Budget Key and Security, long known to be among the best in Seattle-area locksmithing, is proud to unveil its new website. Partnered with Seattle SEO Consultant, we have created a site that is focused on our users’ habits as well as their needs. Redesigned user flow should make it more intuitive – find what you’re looking for, in terms of both products and services, faster and easier than ever. As part of our effort to solidify our web presence, we’re engaging in direct communication with our customers via social media.

We want to continue to be a source of information and understanding about all things security. Because we work as locksmiths, security system installers, and video surveillance experts, we’ve chosen to share some of our knowledge through our ongoing blog. We keep up to date with the latest advances in these fields, and we think our customers deserve to hear, first hand, how new products perform in practice. Not only will we discuss our services and methods, you can check back for updated reports on different product offerings.

If you have a locksmithing project that needs doing, you should peruse the new site. Otherwise, if you’re simply interested in what we do or how we do it, you should take a look at our blog. We’re very proud of the new site – check it out, you may be surprised by what you find!

The typical door lock is meant to keep intruders out. In some places – hospital wards, prisons, lock-in sleepover events – they’re meant to keep people in. Interior and exterior locks should also be treated differently – if you accidentally lock yourself out of your bedroom, it doesn’t really need to be as difficult as your front door. Regardless of the purpose, there are a few key features to keeping a door lock secure. If you’re hoping to up the security of your home by replacing the locks, there are some things you should look for in the potential replacements.

Materials and Reinforcement

There are a number of types of door lock. By far the most common are spring-bolt locks and deadbolts. A spring-bolt lock holds a pin in place using a compressed coil. Releasing the pressure on that coil will unlock the door. Any spring-bolt lock of reasonable quality should come with a metal reinforcement plate. This makes it harder to simply knock the knob off with a hammer or other blunt object – if the knob is broken, the pressure on the pin disappears and the door opens easily. A deadbolt is significantly more secure, as it locks directly into the door frame. It is still susceptible to prying, though this risk can be mitigated by using a vertical bolt design rather than the traditional horizontal bolt.

Entry Method

Depending what you’re trying to secure, you might consider the different options for unlocking. A traditional key system works for most situations, but not all. Remote entry or timed unlocking systems can be excellent for some doors. Garage doors can be manually unlocked and opened, but it’s often easier to use some kind of remote system. You may also think about combination systems for shared spaces – if you and a neighbor both want access to a shed, garage, barn, or other storage area, using a combination may be less of a hassle than copying and exchanging keys.

Installation

If you’re looking for a complex and secure locking system, we would be happy to perform the installation for you. We understand that many people would rather have installations done by professionals – there is simply too much to risk having it done wrong. This isn’t true for all customers, however. There are a lot of do-it-yourself types who enjoy the task. If you’re one of them, we can answer any questions you might have about doing the installation. We know locks inside and out. If you’re having any difficulty whatsoever – either setting a combination, keying the lock, or getting it set properly in the door, we can offer you advice.

Whether you’re re-keying your home, changing the combination on a shed door, replacing a padlock, or securing an office, we openly offer our assistance. If you’d like to come in and look at our product line-up, please don’t hesitate to do so. It’s a great time of year to work on your home – take advantage of this opportunity to give you and your family just a bit more security.

In every field, people ask questions such as this. Like many fields, locksmithing is context driven. The question of who makes the best door lock depends entirely on what it’s being used for. Doors that are meant to keep people in rather than out, for example, use completely different locking mechanisms than those meant to secure a home or an office. Further, the level of protection can be significantly dependent on budget. Here, we’ll talk about some common locking mechanisms and which can provide the best protection for a reasonable price.

Slip-bolt Locks

Common in nearly every household in America, the slip-bolt lock uses a spring to keep the locking mechanism in place. They offer only a basic level of security – they will keep the door closed and locked, but those who are determined to enter need only basic skills to disable such a lock. A non-key device can be used to release the spring, or for a more direct approach, the knob can simply be smashed from the door.

Deadbolt Locks

Deadbolt locks come in two varieties. The common horizontal deadbolt and the less common vertical deadbolt. They each use a similar mechanism – a knob-less external face makes the inner workings of the lock difficult to interfere with without a key or lockpicking knowledge. There is no hardware to smash to release the lock. However, because the horizontal lock pushes into the frame in only one spot, it’s possible to pry the door apart from the frame far enough to disengage the lock. The vertical deadbolt makes this much more difficult, as the vertical resistance is greatly increased.

Anti-drill Locks

Anti-drill systems are available for both slip-bolt and deadbolt locks. They are also commonly seen in vault and safe locking systems. They include special hardware meant to wear out the drill bit as it tries to penetrate the lock. They are generally made of stainless steel, but other, more durable substances may be included for additional security. These locks are sold specifically by manufacturers – you cannot add anti-drill functionality to your existing locks without replacing them.

Combination and Pad Locks

Some areas don’t need the same sealing security used on a home’s front door. In these cases, padlocks and combination locks may be sufficient. Ideal for barns, fences, lockers, or other areas that may not need as much security, these locks are often rugged and durable. However, because their securing mechanism is external, they can easily be cut with bolt cutters. They’ll prevent the flippant would-be thief from gaining access to your possessions, but little else.

If you have any questions or concerns about different locks or locking mechanisms, don’t hesitate to contact us. There are a number of solutions not listed here, particularly keyless systems, as found on garage doors, and electronic/magnetic locking systems. If you’d like more information about those systems, drop in and take a look at them. We’d be happy to demonstrate how they work.

Everyone has heard stories, some of them true, some of them certainly not, about unauthorized changes in locks – the wife who changes the locks to keep her cheating husband out, an office building having its locks all changed instead of the building across the street. If you’re a homeowner, a property manager, or an office employee, on some level you should be aware of the protocols of changing locks. More important than if you’re allowed to change them yourself, or if you’re able to give authorization, is what to do should your locks be changed unexpectedly. You can call a locksmith, but if someone has had the locks changed to keep you out, it might be difficult to attain authorization to change them back. Mistakes are rare, but they do happen – the best thing you can do is arm yourself with information.

Leased Homes and Apartments

In most cases, lease agreements will prevent tenants from changing locks themselves without permission from the actual property owner. Depending on the circumstance, an agreement can usually be met between the interested parties. The most significant issue is that the landlord needs to retain access to the property should a need arise. On the flip side, a landlord is not always authorized to change a property’s locks while a tenant is still residing there. In extreme cases, generally regarding significant lapses in payment and refusal to vacate, it can be used as a last resort. As a locksmith, it’s imperative to know the reason for changing a lock before doing so.

Offices and Commercial Buildings

Business properties follow a different set of rules. In general, business managers are allowed to authorize lock changes, generally assumed to be following the direction of a business owner or regional manager. A commercial property manager will usually have a trusted locksmith who retains a list of personnel with permission to change different locks on the premises. If you’re looking to change offices for your business, you should consider asking the new property manager about this in advance. It can ease the transition as you move into the new space. Determining your options as master key and lock services go will also help you plan out how workflow will happen in the new office. As with leased apartments, it’s important for a locksmith to know the reason for changing an office lock – a new office for an existing business takes a slightly different approach than a business who has recently suffered a security breach.

Homes and Vehicles

When it comes to changing the locks on homes and other private properties, we insist that at least one of the home owners be present. Automobile locks, especially ignition key systems, can usually only be changed if you still have a copy of the right key. Otherwise, you may need to contact a dealership. Replacing car locks is a difficult job – we can do it. Every locksmith’s nightmare is performing a lock change only to find out it was ordered maliciously. We do our best to avoid that situation – the security of your home, your office, and your automobile are all incredibly important to us. If it means a little more scrutiny before engaging in work, so be it. Our commitment to excellence and integrity demands it.

If you have any questions or concerns about who is authorized to change a lock, don’t hesitate to contact us. If you have a set of locks that need changed, have lost keys that need replaced, or have need of any other security assistance, call us today!