APARTMENT HALLWAY

Apartment Lock Out: Here’s what to Do

So you finally convinced your friends to move in with you so you can split the rent and live like adults. Congrats! Now you have an apartment all your own.

While you’re enjoying the freedom and new-found responsibilities, maybe there are a few things you’re just discovering – liking mixing white clothes and colors really does leave the laundry looking dingy like mom always said it would. Or, perhaps remembering to keep your apartment keys in eyesight at all times is a must…because if you leave them sitting on the coffee table and lock the door behind you to go for a run, you’ll come back to sitting in an empty hallway with no way of getting in.

Maybe you’ve locked yourself out more times than you’d care to admit.

This time you don’t want to call the landlord again or even ask your parents for help. You want to figure it out all by yourself this time.

Here’s what to do when you lock yourself out of your apartment and want to get back in:

  1. Keep Calm – It’s easy to get frustrated, annoyed or even disappointed with yourself if you’re locked out but the most important thing you can do in these situations is to stay calm so that you have a clear head to think of the best option to get back in.
  2. Call Your Roommate – It was a good idea to share the apartment with roommates chances are one of them can let you back in to retrieve your keys. That is if they aren’t also annoyed with constantly having to come bail you out. If you don’t feel like calling them for help either – there’s still hope.
  3. Call a Local Locksmith – Locksmiths are there for this specific purpose. To help you gain reentry into whatever you’ve been locked out of. It’s their job to fix, access and even recommend updates to locks.

Keep in mind that you are in an apartment so you don’t technically own the space and might even need your landlord’s permission anyway to get back in. Know your contract terms in advance so you know exactly what you can and can’t do in this situation.

All American Locksmiths serves the Connecticut and Westchester, NY area offering reliable and dependable locksmith services for everything from car lockouts to residential and even commercial services. Wherever you are and whatever you need, you can count on us to come to get your issue resolved promptly.

REQUEST SERVICE TODAY!

burglary

Lock Safety and Tips to Prevent Home Burglaries

Home burglaries can occur in any neighborhood. Many homeowners underestimate their risk or inadvertently make their houses easy targets. There are several simple habits you can establish that can make your home less likely to be burglarized.

Secure Doors and Windows

Locking your doors and windows may seem obvious, but many people get careless or develop a false sense of security. Thieves often enter a house through an unsecured door. If you are going to leave your house, even for a short time, lock the doors. It’s also a good idea to keep the doors locked when you are home so someone can’t barge in and catch you off guard. Always secure patio doors and keep your garage door closed unless someone is going in or out.

First-floor windows are other frequent entry points for burglars. Keep windows locked, especially if you are planning to go out. Windows that you open should have screens to keep someone from slipping inside. If your home has a window or door leading from the garage or porch to the rest of the house, always keep it locked.

Don’t Make Your Home a Target

Don’t advertise valuables inside your house to potential thieves. If someone walking or driving down the street could see your TV or stereo through a window, use blinds to block the view.

If you are planning to go away on vacation, don’t make it obvious. Have the post office hold your mail or have a neighbor pick it up daily. Use a timer to automatically turn lights on in the evening and off in the morning. Set it for a random pattern so it will seem that people are home. If you will be away for an extended period of time, have someone take care of your lawn and remove snow so it won’t be apparent that the house is unoccupied. Don’t talk about a trip on social media until you have returned.

Call a Locksmith

If you recently moved into a new home, have the locks changed or rekeyed by a professional locksmith. You never know who might still have a key for an existing lock. If you lose your keys along with your identification, have the locks changed or rekeyed immediately.

If your doors don’t currently have deadbolt or high-security locks, All American Locksmiths can install them to keep your home secure. We can inspect your current locks and recommend any other changes that could improve security. One of our locksmiths can also change or rekey the locks if you have any concerns about safety.

Contact All American Locksmiths today to discuss your options.

vacation

Lock Your Home Securely for Summer Vacation

The summer season is arguably one of the favorite times of the year for most. It’s not only when most of the nation experiences hot, sunshine and dry days, but it’s also vacation season. Schools out for those with kids, most who like to travel can do so with beach days lined up and of course, it means no work or boring responsibilities for a few days.

While we certainly are all for fun and advocate vacations as a great way to decompress, there are some things you must keep in mind before you take off when it comes to keeping your home secure while you’re gone.

Don’t forget that while the average person is only thinking about sun and fun come summer, criminals also know this is prime time when many people will be away from extended periods of time.

Here are some tips to lock up your home properly before going on vacation.

Double and Triple Check Every Access Point is Locked

Before leaving on your trip do a perimeter check around the entire home to ensure you haven’t missed locking any door window or another access point where someone could walk into your home. It also helps to use security monitoring systems. Many on the market today will even alert you via text when there’s movement on your property.

Never Advertise Your Extended Leave Publicly

While it’s okay to gloat about your trip, it’s never okay to tell people, especially on very public social networks your entire itinerary including how long and when you’ll be gone. You never know who can gain access to that data and use it as an opportunity to break into your home.

Too Late? Call a Locksmith!

The last thing you want to do is return home and realize your home’s been breached. The door lock is broken, or that your hidden spare key has gone missing. But if you do, we’re here to help! All American Locksmiths provides fast, dependable service for all of your business and residential lock needs.

Contact us today!