key in door lock

How to Tell If Your Lock is Broken

If you’re thinking about calling a Locksmith for some help, then chances are you’ve either misplaced your keys, had them stolen or something’s broken and you don’t know how you’re going to get in. Whatever the reason, we’re glad you found us!

All American Locksmiths offers fast, reliable services for emergency, auto, residential and commercial needs all across Connecticut and in Westchester County, New York. Whenever you’re in a jam or if you need someone you can count on to come get the job done, we’re here for you.

If you’re still in the early stages of trying to figure out whether you may need a locksmith at all, we’re here to offer you some help too.

Here are some signs that your door lock is broken and you’re going to need a locksmith to come out and help.

Door Won’t Lock

One of the first and not obvious signs that your door isn’t working as it should is that the lock won’t work. You turn the key and nothing happens. It’s stuck. No matter what you try, the door just swings right open anyway.

Key Spins in the Lock

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is the instance of your key just spinning round and round when inserted into the lock. Again, this issue means there’s an obvious problem to address or an entirely new lock needing to be installed.

The Knob Wiggles

Even if the door closes okay and the lock seems to work, there could be an issue that puts home security at risk. A wiggling doorknob is a telltale sign that the lock is malfunctioning. Whether it’s loose screws or bolts or something else is happening, it’s best to address the problem with a professional as soon as possible or risk an intruder easily forcing their way in through a damaged door.

Don’t let any of these reasons worry you into thinking that a solution to your door issues is complicated. Our team of professionals will be there to your Bridgeport location promptly to assist you with broken locks, rekeying and entry into your home or business.

Get in touch today!

business door lock

Business Security Tips to Protect Building Access

Business owners need to make security a top priority. Threats are everywhere, and being careless can lead to lost money, inventory, or data, as well as injuries to employees or customers. Focusing on your company’s physical security can keep your business and everyone who works there or visits safe.

Restrict and Control Access

If you operate a business that is open to the general public, you need to carefully secure storage rooms, record rooms, and computers containing sensitive information. If you operate a business where customers do not routinely visit and where only employees are generally on-site, you need to control access to the building, and possibly the entire property. Security cameras can help you keep tabs on anyone who enters or tries to enter secured areas.

You can make sure that only authorized personnel enter sensitive areas by providing employees with keyless entry access cards. This system offers several benefits over traditional locks and keys.

With a keyless entry system, you can grant individual employees access to different areas based on their roles in the company. You will have an electronic record of who entered each area and when to help you narrow down a pool of potential suspects if theft or vandalism occurs. In addition, if an electronic keycard is lost or stolen, you can simply deactivate the card instead of replacing locks and issuing all employees new keys. If an employee quits or is fired, you can deactivate that person’s access card in a matter of seconds.

Conduct Routine Training and Periodic Security Reviews

Implementing security procedures is important, but those procedures will only work if employees understand and follow them. Hold regular meetings to discuss potential threats, procedures that are currently in place, the reasons for them, and penalties if they are not followed. Encourage employees to report any suspicious activity they notice.

You should routinely review your access control procedures and figure out if they are as effective as they could be. Sometimes circumstances and needs change. For example, if you hire more people or reorganize internally, you may need to reconfigure your access control measures to keep vital areas secure. If you become aware of a security threat, you may need to implement new procedures. Technology may advance and new products may become available that could make your business more secure.

Install a Keyless Entry System

Keyless entry is one of the best ways to control access to your business. With electronic cards, you can control who has access to each area and know who entered each building or room and when. All American Locksmiths can install a keyless entry system at your Connecticut or New York business to keep your employees, customers, property, and data safe. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule an installation.

house doors

How to Stop Doors in Your Home from Locking

Few things are more frustrating than being locked out with no idea how you’re going to get back into your home or car. We cover this topic in-depth in most of our blog posts as it’s the emergency most people are looking to solve. However, what about those pesky doors in your home.

You know the ones that lock on their own and you have to try to pick or wedge to get back open. Closets, bedroom doors or the bathroom door that sticks right when you really need to get to the other side of it.

For all those cases when you can’t get a door to stop locking or sticking on its own, it might be time to consider having a locksmith come out to assess the issue and replace or repair the door hardware and locks.

How to tell it’s time to change the locks

If you’ve been wondering whether or not changing the locks or upgrading the doors in your home is a wise idea, here are some sure signs it’s time to call a locksmith.

– The door doesn’t close properly into the frame.

Whether you notice that the door is bumping against the frame or that reopening it after being shut is extra difficult, there might be an issue with the molding, framing, ground or even the door coming unhinged itself. Since there could be a serious danger of a door coming out and falling over, it’s critical to have this problem checked and fixed ASAP.

– Lock no longer works when turned.

If you think that just because your doors are older, and it’s okay that the lock doesn’t work when it’s turned because you don’t lock doors in the house anyways, think again. If the lock is broken it could also mistakenly lock and create a troublesome situation when you need access. Don’t let these things go unnoticed until there’s an accident.

– Door Sticks Constantly

One sure sign that there is an issue with the lock or the door is that it sticks. Much like the door that gets caught up in the frame when trying to close it, this issue happens as wood swells or even as kids rough play and swing around the doors so much that the hinges fall out of alignment or screws to come loose.

How to Stop Doors in Your Home from Locking

You could look up how-to videos or other information in a pinch to try and remedy the problem of doors locking in your home, but really you’re putting yourself and your family at risk. Having full functioning doors and locks in the home is critical for the safety of all inside.  Do yourself a favor and leave this one to the skilled professionals.

Call All American Locksmiths

We’ve been providing prompt and trustworthy locksmith services in the Connecticut and Westchester County area for years. We service towns including Bedford, Chappaqua, and Fairview.  For all your emergency situations and non-urgent locksmith needs, our technicians are here to help!

Contact us today!