Tips to Hire a Good Locksmith

When you are ready and eager to hire a locksmith, there are certain factors to consider. You want to make sure that you hire the best person or group for the job so you can trust you are getting the best outcome. But how are you supposed to do this? Do you just check your Yelp app on your phone and go from there? While we do encourage checking reviews, there are other steps to take, too. Here, we will outline some of the ways to find the best locksmith around!

1. Look for top customer service. When you hire a locksmith, you want to see that their customers come first. You can get an idea by getting on the phone with the locksmith you found and seeing how the treat you. Do they provide free consultations? Are they patient and friendly? Are they willing to provide free price quotes? Other things to check into include mobile solutions and 24/7 emergency help. You should not feel pressured by the locksmith or as though you are annoying them by asking basic questions. They should be willing to answer your questions and provide the guidance you need.
2. Find a specialized locksmith. You want a locksmith that is able to do it all. Finding someone who provides a variety of specialized services (like emergency, commercial, automotive, and residential) is important. This can be extremely helpful because maybe in a certain situation you only have to make one call and hire one business. Let’s say your locks were damaged during a break-in. A specialized expert will provide break-in repairs or be able to offer replacement solutions or new lock installation. Basically, they are skilled at doing many things. If your key is stuck in your ignition cylinder, they should be able to remove it but they should also be able to replace the ignition cylinder lock if needed. And if you ever have an emergency come up, you will know who to call if you liked the person who provided you with keyless entry installation!
3. Find someone licensed. You can’t hire just anyone to enhance your property’s security. You need someone with the right certifications and licenses. You want to know that you are choosing someone who operates at industry standards. You want to know you are hiring someone you can trust. After all, you are trusting them to protect what matters most to you. Speaking of qualifications…
4. Find someone with insurance. This is for your own protection! What if the person you hire damages part of your property by accident? You shouldn’t be left responsible. They need to be. And if they have insurance, then you are covered and they are covered. Proof of insurance is a must. If you are talking to someone who is providing you with excuses as to why they aren’t insured, look the other way.
5. Stay local. There are numerous reasons to stay local. First and foremost, if you ever face an emergency like a lockout that warrants someone coming to your aid right away, you are going to want to know they are in your service area. You don’t want to wait while they drive from an hour away, do you? You want to make sure that they are able to provide services in your zip code. Perhaps you are trying to hire a locksmith who is not certified to work in your city. It is important to do a search for “local locksmith near me” or “locksmith in (enter your city here). This can help you to find someone in your vicinity. In addition to being able to get fast access to services, and possibly same day services, you will likely enjoy better rates if you stay local, too.

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Lost Transponder Key

Most vehicles manufactured today require the use of a transponder key. It simply offers another layer of convenience. The transponder key has a chip inside of it that lets you lock or unlock your car door, start the ignition and other functions related to your vehicle. The chip that is inserted has to be programmed in order for the features to work effectively. It is programmed to operate only for your vehicle and can only be identified when your transponder key is programmed. When it is unlocked then it will be possible for you to use the features. If the chip is not detected then you will not be able to use your key. Having a transponder key is a way to help prevent auto theft. Since the invention of the transponder key, auto theft has dropped significantly. If you have a transponder key, it serves as another layer of protection. There is no threat of someone being able to hotwire your vehicle and simply take off. The auto theft will have to do a lot more to steal a vehicle that requires a transponder key.

When someone becomes accustomed to using a transponder key, it is very difficult for them to live without it. However, if you lose your key and don’t have another one then you may panic. There are some practical steps to take if you should happen to lose your transponder key. At lake Forest Secure Locksmith in Lake Forest, IL, we help people with their transponder keys practically every day. Needless to say, our locksmiths know a thing or two about transponder keys. If your keys happen to fall into the hands of the wrong person, they will be able to take your vehicle. All that an auto thief needs is to get the actual keys in their hand. They don’t need a code or anything, just the keys. Perhaps your keys were not lost. Perhaps someone actually stole them for the purpose of actually stealing your vehicle. You’ll have to act quickly to secure another key, if you don’t already have one, and have it programmed. The good news is that once you have a new key in your hand and it is then programmed, the other key will not work. That is the comforting for some people. However, again, you cannot just take your time about having a new transponder key programmed. Even with a spare key, the key is still programmed to the same system, you will also have to have the spare key reprogrammed so that the other key can no longer be used. This is the absolute first step that you should make when you are unable to locate your vehicle keys.

Call a Locksmith

The best way and the fastest way to secure a new transponder key is to contact a local locksmith. You save time and money because like Lake Forest Secure Locksmith, most locksmiths services will come to wherever you are. They will have the necessary tools needed to program a new transponder key for you on the spot. You save money because you are do not have to call a tow truck service to have your vehicle towed anywhere. You save time because you don’t have to wait for a tow truck and then wait for your mechanic or dealership to get to you in order to program your new key. The buck stops and ends with the locksmith.

When you rely on a locksmith for your new transponder key, you are able to afford the expensive cost associated with getting one from an auto dealership. The one thing to keep in mind is that an auto dealership has to pay overhead expenses. They certainly are not coming out of their own pockets to pay for it so guess who’ll have to pay for their overhead expenses? You’ve guessed it, you! Rather than paying more than you actually need to, just contact a locksmith. There is no overhead expenses that have to be paid so you’re sure to receive a much better rate for your transponder key. We realize that when you can’t find your key, it usually comes as a total surprise and can be rather frustrating. It’s in your best interest to consider exactly how you will proceed when you have lost your transponder key.

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Lock Types and Their Uses

Locks and keys are a part of our everyday lives. They play a central role in securing our homes and personal assets. Different lock types have different uses. Depending on your needs, you may require higher security locks or simply a different type. The following article will briefly describe the most common types of locks homeowners use and how they might help you increase your own personal security.

Deadbolts

Most people are familiar with deadbolt locks. They are a requirement for residential properties, such as apartment complexes, and most homeowners prefer them. Single-cylinder deadbolt locks are the most commonly used type of deadbolts. On one side of the lock, there is a key slot. This side goes on the exterior side of the door and allows homeowners to use a key to lock and unlock their front door upon coming or going home. On the interior side of the deadbolt lock is a latch that one can turn and use to lock the door once inside of their home. Single-cylinder deadbolts are great and provide enough security necessary for a typical apartment dweller or homeowner. Single cylinder deadbolts can easily be paired with a chain or latch lock to provide an extra layer of home protection.

Knob Locks

Knob locks appear as traditional doorknobs, except there is the option to lock the doorknob in place. On the interior side of a knob lock, there is a small latch that sits right in the center of the doorknob. When this latch is turned, the doorknob will lock in place and the door will then essentially be locked. 

These locks are best used for privacy rather than security purposes. Their intent is not to stop intruders since their primary use is for interior rooms such as bathrooms and bedrooms. Knob locks merely alert other family members or roommates in your home that a given room is in use and to not come inside. Knob locks should only be placed on exterior doors if they are paired with a deadbolt lock. By themselves, knob locks are not effective for entrances and exits. They can easily be broken into and are only safe to have on interior doors unless an exterior door has a deadbolt lock also.

Chain and Latch Locks 

Chain locks and latch locks are most commonly placed on front doors. These types of locks are considered additions to any entrance or exit. It is not recommended that they replace deadbolts or other high-security locks. Both chain and latch locks are highly affordable and can provide an extra layer of security to your home without breaking your budget. Chain locks are ideal if your front door does not have a peephole, since they allow you to open your door and see who is on the other side without having to unlock the door completely.

Cam Locks 

For other areas of your home, such as your office, you may need locks desks, cabinets, or other furniture. In this case, you would want to install a type of lock known as a cam lock. Cam locks are not meant for high-security purposes, but they can successfully help keep important items and documents away from other family members or children. 

Smart Locks

The best locks you can purchase if want to ensure the best possible security for your home are electronic or smart lock models. These locks are superior to any other kind of lock you can purchase. Tampering with smart locks is nearly impossible. Many models come with alarm systems that will sound and alert homeowners if the wrong keypad combination has been entered in wrong too many times. Most criminals will not even bother to tamper with these kinds of locks in the first place, making them a great deterrent in general.

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A Smart Lock for Every Home: igloohome Has the Key

By Gregory Rice



Many a smart lock have made their way around the Newegg offices, and just like snowflakes they are each slightly different. Some are minimalistic, discrete, and retrofit the standard lock, while others are massive hunks of metal that take door modifications to install and are laden with bells and whistles. Want to unlock your door via voice command? You can do it. Use fingerprints to open doors? Go for it. Deactivate locks when you walk up with your smart phone? There’s a lock for that.

The one consistent theme across the board with smart locks is giving owners complete transparency into when their doors are opened, and who is doing it. Regardless of the particular method, the ultimate goal is to have the same level of control over your home, whether you need to let someone in or be sure people are kept out.

igloohome thinks they have a unique solution to the smart lock market that takes a different approach to access control. But does unique necessarily mean better?

The igloohome smart locks

A startup from Singapore, igloohome offers two current access control options in the form of a smart Deadbolt and a smart Keybox, while a smart doorknob unit is in the works. While their products could be used by anyone in the home, their products have a variety of features that are skewed towards the rental & real estate market. The idea is to give easy access when the situation calls for it, and have control over who is coming and going.

Smart lock use

Interestingly enough, both the smart Deadbolt and the lock box have the same general features, just in different physical forms. Both can be accessed for regular use in one of two ways: pin code or Bluetooth key via the app.

Up to 285 pin codes can be generated, which can be set for one-time use, a specific date range, or permanent activity. What’s neat is that the pin codes and Bluetooth keys are sent from the app to the recipient’s phone automatically, so the receiving phone doesn’t need to have the igloohome app nor does either phone have to be in Bluetooth range.

Probably the coolest feature (while not applicable for everyone) is the synchronization with Airbnb. Owners who link their account can have the igloohome auto-generate a pin code for the duration that a visitor is staying, and send it to them. This takes out any of the hassle of being on-hand to meet a guest, or last-minute communication errors. Again this isn’t a feature that everyone will use, and it does have additional fees, but a slick feature nonetheless.

Smart lock security

Of course regardless of any cutesy features, the most important factor is whether or not it works to keep the access point secure. From what I can tell so far from using it, it does a pretty good job. While I haven’t tried hacking it or breaking in, the security seems sound.

The auto-relock can be customized to anywhere from five seconds to two minutes after a successful unlock, and you can add decoy digits before the actual pin. The idea here is you can control how tight your own security is.

The deadbolt has a privacy mode that shuts down all electronic access, and a tamper-proof alarm that goes off if someone tries to remove it from the door. Additionally, after five unsuccessful attempts to enter with the pin the unit is on lockdown for five minutes. As with other smart locks, you can view access logs, manage users, create pins, and monitor scheduled pins via the app.

Deadbolt design

The $199 igloohome Deadbolt is sleek, with a glossy black touchpad face, matte metal sides, and a matte metal back. Touchpad buttons are backlit with the standard “smart home blue” LED, and a small speaker emits the button noise and alarm when triggered.

The touchpad face is much smaller than many keypad locks, coming in at 2.4” x 5.6” x 1.2”. It is lighter, lower profile, and less bulky than the indoor portion of the unit by a longshot, and looks quite handsome on the door. Unfortunately, the lock only comes in the matte black, which won’t match with some of the handle finishes out there, but we can hope in the near future they release more colors to compliment the standard doorknob finishes.

Element-proofing is limited to IP45 for the deadbolt and IP54 for the key lock box, so caution should be taken to ensure shelter is available to shield from heavy water exposure.

Smart Keybox

While similar in style to the deadbolt, the lock box is definitely the bigger brother of the two, and the construction has it built like a tank. At 3.3 pounds and 4.5” x 6.5” 1.3”, the zinc alloy body can withstand the compression of 1,000kg and while I didn’t test this I feel like it is plausible. With a price tag of $169, the price is definitely no lightweight either.

The latch has a rubber coating to protect whatever surface it is clamped to, and for storage the compartment can fit six physical keys or seven keycards (or a combination of both).

Emergency backup

Both units are capable of stretching their power over nine months, and when the power levels get below 20% the units give warning notifications on the app and on the unit itself. Should you decide to neglect the locks further and they die completely, the steel studs on the bottom of the units can be used as contact points for a jump with a 9V battery.

igloohome’s smart Deadbolt also has a physical backup keyhole on the front of the unit, hidden beneath a plastic cap. This is pretty low key, and I actually didn’t realize this was even an access point at first.

Is an igloohome a smarter home?

The folks at igloohome have done something pretty unique with their smart Deadbolt and smart Keybox, and from a design perspective they look good. The Deadbolt is reasonably space efficient on the door, but unfortunately doesn’t come in color-matched options to the typical hardware finishes. The interface is easy enough to navigate through and operate, and the ability to send digital pin codes or Bluetooth keys seamlessly is a big plus.

Even without the Airbnb application, the Deadbolt is a good fit for most people out there looking to simply have greater security. The keybox would be less practical to the average consumer; however a great fit for real estate agents or anyone else who regularly needs to deliver keyed access remotely.

The joint igloohome app functionality makes igloohome a very useful solution for a targeted group of customers, for which the various functions would all find solid use. For the wider customer base, their latest model looks to be a star on the horizon for a new smart home.

Image Source: www.newegg.com

Article Source: A Smart Lock for Every Home: igloohome Has the Key

Related Article: Smart Locks to manage Access and Biometric systems

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Intercom Systems Installation

"If you want the best Lake Forest locksmith service in town, call Lake Forest Secure Locksmith. Once you do our licensed, bonded and insured technicians spring into action to bring you affordably priced, professionally done, lock and key services for residential, commercial and automotive use. Our Lake Forest locksmiths are some of the best anywhere. We come to highly trained, very experienced and fully mobile.

With 24-hour emergency service, fast response times, and trustworthy technicians, Lake Forest Secure Locksmith is the only lock shop that you will ever need. Our talented and skilled technicians can do everything from adding a deadbolt, to installing fingerprint locks at your retail store. When you need a qualified locksmith in Lake Forest, Illionois that can service all brands of lock hardware, call us. We also proudly represent trusted brands like Master, Kwikset, Abloy, Sentex, Yale, Falcon, Marlock, Sentry, Schlage, Primus and many more. 

When it comes to services offered; we do them all. Our Lake Forest locksmiths can provide you with safe repair, keyless entry service, lockout assistance, lock rekeys, panic bars, lock boxes, ignition cylinder replacement and dozens of other needed services. So if it’s important to get the right locksmith, Lake Forest Secure Locksmith is who you need to call! We offer free estimates and great prices, so call us today!"