Security measures are always a sound investment, but there are plenty of ways to make that investment, without breaking the bank. With a little foresight and thriftiness, you can use the following 8 tips to help you keep your locks in good working order:
- Have a spare key handy
By keeping spares of all of your keys in a secure location, you can ensure that even if you lose your keys, a locksmith can simply replace them with a copy using the spare set. Without a spare key, a locksmith would have to rekey the lock or reconfigure it to make a new key, and this can be a little pricey.
2. Buy your own car key fob
It’s a good idea to ask your locksmith to replace your car key fob should you lose it or it becomes damaged, as this can save you a lot of money when compared to asking a dealership to do it for you.
3. Consider having locks rekeyed instead of replaced
If you’re moving into a new home, for example, you can save money by rekeying the locks instead of buying new ones, and your local, licensed locksmith will be more than happy to do this for you.
4. Find a trustworthy local locksmith
Instead of hunting high and low to find a good locksmith in the event of an emergency such as a lockout, why not find a locksmith with a good reputation now, and save their number for future use.
5. Call a locksmith during normal business hours
While many locksmiths are available in an emergency, and can often reach you within minutes whatever the time of day or night, naturally this service costs more. So, if possible, save the request until normal business hours.
6. Don’t be afraid to negotiate
A high quality locksmith may well be open to negotiation if you have a lot of work needing to be done, and it never hurts to at least inquire about the possibility of a discount.
7. Maintain your locks
Lubricating your locks and cleaning them as and when required can prevent them from becoming damaged, and in turn, save you money on lock repairs or replacements.
8. Do NOT fix locks yourself
With special training, a lot of experience, and all the right tools and techniques, a licensed locksmith can make short work of all lock and key problems, whereas attempting to do it yourself, may end up costing you even more should you cause more damage in the process.
Locks are a vital element of home security, and by following the above tips, you can keep yours in good working order and not have to fork out a fortune in locksmith fees.
