Lower Level Locks

It is a fact that if you have a lock that would not protect your property properly, would be useless. Not only it will compromise the security of your home, but also put the safety if you and your family in danger. Most professional burglars have knowledge about common types of locks that can be found in residential homes. They will often know exactly which home to target based on the type of lock there is on the front door. There are many types of locks that may still be in the market that you should become aware of that may affect the security of your home.

Schlage is one of the leading brands in the business when it comes to residential security locks. However, even leading brands can sometimes "miss" when they fire. Schlage made an extremely intense case when it started to advertise their Secure-Key line as bump proof locks. However, in the field, that was not the case and this lock proved to be anything but bump proof along with being easy to re-key. What it means is when a burglar has been successful bumping the lock, he can easily re-key it as well denying your access and allowing his.

The worst thing about the Secure-Key lock that unlike many types of traditional locks in the market, this model was actually marked so it could be easily recognized. This type of lock can be identified by a plus sign that was engraved just above the key-way. Marking the Secure-Key allowed burglars to easily identify and target such lock. Fortunately, the Secure-Key has been discontinued after Schlage realized it had a lot of serious flaws. However, some of these locks may still be securing homes across the country, so if you own one by any chance, know it will not protect your home against bumping.

Now that you are aware of one line of locks that potentially can risk the security of your home, you know what to watch for when shopping for a lock. Here at NorthWest Locksmith Portland we recommend you do a little research online or at least consult with a professional locksmith before making a decision on any type of lock. Security is vital. Assess your situation carefully. There is no such thing as immaculate security; however that does not mean you ought to compromise on a lower grade lock system.

Master Key System

It seem like many people are fascinated by Mater-Key systems. The interest, most likely, is because of the confusion revolving around the nature of the system. The fact that one key is enabled to open two different doors while another key will only open one of them is what triggers curiosity among people. Is it the key that is extraordinary? Is it the inner mechanism of the lock? To answer these questions, there is some math involved and procedure in which professional locksmiths are well trained for. With a little understanding of the system, you will be able to see the advantages in security such system can offer.

First, we'll go through the different level of keys in a master-Key system:

Change Key - Also known as a sub Master-Key. Essentially, the key would only be enabled to operate one particular lock, or others in the system that would be similar. However, the lock that can be operated with the Change Key could also be operated by the Master-Key or any key above that level.

Master-Key - Without the Master-Key, there won't be any key that would have the capabilities to unlock to different doors in a Mater-Key system implementation. This is the important key to change a standard lock system into a master keyed lock system. In a few frameworks, this will be the most elevated positioning key. In the locksmith industry, a Master Key is also known as MK.

Grand Master-Key - A Grand Master-Key is a key that is enabled to control several Master-Key systems. This key will be responsible to operate any Master Key system implemented under it. Just like a Master-Key, a locksmith will refer to such key as GMK.

Great Grand Master-Key - Technically, the Great Grand Master-Key is the top key on a Master-Key system. It will control any Grand Master-Key associated locks as well as other levels of locks under. The system can be developed beyond that, but it can get too complicated to function properly, so normally most professional locksmiths will stop at that level.

Most types of Master-Key systems are based on a traditional pin tumbler lock. Such type lock consist of driver pins on identical lengths and key pins in different lengths which are lifted and aligned once the correct key is inserted and turned. In order to convert a traditional pin tumbler lock to be a part of a Master-Key system a Master-Wafer will need to be added between a key pin and a driver pin. Inserting such pin will create two different shear lines inside the cylinder which one of them would be designated for the pin stack with the Master-Wafer.

Lock Re-key Service

It is well known that taking an action such as having your locks at home re-keyed or changed will make it more secure. Be that as it may, more often than not, these two types of solutions often get confused as it is hard to determine at times what needs to be done. Re-keying is the most well-known residential type service a professional locksmith will offer.

On a very basic level, when you have the locks at your home re-keyed, you are actually having the pins inside the cylinders of the lock changed so that they all work with the same new key. It is important to note that this type of service does not entail changing the locks, just simply changing the pins inside the cylinder of the lock. The lock cylinder is the rounded component in which the key is inserted to in order to lock or unlock the lock.

Many people think this type of service is costly; however, having the lock changed can cause much more not to mention having the new locks match the same key.

Frequently, we get called when a lock at somebody's home is broken and should be serviced. At times, this would imply that another lock is required to replace the existing one where at other times; it just means the pins should be balanced and/or other lock components should be serviced. It's normally much less cost if there is no need replacing parts such as knobs, strike plates, cylinders, or other types of hardware.

When a locksmith in Portland shows up to service a lock, he usually will make sure first if there is a need to have the locks re-keyed to match the same key. Once the technician is onsite, the re-key service can be done in a timely manner. Having your locks at home re-keyed periodically is crucial in light of the fact that after some time most people have given out a considerable amount of keys to their home, have lost keys, or have put in new locks which match a variety of keys instead of just one.

By re-keying the locks at home and changing the locks to utilize the same key, you make your life simpler, as well as avoiding a situation where people who may got a key to your home and will attempt to use it.

Securing Your Home

In the event that you have expected to know more about home security, now is your shot. When it comes to your home security you should be very careful regarding the decision you make, and regarding the information you acquire.

In a situation where you moved into a new place, make sure all the existing locks are replaced or at the minimum re-keyed. This procedure is necessary since there is no awareness of to how many duplicates the previous owner made and gave to neighbors or family members. In order to make sure you will be the only one who has the access to your new home, call a locksmith in Portland. A situation where it is recommended to call a locksmith is when you have lost the keys and you would want to avoid a situation where a stranger find the keys and attempt to use them.

It is recommended to consult a locksmith before you select or pick any type of home security lock system. This is mostly because a local locksmith will most likely will have experience and knowledge of various types of residential lock systems. It is important you make the right choice when it comes to the security of your home, so taking an advice from a professional would be of a decent help.

An alarm system is another great way to ensure the security of your home. With advance technology today, you have many options for reliable alarm systems that are connected to the Police emergency line. In a situation where an intruder will try to break into your home and the alarm goes off, the Police will be notified automatically.