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Protecting Your Apartment from Break-ins

Even if your apartment building has surveillance cameras and buzzers, it can still be vulnerable to burglars. A multi-layered security system can make it easy to become complacent and make careless mistakes which allow thieves to steal valuables. Here are some tips to keep your belongings safe.

Make Sure Only People You Trust Have Keys

Before you move into a new apartment, make sure the lock has been changed or rekeyed. A former tenant, plus his or her family members and friends, could still have keys. That means that if the lock wasn’t changed or rekeyed, a stranger could potentially walk into your apartment at any time.

If you lose a key in or near your apartment building, or if you lose your key and identification together, contact the landlord or management company immediately and ask to have the lock changed. You may have to pay a fee, but it’s better than having someone waltz into your home and steal your expensive possessions.

Lock up Your Apartment

It only takes a moment for a burglar to enter an apartment, grab valuables, and disappear. Thieves are often able to get into homes because people leave their doors or windows unlocked. Always lock your apartment, even if you are just going to get your mail or to talk to a neighbor down the hall. Keep windows locked, especially if you live on the ground floor. If you have a sliding door, use a pole in the track to improve security.

Know Who Belongs There

Get to know your neighbors, as well as apartment staff and maintenance workers. Note unfamiliar faces and report any suspicious activity to management or to the police. If you need to go away, ask a neighbor you trust to keep an eye on your apartment.

Hide Valuables

If someone is coming to install or fix something in your apartment, hide valuables, such as a laptop, jewelry, and credit cards. Even if the person doesn’t steal anything at that time, he or she could be looking for valuables to come back and steal later.

Make People Think You’re Home

If you need to be away from your apartment for a while, or if you work at night, creating the impression that someone is home can deter burglars. You can set timers or use a smartphone app to control the lights from any location.

Make Security a Top Priority

All American Locksmiths serves residential and commercial customers in Connecticut and New York. We service the county of Litchfield, Waterbury, Norwalk and more! We can change or rekey locks in apartment buildings if a new tenant is moving in or if someone loses a key, and we can help tenants who accidentally lock themselves out. If you are a landlord interested in improving security or a tenant in need of emergency assistance, contact All American Locksmiths. We are available 24/7 to help with all your security needs.

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Locksmiths Open More than Just Doors

We talk a lot on this blog about the ways you can gain access back to your car or home when you’ve lost your keys or if the lock suddenly becomes broken. As a professional locksmith company, we make it our priority to ensure customers get speedy, trusted services and regain their peace of mind.

While the bulk of door issues usually involve a car, business or home, there are other fixes we can do too when it comes to locks.

Safes and high-security locks, for example, are another important area where a trusted locksmith can be of service.

Safes at your home or business can be used to store sensitive documents, money even guns. Keeping these items protected and the safe working only for authorized users is critical.

Doors that grant access to specialized areas also make use of high-security locks. This can include special storefront locks, keyless entry systems, and even flush bolts. Keeping these systems working safely and efficiently at all times is important.

Here are some types of safes and other high-security locks we service:

  • Depository Safes
  • Gun Safes
  • Fireproof Safes
  • Floor Safes
  • Wall Safes

Need a locksmith to open your safe?

Be sure to buy your locks and safes from a company you trust and that you have a plan ready in case something happens. Nothing’s worse than knowing you could have done something sooner to avoid havoc.

Our professionally trained staff can come out to your location and help grant you access back into your safe or security locks. We serve Connecticut towns including: Bethlehem, Plymouth, Torrington and more – as well as all of Westchester County, New York.

Contact us today!

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Lock Stuck? Open Your Door Safely with These Three Tips

A jammed lock is more than just an annoyance. It can mean standing on the front doorstep, whether at home or at work, for a long time. It can mean missed appointments, missed phone calls and even missed workdays. In some cases, it can put you, your family or your coworkers in danger.

There are many causes for a stuck lock, and they might include extreme weather conditions, corrosion in the form of rust, or old and faulty keys that might break and get stuck in the lock.

The following are some common causes for stuck locks, and some remedies.

Is the key correct?

It may sound a bit silly, but locksmiths attending to “stuck” locks often find that someone’s been attempting to open a lock with the wrong key. Before you try and jam the key into the lock again, be sure you’re using the right key or, if possible, try someone else’s key.

Is the lock frozen?

In winter when temps go below freezing, keys may not work until the lock is warmed to a certain temperature. Try breathing on the key or aiming a warm stream from a hairdryer at it, and attempt to open the lock once more.

Does the lock need lubrication?

Use a silicone thread lubricant you can find at a hardware store to try and moisten the jammed lock, which should make it easier to insert the key. You may also wish to try putting a small dot of graphite in the keyhole if you still can’t get the key in. Important tip: once you’ve applied graphite to the key, try to open the jammed lock several times so the graphite has a chance to work properly.

Call a Professional Locksmith Service

If you still can’t get the lock open, or if the key breaks in the lock, you’ll need to call a professional locksmith. We serve Connecticut and Westchester County, New York residential, commercial and automotive customers for emergency lockout services and lock maintenance.

Here are just some of the towns in CT that we serve: Durham, Killingworth, Middletown, Portland – and more.

We are a family-owned and operated locksmith business. We care about every job and offer professional, reliable, fast, and affordable service to the community. For more information, visit our web site or call us at 203-752-1464.