The holiday season is full of distractions – whether errand based, or fun based – and within the multitude of activities that often consume our schedule during this time, we want to make sure that we can be as relaxed and cozy as possible. However, with all the insanity in our crowded routines, the chance of experiencing a lock based mishap like key-loss or lockout increases greatly. Lock issues are simply the final thing people want to deal with this time of year, which is why we, the residential and commercial lock experts here at Top Locksmith, compiled this list of steps you can take in order to avoid having to call your local locksmith this Holiday Season.
Key Routines
Lockouts are a common occurrence amidst the distractions of the Holiday Season, occuring during shopping trips or even after a holiday party. While receiving instant lockout assistance is as easy as making a quick call to Top Locksmith, we know you’d rather avoid having to do so altogether. So create a key routine! Attach a lanyard or even an electronic tracker keychain to all of your keys. Make sure you have a single dedicated spot to place your keys when you come home, and that you place them there as soon as you arrive. By making sure to follow your own routine consistently – this means also having a dedicated pocket in all of your jackets or clothing to keep your keys – you can avoid the potential for lockouts.
Repair Locks that are Acting Up
Cold weather can cause, or exacerbate existing lock issues. We often get calls this time of year to provide key replacement or key rekeying due to issues with keys or exterior locks. If you have a lock that has been acting out or getting stuck, this is the perfect time to repair it. The continuing descent of temperatures will increase the chances that you will experience lock or key issues like broken keys or frozen locks. The best approach, rather than trying to thaw or extract your keys yourself when this issue occurs, is to contact a trusted locksmith service ahead of time to avoid having to deal with this issue all-together.
Re-Keying
Re-keying your lock is a fantastic idea to start this new year, especially if you’ve often left keys with neighbors and friends over the years. It’s possible that these trusted individuals are not taking care of their security and that somehow your keys have fallen into the hands of criminals who may have made copies of them. This is a great opportunity to re-key your locks, a simple operation that only changes the lock’s tumbler, giving you a whole new set of keys and rendering existing ones unuseable. This provides you with key control and the peace of mind in knowing that your property is truly protected during this time of year where we all see an increase in home burglaries.