Locks – we all have them on our doors and even windows. They are there and work as intended for quite a long time (depending on their quality, of course). Few people think much about the locks on their front door, on their vehicle, or on their garage door and windows. However, you should think more about locks. Why? Because these little pieces of hardware are what keep burglars, home invaders, vandals, and other types of criminals away from your loved ones, home, and car. These simple locks are there to protect you and your family. Imagine what would happen if the locks that are supposed to keep you safe were not working properly.
The Dangers of Malfunctioning or Old Locks
When a lock malfunctions or gets old, it should be replaced. We all know that, yet very few people actually replace their locks when they malfunction or get old. Most people prefer to tinker with the lock and hopefully make it work again. In other cases, they simply ignore the problem and forget about it. The dangers of faulty locks are many, and we will list just a couple of them below:
- You risk somebody breaking into your home, office or car at night. A faulty lock is much easier to force open than a new lock. A burglar or a thief needs just a couple seconds to open a faulty lock and gain access to your home, vehicle or garage.
- A home invader can take advantage of old or malfunctioning locks to attack you or your family. And yes, this includes locks mounted on garage doors and inner doors. If the attacker can gain access to the garage, he can quietly force the door to your home to open.
- An old lock will cause you problems too. You never know when it’s going to fail and prevent you from entering your own home or office. You may break the key in the lock trying to get it to open. You may not even be able to get out of the house because the locks don’t work. Imagine what might happen if you couldn’t get out of the apartment or out of the office during an emergency (such as a fire, for example).
- Old locks are easier to break because they are less secure. Burglars are learn and they adapt. It is only natural that they know how to open older generation locks faster than they can open modern locks. Why risk your safety and the safety of your family when new locks are so cheap nowadays?
These are just some of the dangers posed by faulty and old locks. To stay safe and protect your valuables, you are strongly advised to replace the locks periodically. Let’s take a look at when it is a good time to replace a lock.
When to Replace Locks
Even though a lock may still be functional, it doesn’t mean it is adequate at keeping you and your loved ones safe. Here is when you should consider changing the locks on your doors and windows (including the garage door and vehicle):
- Every year or two years. New lock technology makes newer generation locks more secure and harder to break. You need the extra protection, so make sure you replace the locks with new ones periodically.
- When you notice an attempted break-in or have suffered a break-in. The locks may be damaged or somebody may have copied your keys. It is imperative that you replace all the locks in your home, office, or garage with newer models. A locksmith can help you with this and will do the best job possible for an affordable price.
- If you have lost your keys or they have been stolen. It goes without saying that the locks need to be replaced if there is a chance somebody else has the keys to your home, your office or your vehicle.
- You rented your apartment and the tenant moved out – or you purchased a new house or apartment. Even if you receive the keys back, there is no guarantee the old tenant didn’t make copies. You can replace the locks or rekey them. Rekeying means the mechanism inside the locks will be replaced and new keys will be created.
- If you notice any wear and tear on the locks. As soon as the old locks start to pose any kind of problems, it is time to replace them. Don’t wait until one of the locks breaks and you experience a lockout. A problematic lock is also a danger because it is easier to break.
- You notice that your locks are inferior or of poor quality. Why not replace those cheap locks with something sturdier and more secure? Think about it; all your valuables are in that house. Why would you risk them for a couple dollars?
Article Source: When to Replace Locks
