Thursday, 21 March 2019
As you well know, your door and window locks are the main elements that keep your household safe and secure. High quality locks are designed to work well for many years - so why might you need to change them?
Of course, your property’s locks may be perfectly serviceable, but even then, there are circumstances under which you’re better to be safe than sorry. Here, LockShop Direct reveal a few reasons why you may need to change household locks at your earliest possible convenience:
1. Your Locks are Worn or Damaged
If you’re struggling to get your key in the lock or turn it, or if the bolt sometimes fails to properly operate - leaving the possibility of the wrong person jiggling or forcing a door open - it’s definitely worth looking into some new hardware. Rust can weaken a lock and make it easier to break, and latches or bolts that continue to get stiffer may one day fail altogether, leaving you trapped on the wrong side of your door. Have a chat with your local locksmiths about which items require replacing due to age or wear and tear.
2. You’ve just Bought Your House
If your house isn’t a new build, there may be friends, family members or acquaintances of the previous residents who still have keys capable of letting them inside. Because of this, it’s always a good idea to change your locks to ensure total privacy and safety at this stage.
3. You, or a Member of Your Household, Has Lost or Misplaced Your Key
It’s unlikely that a person who has found a missing key will know which house it is for, but some fobs have addresses attached or other ways of discerning their owners’ identities - and some key losses aren’t entirely accidental. If you’ve found that your keys are missing, the first thing you should do is look into changing your locks for safety.
Another possibility may be that you’ve lent your key to someone working or staying in the house, and that they’ve “forgotten” to return it. As innocent as this may seem, it’s certainly still worth taking precautions.
4. You’ve fallen out with a Key holder
If an ex-partner or someone else you know has access to a key and you’re concerned that they may try and enter your property without consent for one reason or another, changing the locks is a very good idea. You can never be too careful after a dispute, so it’s always best to take precautions. Of course, if you’ve received any threats, your first step should always be to call the police.
5. You’ve been the Victim of a Break-In, or Attempted Break In
Whether or not your locks were damaged during criminal activity, for your own piece of mind, it’s definitely worth ensuring that your locks are as secure and functional as possible. You may find, later down the line that attempts to illegally gain access have damaged or broken your security hardware - and, if this is the case, it’s always better to be cautious.
6. You Want to Improve Your Insurance Premiums
It may not always the the case, but many insurers like to hear updates about your home security, and may change your premiums as a result. If you can prove that you’re taking safety seriously, you’re likely to be seen as a safer bet - which is always a good sign when it comes to insurance. It’s worth letting your provider know as soon as you upgrade your locks, as it may save you money.
Upgrades worth Looking Into
There are many options you can choose when it comes to upgrading your household security, including high quality like-for-like replacements for doors, windows and other means of access. For mortice lock replacement, we recommend LockShop’s super-sturdy Union Egress Mortice Deadlocking Latch. For window locks, take a look at the excellent ERA 903 Swing Lock. Yale night latches are always among the very best, and we love the PBS1 BS3621 High Security Nightlatch. When it comes to uPVC doors, our stock of multipoint locks is superb. One of our favourites is this Winkhaus model.
Whatever your reason for deciding to change your locks, LockShop Direct is here to help. We can recommend the perfect model for your needs and point you in the right direction. Contact us Monday to Friday, 8.30am - 5pm on 0845 830 0832, or email us via info@lockshopdirect.co.uk, and the friendly and knowledgeable members of our team will be more than happy to assist you.
Author: Richard Nash
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