If you’re planning any trips this year, the time to start making security considerations is NOW. Here are a few home security improvements you can make to prepare for an upcoming trip.

Tips for Securing the Interior

Here are some simple ways to secure the interior of your home, which you can implement while planning your vacation:

• Install a light timer to turn lights on and off on a schedule
• Keep any valuables hidden away in a safe, or at least away from curious eyes
• Rely on friends, and family to go inside your home while you’re away, and check on things
• Upgrade the locks on your home to combination, fingerprint or code entry
• Hire a house sitter if you want extra peace of mind

Tips for Securing the Exterior

Here are some simple ways to secure the exterior of your home, which you can implement while planning your vacation:

• Ensure all outdoor lights (and their bulbs) are working properly
• Keep security cameras pointed in important areas, like the front door
• Invest in a video doorbell to identify visitors while on the go
• Consider installing sensors on your doors or windows to alert you when they’re broken or opened
• Put a security yard sign or sticker on display, even if you don’t have a subscription
• Leave a car in the driveway or hire a lawn care company to make sure it doesn’t look like your home has been vacant for an extended period

Other Security Issues to Consider

There are other big issues to think about when vacationing that have nothing to do with the interior or exterior. Social media, for example, can tip off potential criminals if you disclose where you are or (or the fact you’re away from your home). As can an overloaded mailbox. Try to keep all of your trip info disclosed until after you’re back and try to get a trusted friend or family member to check in on your home every so often while you’re away.

Whether you’re planning a vacation or you’d simply like an expert’s opinion your home security levels, we’re here for you. Contact A-1 Locksmith today with any questions you have, or visit one of our Dallas-Fort Worth locations today.

To give you ultimate peace of mind, and ensure your house is secure, follow this checklist to check the most vulnerable, and overlooked areas of home security.

Yard/Lawn

First, we’ll look at your lawn. You might not think there is anything you can do to improve your home’s security from your lawn, but you’d be surprised. Lawns that aren’t maintained properly are a signal to thieves that no one may be inhabiting the property. (Or, that you’ve gone on vacation and forgot to take care of it.) Another security/safety issue related to your yard is that overgrown bushes or excess foliage can impede paths, and prevent residents from escaping or emergency personnel from responding. (They’re great hiding spots for thieves as well.)

Lighting

Next, do you have proper lighting around your home? Criminals love working in the dark, where they won’t attract curious eyes or be seen by surveillance cameras. Fix this by ensuring there is lots of light around your doors, windows, and garage. Also, burglars look for security systems when scouting a property, so make sure your system is well-lit and place signs from your security monitoring company in your front and backyard.

Access Points

Lock the door and it will make it more difficult for a thief to enter your home. Add a deadbolt lock and you further increase the difficulty. Add another reinforced lock or stopper on the inside, and it will be a pretty tough task for, someone to gain access to your home through the well-secured door. Whether it’s doors or windows, check for weather stripping, gaps, and lack of structural integrity. Adding an alarm to windows, and a doorbell camera to the front of the house is another way to improve security for access points. 

Key Access

Finally, who has access to your keys? If your spare key is in a fake rock that’s easy to identify, everyone will. Be smart about where you keep extra keys, and get to know your neighbors so they can help you with key access if needed. Finally, whether you have a spare key with a friend, family member, neighbor or in a hidden location, make sure you know where all copies of them are at all times. (If you don’t, it might be time to rekey your home.)

If you’re interested in additional security tips for your home, contact A-1 Locksmith today at (972) 284-7500.

1. Control Access Points

Homes for sale will usually have a lock box placed on the home to control who can enter and view the home. There are different types of lock boxes, and it’s important to limit access to them (e.g. your agent, showing agents, family, etc.). But you should also think about securing other access points in the home, such as windows, and the back door. By controlling access points, you can limit who you allow into the home you’re selling.

2. Keep Valuables Away

Jewelry? Collectibles? Stack of cash? Yeah, you’ll want to keep all of those out of sight and/or properly secured when it comes to showings. Consider keeping valuables in a home safe instead—if you don’t have one, now might be a good time to purchase one. At the very least, get valuables out of the open, where they’re vulnerable to thieves. 

3. Remove Sensitive Information

Similarly, you want to protect your digital valuables as well. Your personal information, in particular, can be vulnerable if you have it anywhere in your home where a visitor can access it. Take sticky notes with passwords off the fridge, and desk, relocate spare keys, and keep any important documents out of drawers that aren’t secured. Make sure to lock your computer or any other electronic device housing sensitive information.

4. Install Video Monitoring

Whether it’s a full-blown security system or a single video doorbell, a surveillance system of some sort can go a long way toward giving you peace of mind during your home sale. If your home is damaged, burglarized or vandalized in any way, you’ll be able to see who did it. You can also check in on your home when you’re away for peace of mind during showings.

5. Remove Personalizations

Removing pictures of family members, names, and anything else that could give away your identity is important. Not just for the people who will physically be viewing your home, but also because of the potential that photos will be taken of personalized items during the prospective buyer’s tour and posted online. It’s especially important to remove personalizations if there are children in the house.

6. Never Allow Showings While at Home Alone!

Most homeowners elect to leave the house before a buyer’s agent shows the home, but this is optional. If you do choose to stay while your home is being toured it’s important to know that many buyer’s agents will send their clients to showings without accompanying them. Even if the buyer’s agent joins their client it’s a good idea to plan on having, someone else in the home with you that you trust if you must remain in your home during a showing.

If you’re interested in more residential security advice, contact us today or stop by any of our DFW-area locations.

Option #1: Thaw the Lock

If the weather is cold, it’s possible the lock is frozen. If you have access to a hair dryer (ask the neighbor?), you can attempt to thaw the ice in, and around the lock, then pull the key out like normal. If you experience this issue often, there might be a ventilation issue. If the weather is warm, though, go ahead, and move on to other options.

Option #2: Add Lubricant

It’s also possible the key has sharp edges or there’s a loose component in the lock. Both situations can cause the key to stick. If you have access to WD-40 or another type of lubricant, you can spray it directly in the keyhole, and wiggle the key gently up, and down to try, and get it out. (Don’t wiggle side-to-side, as that’s a bigger risk for the key breaking.)

Option#3: Push and Pull

This is also risky for a key breaking off, but you can attempt to push the key in further and turn it so it’s in the same position it was when you put it in the lock. Then pull it out. If that doesn’t work, push and align like before, but push firmly on the face of the lock with your other hand, and try again. The goal here is to align the tumblers inside the lock so the key will come out.

Option #4: Call a Professional Locksmith

If you want to save yourself time, hassle, and possible further expense, consider calling a professional locksmith to handle it right away. A locksmith has the experience, and tools necessary to make it a quick job. Locksmiths handle hundreds of stuck keys a year and can also help repair your lock if needed.

Whether your key is stuck in the lock of your home or you have another residential security issue, you can trust the team at A-1 Locksmith. Give us a call at (972) 284-7500 today.

1. Duplicate Your Keys

It’s easy to forget your keys (or, heaven forbid, lose them) when you’re in the midst of a busy summer schedule. Before that happens, make sure you get your house keys duplicated and give a copy to a trusted outside friend or family member. Or, you can keep them in a secure spot that only you know about. Either way, make sure you have some backups.

2. Check Your Smoke Detectors

More of a safety issue than a security issue, but it is still worth mentioning. Make sure you check your smoke detectors, and their battery life. Batteries should be replaced every year and the detectors should be replaced every 10 years. Check them monthly to be safe.

3. Secure Any Valuable Tools

If you have a lawnmower, power drill or, some other valuable tool or piece of equipment, make sure it’s stored properly, and out of sight. They’re not only appealing to would-be thieves, but they can be a danger to children or pets. Leaving them out in the backyard is a bad idea.

4. Keep Windows Closed

If you’re trying to save money, you might be tempted to keep the windows open at night to better withstand the summer heat and get some ventilation going. But this presents a prime opportunity for burglars. Not only should you keep windows closed, especially while you sleep, but you should also consider adding a window-blocking device.

5. Have a Plan If Things Go Wrong

What happens if there’s a fire? Or an intruder? Or a natural disaster like a tornado? Make sure your family has a designated meeting spot and a plan down on paper in case anything unexpected happens this summer.

6. Upgrade Your Security System

Finally, the summer is the perfect time to upgrade your home security system. Burglars know that most people take trips during the summer, so homes are more susceptible. If you upgrade your home security system with one you can monitor when you’re on the go, that will give you extra peace of mind, and better protect your home, your belongings, and your family.

If you’re interested in more home security tips for the summer, give the A-1 Locksmith team a call today at (972) 284-7500.

While we’re on the topic, you might be surprised to know that the colder months come with their own set of security-related problems for your home. House locks can freeze. Keys can snap. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can avoid these situations from happening. Let’s take a look at three of them.

Problem #1: Frozen Locks

This happens when either the door or lock is stuck in ice. If you don’t handle it correctly, you can permanently damage the door or lock. One way to get the lock working again is to use a hair dryer to melt the ice around the door opening. To prevent this from happening in the first place, however, you may want to ensure your house doesn’t have any ventilation issues or gaps in the door opening. It may also be time to install new locks.

Problem #2: Broken Keys

This problem can particularly catch you off-guard. You insert your key into the lock (usually the front door), turn and it snaps. The cold weather can make keys more brittle, especially for keys that are older. This is problematic for both the key (which you now have to replace) and the lock (if the key is stuck inside). You can remove broken keys from locks by either using a small pair of tweezers or by taking out the locks.

If the key is stubborn or you don’t feel confident trying to remove it, it might be time to call a professional locksmith. He or she will have the tools necessary to easily remove the key. They can also help with key duplication, even if the broken key was your only set. Either way, ensuring you have new keys (and a duplicate set of them) can help prevent this problem in the future.

Problem #3: Locked Out of the Home

Winter is one of the worst times to be locked out of your house, due to the harsh temperatures. Installing a new lock, such as a smart lock, can help you avoid situations like this. You can also give your neighbor, friend or family member a duplicate set of keys. Finally, a locksmith can help you get back into your home or suggest preventive measures.

If you’d like to winter-proof your home’s security, give the A-1 Locksmith team a call today at 972-284-7500.

1. Keep your exterior lights on: This helps you see visitors, and helps them see you as well. Consider buying, some brighter bulbs for even more visibility. Your lights are also an indication to potential trick-or-treaters that you are participating in the holiday.
2. Avoid using real candles: They have LED lights that look and act like candles. Consider using them instead of candles, as that can be a potential fire hazard.
3. Test your smoke alarms: Speaking of fire hazards, it’s also a good time to test your smoke alarms, and ensure they’re working properly.
4. Invest in a video doorbell or security camera: Don’t be a victim of the “trick” part of trick-or-treat by installing a video-capturing device. The more visible it is, the better.
5. Keep pets inside: Just like the Fourth of July, pets can become easily scared during Halloween. So try to keep them inside (preferably in a closed room) and away from other trick-or-treaters.
6. Clear the walkway: Try to avoid putting anything that could cause an injury to a pedestrian in walkways, sidewalks or stairs. It’s also a good idea to consider adding reflective strips for one night.
7. Clean the walkway: In addition to removing obstacles, try to get rid of any dirt or leaves, as they can be a slipping hazard.
8. Add friction tape or carpet to stairs: If it happens to be damp or wet on Halloween, stairs can especially be a hazard. Ensure they aren’t slippery by putting down some friction tape or carpet.
9. Park your car in the garage: This will not only help inadvertent scratches from trick-or-treaters, but will eliminate the risk of it being vandalized. 
10. Hand out store-bought treats: While homemade treats are a nice gesture, many parents won’t let their children eat them due to allergies or other worries.
11. Ensure you have a spare key on hand: The last thing you need on Halloween is to get locked out of your home. Fortunately, a locksmith can help with key duplication.
12. Tone down the overly scary decorations: Avoid unwanted damage to your home or decorations by ensuring they aren’t overly scary or will catch people off guard. 
13. Turn your alarm on before going to bed: Hopefully you turned your alarm off before the night began, but be sure to turn it back on again before turning in for the night. Don’t have an alarm? Learn more about buying one here.

If you’re interested in other ways to improve your home’s security, give the A-1 Locksmith team a call today at 972-284-7500.