking ad indicative of a skilled and experienced locksmith? Not by a longshot!

What we use now

Yellow page phone books have gone the way of the phone booth (and the dodo bird); extinct, or almost! Nowadays, we use smart phones to find our service vendors. You can still use your mobile device to browse through dozens of pages of locksmith ads to find one that you like but most are simply listings. It’s almost a flashback from the past; do you go with the best sounding name or closest proximity to your location? Naturally, it’s up to you whom you call and ultimately hire but here are a few things to consider before you do that.

Integrity

Before you simply call a locksmith shop out of the blue and hire them, be prepared to ask a few questions. You can do this without wasting their time or yours; just be polite and get to the point. One thing you need to check is integrity. You’ll want to work with locksmiths that are licensed, bonded and insured. An unlicensed technician might tell you that you are paying extra for these credentials and you just might. A good locksmith shop will offer affordable prices AND certified status. Would you even think of going to a doctor that didn’t get his medical degree or license? Of course not! Would you buy a home from a builder with no business license or contractor’s certifications? No way! Do the same for your possible locksmith. A technician that took the time and trouble to become certified and is covered by insurance and a bond is someone serious enough to do a good job for you. Don’t be afraid to ask if the locksmith shop in question has all licenses and insurance policies in place. Reputable shops will be glad to prove to you their certifications and if they shy away from the subject or any of your other questions, avoid them like plague and call on the next one!

Pricing

The adage “you get what you pay for” is not wrong. There’s a difference between making a wise buying choice and simply going cheap. Always choose the lowest cost will get you poor results, if any. On the other hand you don’t need to overpay so look for affordable rates with good results. You can find these by asking questions and getting free price quotes from different locksmiths.

Reviews

While it’s true that you can’t believe everything you hear, you should also heed the warnings and accolades of others. Read online reviews when possible. Bear in mind that good reviews are worth Gold as people rarely bother to write good comments unless the job was to do the highest of expectations. Bad reviews are also telling as poorly treated customers love to get things off their chests and leaving a bad review is one way to do just that.

Take a poll

Just kidding but do ask around! Talk to you friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors about their locksmith experiences. If a technician’s name or shop keeps coming up (good or bad) take note and follow up; or not!

Quality hardware

This often overlooked point is very important. What good is a skilled locksmith if the parts and hardware he uses are cheaply made and not of the best quality? The best locksmiths use the best locks and make sure that yours works with trusted brands like Master, Schlage, Medeco, Baldwin, Kwikset, Primus, Mul-T-Lock, InstaKey, Yale, Fichet, Marlock, BiLock, Abloy and others of similar repute.

24-hour emergency service

You’ll want your locksmith shop of note to have technicians available 24/7. Locksmith problems don’t keep regular working hours and lockouts, lost keys, break-in damage and lock failure can happen at any time; even during holidays. It’s best to work with a locksmith that offers responsive, 24-hour locksmith service for help during any emergency situation that may arise at home, at your car or at your business.

Let’s review

You’ll want a fully licensed locksmith shop to work with. They should be using good reputable lock brands on your tasks and projects and not cheap imitations. Fast response times and 24-hour emergency service are another must have. Look for a locksmith that is enthusiastic, easy to work with and doesn’t shy away from answering questions. Your locksmith should come prepared and work from a fully stocked service vehicle so that multiple trips back to the shop are not necessary.

Source: http://www.evanslocksmith.net/news/tips-to-hire-a-good-locksmith.html