TIPS TO HIRE A GOOD LOCKSMITH

Do you need help from a locksmith? Would you like to know how to hire one? Locksmith in San Bernardino should know; after all, we are an established, highly regarded, full-service lock and key firm that services the entire San Bernardino, CA metro area with many highly satisfied customers that call us again and again for premium quality, 24-hour locksmith service. Of course you can always call us for help with your locks and keys, but what if you live somewhere else, or you just want to know the best ways in which to select a solid performing, highly professional locksmith company?

Just call any locksmith, right?

Um, no! This is the wrong way to go about hiring a good locksmith. The sad truth of the matter is that many people go through more effort selecting a cleaning service than they would a locksmith. Sure, clean is important, but so are your safety and security. Throw in the protection of your loved ones and belongings and you can see how choosing the best locksmith for your hard earned dollar is important.

Insist on a license

This surprises many people. They sometimes feel that they are paying more for “a piece of paper” and concentrate more on getting a lower price or bid. Big mistake! The truth of the matter is that with a tiny bit of effort, you can find a fully licensed, bonded, and insured San Bernardino, CA locksmith company that is not only affordable, but is skilled, experienced and great to work with, too!

Oddly enough, many of the people saying that you don’t need to hire licensed lock and key help are the ones that didn’t pass the tests or requirements needed to actually gain a license. But think about it; would you go to an unlicensed doctor or attorney? Would you let a dentist work on your teeth if he or she never got certified? Remember; you are not hiring cleaning help or a baby sitter. Your quest is to hire a person that can properly and professionally service the locks and keys to your home, car or business! Let that sink in for a minute.

Anyone can make keys, right?

At first, this is a good observation. It’s partly true. You can take your house key to any local home improvement store or mail center and someone there will most likely be able to copy it for you. So far; so good. Now, let’s say that your house gets broken into and you need new locks installed on your door tonight; before you go to sleep or leave for work in the morning. Can you call your clerk from the convenience store and have him come over? A locksmith does more than just make house calls. He is a specialist in lock protection. A proper locksmith will be able to repair the lock damage done or install a newer, better lock in its place.

Another example would be your car keys. If you lose or break your car’s transponder key, you would have to call upon your car dealership to supply you a new one. That key would have to be programmed and duplicated at the dealership and you would have to bring your car in to do it. This would involve a big price tag, long service area waits and tow fees too, as your car won’t run without a proper key.

On the other hand, a full service automotive locksmith in San Bernardino, CA would simply come to your location and cut and program a key for you on-site. The convenience is astounding and the price would only be a fraction of what the dealer charges. The quality would be equal or better, too. Are you starting to see where hiring an experienced and licensed professional is vital for good customer service and proper locksmith quality?

Start calling now!

What? Call now? What if you don’t need a locksmith yet? Actually, this is the best time of all to call. Think about it. When do most people call for a locksmith? It’s when they need one immediately! Maybe they just go locked out or lost their keys. Maybe their home was burglarized and the locks were damaged. We agree; call a locksmith when you need one, but have one picked out beforehand so that when the need arises, he or she is already selected and on speed dial on your smart phone!

Insist on these qualities!

Your locksmith of choice needs to be affordable; not cheap, but fair in price and honest. Look for a shop that offers free price quotes along with good customer service. Many of your better establishments also provide no-obligation consultations and friendly telephone assistance anytime needed.

Emergencies happen; that’s a fact of life. Look for a shop that offers 24-hour urgent lock and key help including nights, weekends and holidays. Make sure that fast response times are part of their offering – minutes count when you are having an emergency! Some shops offer live response telephone dispatchers and this is a good thing! Too many emergency messages go unanswered when lost in voice mail or in an outdated answering machine.

Mobile service vehicles are important. Ask your locksmith of choice if theirs are fully gassed, fully stocked, and always ready to come to your aid, 24/7. You don’t want to need a lock professional, only to have him held up because they are waiting on a vehicle.

Your San Bernardino, CA locksmith needs to carry insurance and be bonded. If a mishap occurs on one of the jobs, both you and the lock professional need to be covered. Be sure to ask about this when calling local shops and if the staff shy away from this question or any other, avoid them and call someone else.

It’s worth taking a little time to call, ask questions and find the right locksmith for your needs. Look for the above qualities and you can’t go wrong! Who knows; you may never need to use a great locksmith, but if you do; he’ll already be logged in your mobile devices!

Aricle source here: TIPS TO HIRE A GOOD LOCKSMITH

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT KIND OF LOCKS FOR YOU

Are you shopping for the best locks for your home or business? Once you start, you’ll see that there’s an almost countless selection of sorts of locks ~ such as wall-mounted locks, pin-tumbler locks, deadbolts, bump-proof locks, high-security cylinders, lever-handled locks, padlocks, cam locks, rim locks, interchangeable core cylinder locks, mortise locks, doorknob locks, key-in-knob cylinder locks, combination locks, keycard locks, biometric locks, switch locks, and even more! The most well-known reputable name brands are:

• Ace
• American
• Arrow
• ASSA
• Baldwin
• Ilco
• Falcon
• Kwikset
• Master
• Medeco
• Primus
• Schlage
• Yale

Deadbolts, as any expert locksmith will advise you, are a dependable line of defense when it comes to effectively guarding your place of residence. The reason they’re called “dead” is because they don’t have springs to operate the bolt; that is, a deadbolt is operated by hand ~ with a key or thumbturn.

Professional residential locksmiths usually recommend that you install deadbolts on all exterior doors. There are many different types of deadbolts. The most common are: single-cylinder, double-cylinder, jimmy-proof, and lockable thumbturn.

• The single-cylinder deadbolt is the standard deadbolt lock, with a key cylinder outside, and a thumbturn inside to close or open it. These deadbolt locks are normally found on solid wooden or metal doors. The only drawback to this deadbolt is that if there’s any access to the inside ~ such as through a window in the door, through the peephole, or through a window close to the door ~ then a thief could open the door with the thumbturn.

• A double-cylinder deadbolt adds a bit more security. This deadbolt has a key cylinder both inside and outside the door. That means that if it’s locked, the double-cylinder always requires a key for opening the door from inside. It’s perfect if your door has glass in it, or if your door has a window nearby, because a thief who manages to break the glass and reach in will not be able to unlock the door. Its one minor downside is that you have to remember to keep an extra key available in the house, so whenever folks are home, in case of fire or any other emergency, everyone can quickly and safely get out of the house.

• A jimmy-proof deadbolt is a surface-mount lock, which you often see on double doors and at apartment complexes. A surface-mount lock means that the lock screws inside the door, instead of with a unique drill pattern, the way a basic deadbolt does. A jimmy-proof deadbolt is well-liked, since only minor door modifications are required. In this kind of deadbolt lock, the deadbolt interlocks with the jamb bracket. Thus it’s not prone to being pulled apart, and it’s also hard to force it open from the outside.

• The lockable thumbturn deadbolt combines the features of the single-cylinder and the double-cylinder deadbolt. With a thumbturn inside, it works like a basic single-cylinder deadbolt, yet it can also be locked with a key, so that the thumbturn won’t unlock or lock your door unless you also have the key. The thumbturn can thus be left in an unlocked position while you’re home, but it will still work just like the single-cylinder deadbolt. Then, when you go away, especially if it’s for a long time, the thumbturn can easily be locked. This deadbolt provides superior security and flexibility.

These are all smart choices in deadbolts. There are also other viable deadbolts you ought to consider: mortise, rim, vertical, keyless, and digital.

• A mortise deadbolt is a deadbolt that can’t be easily tampered with. Old-fashioned-looking, this deadbolt is installed in a mortise or recess pocket, cut into the door’s edge. This lock offers you extraordinary resilience; but one disadvantage is that because you need to penetrate the door frame to make a large hole, it may slightly weaken the door’s structure.

• A rim deadbolt is an easy-to-install deadbolt, bolted to the inside face of the door. One plus to this deadbolt lock is that it locks behind you automatically when you close the door, so you won’t ever forget to lock it. Obviously, if you lose your keys a lot, you may not see this feature as an advantage. Also, some view a rim deadbolt as unappealing and clunky.

• A vertical deadbolt lock is bolted to the inside of the door, but on top, making it impossible for a burglar to force it open by placing a bar between the door and the frame. It’s relatively effortless to install this deadbolt. One minor shortcoming to the vertical deadbolt is that it’s a little unwieldy; some folks view it as unattractive.

• A keyless deadbolt lock is mounted on the door’s inside, but it has a keypad rather than a keyhole. You put in your secret code rather than turning a key. Since you don’t use a key, there won’t be a concern over having it stolen or losing it. Another benefit is that you can change the code as often as you want to optimize your security.

• A digital deadbolt is much like a keyless deadbolt, having a keypad, but it also requires electricity or batteries. With this deadbolt, make sure you always keep the batteries charged, or your property will be absolutely vulnerable if there is a power outage. One weakness to such an electronic device is that there’s a small possibility it could be hackable.

This has been an overview of the most popular no-nonsense locks. The fact is, there is a lock to fit every purpose and locale. If you want to make well-informed decisions about the exact right locks for your home or your commercial building, take your questions to a trusty local locksmith company. If you’re in San Bernardino, California, hire a reliable locksmith such as a mobile residential locksmith specialist on staff at Locksmith in San Bernardino, where free consultations are available.

Aricle source here: HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT KIND OF LOCKS FOR YOU