When to Change Your Locks

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Locks are the most important defense in a home. Not the newest technological advancements in motion sensors, alarms and so forth will stop a trespasser from entering in the first place, but the door and its lock will. Knowing when to change it can be tricky, though, as it does not have a set time frame for its maintenance or updates.

Moving to a New House

When taking over a new property, you will be handed all of the keys—supposedly. There is no knowing how many other copies are around and in other people’s possession, and every single one of them poses a security risk. Anyone who has a key to your home has the ability to enter, and only the ones that you have entrusted with a key should be able to do that.

Being the Victim of Burglary

A burglary is a frightening event in itself, and after such an incidence, the occupants of the house will likely want to take every security measure to avoid it from happening again. A local locksmith service can change the door locks as well as offer advice on the best models to install.

Going Through a Divorce

Marriages do not always last, and while most couples will strive to have an amicable split, it does not go that way every time. A sour divorce or one where other factors may have been involved can make it necessary to change the locks to the house in order to avoid uncomfortable situations or theft.

Lost House Keys

Being locked out is usually a shock and a sudden event, and emergency key replacement can solve the issue if no neighbor or relative is in possession of a spare key. However, if the keys are not found quickly, a key replacement may not be enough. There is no telling where the originals have ended up, and the safest way to deal with such a situation is to have the locks replaced.

Other reasons to have the door locks changed could be wanting to increase security after, for example, a baby has been born, or if the key is frequently loaned to craftsmen or cleaners. Taking the risk is not worth it—burglary and trespassing are serious crimes, and having proper locks can help prevent them from happening. Knowing when to change you locks can be equated to knowing when to take out insurance—knowing that you have it but do not need it is better than wishing you had it when you need it.