Changing Locks

When you change your place of living arrangement there are such a variety of things to be done that security may not be at the highest point on your mind. Generally, most people are eager to move their boxes in the new place and unpack as soon as possible so they can come back to their normal life. Be that as it may, what ought to be most imperative to a newly home owner is having the door locks changed to ensure that no other person who may have keys to your new place will be able to use them. Having new locks and keys will guarantee you and your family are the only people who will have access to your new home.

Most of the time, past occupants may still have a few duplicates of your keys despite the fact that the agreement expresses that all keys must be surrendered upon sale of the property. A lot of people are not aware of the fact that homes are regularly broken into by individuals who knew the previous owner of the property. This is the reason changing locks is so critical.

Additionally it would be a smart idea to inspect the locks and see how they are inspected by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), who sets the standards for lock systems to make sure that the qualities and level of reliability are consistent for each lock. The evaluation allocated by ANSI will give you an idea of how well the present locks will perform and if you can lock rekey them or you are better off just replacing them.

In most cases, replacing the locks will make more sense while considering having a locksmith Portland do a lock installation for a lock that has a higher level of grading for maximum level of security for your home. Lock systems will be marked with a grade 1, 2 or 3 depending on their reliability. Having a deadbolt installed is always recommended for extra security. The most imperative entryways to secure are the ones that present point of entry to your home such as the front or back door, and even the door inside the garage.

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.

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.

Why Re-key Your Locks?

Having your locks re-keyed is a basic step that you can take in order to make your life simpler and your home with fresh sense of security, yet here and there it can feel like a hassle. You may wind up asking, "Do I truly need to have my locks re-keyed?" The following is several reasons why you would need to have your locks at home re-keyed.

1. Moving into a new place. If you got a new home, you ought to always get the locks re-keyed in this type of situation. There is no way to tell who might still have admittance to the house, or what numbers of duplicates of the original key are still around. For your security and your significant serenity, it would be recommended to have the locks re-keyed.

2. Other individuals may had their hands on some key duplicates to your new home. This is sometimes inevitable, on the grounds that occasionally you need individuals to have keys to your home. Be that as it may, in case you're not certain precisely who has keys, or in the event that somebody you are not familiar with has had his or her hands on the keys, it's generally preferable to go for the safe option and have the locks re-keyed.

3. Your key-chain has an excess of keys to various locks at your home. Having an alternate key for various doorways to your home may appear like a decent security thought, however its downsides can exceed its focal points. On the off chance that you'd rather have the comfort that originates from having one or maybe two keys to your home, it would be a good idea to have the locks re-keyed.

4. Worn out or malfunctioning old locks. In the event that your locks don't work properly as they use to, if their function seem to be difficult, or in the event that they open very easily–then it's important that you get them re-keyed. Having locks that don't function properly is an advantage over not having locks at all, however, very insignificant. On the off chance that you need to keep yourself and your belonging safe, re-keying is the best approach.

5. Lost keys. While it's anything but difficult to ignore the fact that your lost keys might land on the wrong hands, it is a gigantic risk, and it wouldn't be excessively troublesome for somebody, making it impossible to utilize that lost key as an approach to get into your home. Re-keying your locks is a simple approach to ensure that your lost key won't be utilized for criminal purposes.

Obviously, this isn't a complete list of satisfying reasons; there are numerous different times that having your locks re-keyed would be a smart thought. In case you're uncertain, call a locksmith in Portland.

Business Lock Re-key

When running a business, one of the biggest things on your mind should be security. Having your business property locks re-keyed shouldn’t be limited to solely to an occasion where you opened a new location or moved to another building. What if you had recently a change in staff? You wouldn’t have a way to know if they made copies of the keys. Keys are copied all the time whether they have a stamp on them that says ‘DO-NOT DUPLICATE’ or not.

If employees have copies of your keys, it is a good practice to have the locks re-keyed in a situation where one of them left your employment or got terminated. Having too many keys floating around can be very detrimental to the health and safety of your company files and products. Another route that you can take is by contracting with a licensed, bonded, and insured locksmith in Portland. Then, at that point, if it becomes a regular habit, you know you have a locksmith you can trust who’ve done the job before and know what to do again.

Another way to keep your existing or new business property secured is to talk to the locksmith about implementing a master-key system. That way, you have unrestricted access to your business, and have other keys that only work for certain locks and which cannot be duplicated. This will restrict employees’ access to areas that you don’t want them to be in. Locksmith in Portland can walk you through exactly how master key system works and the benefits of having it.

Another very good reason to have your business locks re-keyed is in a break-in type situation. You never know the full extent of a break-in until it is too late. There could have been a set of keys just sitting out in the open up for on a desk up for grabs because someone was in a hurry and forgot to put them up and lock the office. Calling a Portland locksmith as soon as possible after a break in is one of the best ways to make sure you business is protected once again.

Lock Change vs Re-key

While choosing whether to re-key your locks or changing them, your choice will boil down to a few important factors to consider. Here at NorthWest Locksmith Portland, we're glad to offer you some assistance with securing your home or business regardless of how you choose to go about it. We can offer ability and help on either your lock substitution or re-keying. We'll begin by telling the advantages of re-keying and lock substitution. At that point, we'll begin on expanding the security of your home together.

On the off chance that you've lost your key, had a key stolen, or need to keep somebody out who has your existing key, and you'd like to keep your existing locks, re-keying your locks might be a decent alternative. At the point when your locks are re-keyed, the cylinder of the lock and doorknob are removed from the entryway. At that point, the cylinder and the chamber pins are removed as well. New pins are placed into the cylinder to match the cut of another key. In the wake of re-keying and reinstalling your locks, you can dispose of your old keys and know that anyone who might have the old key won’t be able to use it.

On the off chance that your home or business security has been breached, you can have your locks changed for your peace of mind. Our expert locksmiths can rapidly and effectively put in new locks on your entryways so you can remove any worry you may have off your mind. The new locks will be of high grade which were developed to absorb a large number of operation cycles and withstand the power of a potential break-in. Whether you've lost a key or have a fizzled or broken lock, changing the locks will be a good option to keep your home secure.

Both re-keying and changing your locks can be a serious work and require new hardware for your lock. While re-keying locks permit you to keep the locks you have, replacing them lets you put in fresh and undamaged locks. For more info on which type of lock system works better for your circumstance, we have your back at NorthWest Locksmith Portland!

Interchangeable Core Locks

Ever thought about how efficient it would be if you could just have the lock changed or re-key in a matter of seconds? Interchangeable cores is the answer! I/C systems are the most effective way to make changes in the security of your locks. Interchangeable core systems normally come in a form of specific locks where the core cylinder can easily be removed with the help of a special key. This is particularly useful in case of a lost key or if a tenant moved out where a re-key would be needed.

The major advantage in I/C is the fact that the core can be changed without removing the lock. Only the core itself is removed and re-keyed to match a new key to operate the lock on the door. Although it sounds easy to deal it, we still recommend having a professional locksmith do the job of re-keying the core itself. However, if you just swapping cores than it might be a job that can be done without the assistance of a professional.

Interchangeable cores come in different security forms which one of them is a restricted key-way. It offers the highest level of security for Interchangeable core lock systems. Medeco is the company that offers the highest quality restricted key-way systems for I/C locks.

The other advantage with Interchangeable core locks is the fact that the keys cannot be duplicated in most places. The keys would be stamped with a do-not-duplicate stamp making sure the key will not be duplicated by an unauthorized individual. These keys however, can be duplicated by most professional locksmith companies who has the necessary equipment.

Interchangeable core locks are fairly more expensive than standard locks and thus are more common for commercial type applications. In many cases, business properties who has a high employee turnaround would be a good candidate for I/C lock systems. Office buildings and apartment complexes can usually benefit from I/C lock systems as well. In general, applications that may need to be re-keyed often would benefit from having an Interchangeable core locks installed.

For more information about Interchangeable core locks, contact NorthWest Locksmith Portland.

Re-key For Security

Lock re-key is a step that will restore your peace of mind and the security to your home. However, many times people tend to ask themselves if it's really necessary to have a locksmith re-key the locks at their home. The answer to that question is fairly simple, once you will go over all the critical reasons for a re-key as a security solution to your home.

Moving into a new place can be an exciting time. However, in this type of situation people tend to forget putting an emphasis on the security of their new place. Re-keying is important as part of the moving process since you can never know who had or still has access to your new home. Multiple copies of the keys were most likely been made and passed on to family members of the previous owner and possibly some of the neighbors. This cause a serious security issue which will require a re-key solution.

Do you find yourself managing too many keys for your home? a re-key could fix that! Without noticing, many people end up with multiple set of keys to their home where each key opens a different lock on a door. This can often create confusion which may result in inserting the wrong key to a lock which will end up stuck and break inside the cylinder. Resolve the situation by having all the locks in your home re-keyed and matched to a one particular key.

Do you feel that the locks or keys to your home are getting worn out to properly function? sometimes, the pins inside a lock cylinder tend to wear out in time which may affect the lock functionality after many years of operation. At the same level, the cuts on the key can start to wear out as well. Re-keying the locks will ensure replacement of all the cylinder internal components with new ones which will help revive the proper operation of the lock.

For more information about re-key services, contact NorthWest Locksmith Portland.

Automotive Re-key Service

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Restricted Key System

There are many ways a business owner can protect his property by choosing different types of security lock systems. There are the traditional ways of standard commercial grade locks and there are the more advanced technology of key-less entry locks. Most experienced locksmith technicians offer installation and maintenance services for most of these commercial type locks. However, most of the time, choosing a lock for your business can depend on other variables such as the type of business and budget. A good locksmith will find a good solution for every pocket.

I remember few years ago I got a call from a customer who owns a small store in the area. he recently got broken into his store and he was inquiring regrading higher security lock solutions for his store possibly to prevent another break in incident. According to him, he suspected one of his previous employees to be responsible for the break in. Luckily, I just re-stocked my service van with many types of commercial grade locks, so I had a lot of options to offer.

Once I got to the customer's location, I went with him over the options I thought would be most suitable for his situation and the store. Unfortunately he did not have a large budget, so key-less entry locks were out of the question. He also wanted something more than a Mortise lock since that what he had installed. I told him that the issue probably was the cylinder and a restricted key system might solve the issue. However, that was over his budget as well.

I gave a call to a Portland locksmith co worker of mine to see if he had any other ideas for increasing the security of the customer's store without going over budget. He suggested looking at installing a Schlage Primus cylinder or possibly re-key the existing cylinder if it was a Schlage type. Luckily, the customer did have a Schlage lock installed and I had extra Primus keys with me in stock from previous jobs. I was able to re-key the cylinder to match the Schlage Primus type key that way no one could duplicate the key in the future in the local hardware store and the customer can now enjoy having the security of a restricted key system with the price of a standard lock system.

Residential Re-key Solution

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NorthWest Locksmith Portland (503) 825-2124

Re-Key Tip

Among the usual services an average locksmith technician does is a re-key services. Normally, these types of services are often in demand by a commercial or residential customers. A customer may call for a re-key if he just moved into a new place, suspect a stranger might have access to his place, or for other reasons. For the average locksmith technician, a re-key shouldn't be a difficult task. It can be time consuming, but it can be completed without any issues. However, since the lock is needed to be taken apart for this type of service, if not careful, parts from the lock can be lost which will put the technician in a jam.

A few years ago I remember getting a call from a customer who just moved into a new place and needed four locks in his home to be re-keyed. It wasn't so busy that day, so I was able to take the job without setting an appointment for later since I knew it would take a while to complete the service. After taking the customer information over the phone, I was on my way.

Once I got to the customer's place, he gave me a tour around the house, so I could take a look at the locks I would be dealing with and I noticed they were just the average standard Schlage doorknob locks. After finishing the tour, I grabbed my tools from the van and started taking apart the lock, so I could re-key them in my van. The way I usually would tackle a re-key job with multiple locks, is by completing each lock one by one.

As I finished the first two locks and moved into the third, I ran into a problem.  When I opened the 3rd lock, one of the springs from the wafers jumped somewhere in my van and I just couldn't find it. That was a problem for me since I didn't have any extra springs I could use instead. Before trying to figure what to do, I decided to complete the 4th lock first before moving on.

After finishing the 4th lock, I decided to call a fellow Portland locksmith friend of mine to see if he was in the area and could help me resolve the situation. Unfortunately, he was not, but he did mentioned something I didn't know. According to him, a new GM door lock should have extra springs in it which are the exact fit with most Schlage model wafer locks. Luckily I did have few of them in stock. Grabbing one to check, I came to find that it was true and the springs were in fact an exact fit. Lucked out, I was able to complete the job as scheduled without any further delays.  

Picking Tip for Schlage Lock

A while back I got a call from a fellow locksmith technician to do a residential lockout job. When I arrived to the scene, I saw the door had a Schlage F series key in knob type of lock. I didn't really experienced before working with this lock, but as I did the job I learned something new.

If you need to pick an F series Schlage lock, you don't really have to pick it to the open position, but try picking it to the "locked' position (sometimes it works better to pick it to the "close" side) and then, as you are holding the plug in the locked position, use a hooked poke tool to depress the knob retainer and remove the knob.

You can use a pair of sharp pliers to turn the actuator inside the knob to open the door. If the customers has the keys to the lock within reach, re-install the knob and turn the plug back to the normal position. If the keys are not to be found, leave the plug in the picked position, remove the cylinder from the knob, remove the clip and make a key, or simply re-key the lock, whichever more desirable for the customer. Check out the following link for more useful locksmith tips.

GM Six-Cut Tip

Generating a working door key for a 6 cut GM is easily accomplished by pole in the glove lock. The glove box lock, as many locksmith technicians know, gives four of the six cuts then I progress the other two. What can be difficult is popping the plug out of the “squeeze type” locks. 

Here’s what works quite well for me: I clamp the whole lock case in a vice with the bottom of the plug facing up. Of course I’m careful not to crush the plug. With my rick retaining ring pliers, I spread the plastic tabs which lock into grooves on the sides of the plug-ins for those tabs as far as possible. Next, I use an automatic center punch to pop the plug out. It’s a quick way to do that and doesn't damage the tabs.