Tag: Locksmith

Avoiding a Burglary

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Since a burglary occurs every 15 seconds in the U.S. it means that a burglary is taking place right now. Over a dozen homes are currently being burglarized. This is staggering but true. The key to avoiding a burglary from occurring is to make your home appear unappealing to potential thieves. It doesn’t mean that your home should look like a dump or a shack; it should just appear very difficult for them to gain access. Since they need time and opportunity, the more security you have the less time they have to figure it all out. They will just move on to the next property with less complicated procedures to go through in order to gain access inside.

 

You may think that if someone wants to get in, they will. This isn’t always true. If you take the job of securing your home seriously and adhere to some of these practical ways to avoid a burglary, you can actually stop anyone who thinks their getting in from actually being able to.

 

Visible Locks on Doors and Windows

In most cases, burglars get in through doors or windows. They don’t walk through walls. This is why it is a good idea to have locks that are visible on all your windows and doors that they can gain access through from the outside. Invest in reliable, sturdy locks. Remember, you don’t want to make things easy for them. Having durable loc

ks means it would be a lot more time consuming for them to break. There are some brands that make more durable locks than others. Consult with a Palatine, IL locksmith at Locksmith Service Palatine where they can advise you of the most reliable brands.

 

Secure All Doors

You would think that this is common sense 101 but for some people, it isn’t quit that simple. Some people think that just because their garage door is closed that no one can gain access into their home through their garage and thus they fail to lock the door from the garage into their home. Even when you are at home and you have the door open. Lock the screen door. When you’re not looking someone could jam something in between your door without your even knowing it. Perhaps they innocently walk up to your home acting as though they were looking for someone, simply to gain access to your door. Your doors should all have deadbolts on them. This serves as another layer of protection. They are the most durable types of brands on the market. If you like to leave your screen doors unlocked, just make sure you have a anti-entry device installed on all of your screen doors so that they are not able to remove the frame of the door.

 

Security Checks

Since many locksmith services also install numerous security features, they are a good way to find out if you have all of the security features that you’ll need to avoid a burglary. They usually know what works and what doesn’t sense they have seen it all before. They are also able to offer you practical solutions for your security concerns. They inspect the interior and exterior of your home to make a determination about the level of security you require in order to avoid a burglary.

 

Security Cameras

Surveillance cameras are no longer just for businesses. In recent years they have become more affordable to homeowners. It is a great idea to have the cameras installed because the last thing a thief wants is to be taped while committing a crime. There are basic surveillance cameras and there are more high-tech cameras that enable you to monitor them from any PC. Some can even alert the proper authorities if non-authorized people are on your property.

 

Home Alarm Systems

It may sound silly but when someone has an alarm services signage in front of your home, this can sometimes be enough to stop a burglar dead in their tracks. You can have a standard alarm system installed that will alert you when someone is in your home or you can have a system that monitors your homes activity and notifies the police for you. Home alarm systems offer you the best degree of security possible.

 

Lights

Make sure you can illuminate as much of the exterior of your home as possible. Don’t allow anyone to come on your property without shinning a spot light on them. If they step foot on your property, the light should be activated and scare the off. These are known as floodlights. They cover a wide spread area.

 

Durable Doors

Have you ever heard of someone’s door being kicked in? This is common in some areas and this is why you should make sure you invest in durable doors. The door is as important as the looks that you place on them. If you’re unable to get the doors that you need all at once, get one and then just continue to add them as money becomes available. Don’t put it off, start preparing for the worst today by getting your first durable door now.

 

Safes

If you are dealing with a very cleaver burglar, who may have worked in the industry and know how to maneuver through all of the things you’ve had installed to avoid a burglary, do yourself a favor by investing in a good safe. So even if they make it inside, they will only be able to get what they can quickly get to. They won’t usually take a safe, especially if you have it bolted to the floor. It isn’t worth the time and effort needed to get inside.

 

There is no sure fire way to completely avoid a burglary because you could have guest over and they could walk away with something. You might have workers in side your home that could also walk away with something. However, you can do minimize the chance of a burglary by taking into consideration some of the suggestions we’ve provided.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT COMMERCIAL SAFE

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When you have a commercial building, it’s absolutely critical that you protect the important documents, irreplaceable valuables, and crucial data belonging to your business. A top-quality commercial safe is often an effective strategy for most companies.

When there are so many kinds of safes and safe locks, how can you know what’s best for you? It’s vital that you do your homework, and ask the right questions.

Palatine Safe Lock

1       How big should your safe be?

You could just pile up everything you want to put into it, and measure it. The problem is, in general, the safe you need is probably much larger than you think. Consult with a professional about which items ought to be stored in your safe. Then you’ll be able to figure out mathematically how much space is required.

2       What’s the value of the items you’ll store in your safe?

The value of your items will obviously affect the level of security you need.

The standard categories of safe classes will play a major role in your insurance coverage and any claims. The coverage increases according to the class of the safe. The class of a safe ~ from TL15 (about $150,000 of coverage) to TRTL60X6 (approximately $2 million or more of coverage) ~ is determined by:

  • area testing (the level of how easy it is to get in the front door, or all the sides);
  • torch resistance;
  • tool resistance (the level of resistance to a thief’s carbide drills, picking tools, hand tools, and electric or mechanical tools); and
  • time testing (how long it takes a safe cracker to break in).

A TL15 rating means that the door of the safe can successfully resist entry for a net assault time of 15 minutes by a burglar with common hand tools, picking tools, drills, grinders, mechanical or electric portable tools, or pressure devices. Most business owners prefer to have a safe that’s class TL30 or higher, which means a safe that’s time-tested to at least 30 minutes or higher.

3       Do you want fire protection?

Palatine Commercial Locksmith

Besides standard classes for commercial safes, there are also formal fire ratings. No safe is totally fireproof; but there are numerous levels of fire resistance. Safes are tested and certified according to how much time they can guard your valuables inside from fire. A fire rating of 1 hour or more is the ideal. During a fire, safes rated to protect paper documents cannot get any hotter than 350 degrees Fahrenheit on the inside.

A safe that provides you with optimal fire protection along with substantial theft protection will have a door and walls made of steel, housed in a layer of composite material that’s as tough as concrete. There must be a fire seal on the door, which blocks out most moisture from getting in the safe over time, to minimize corrosion and rust. If a fire occurs, the fire seal will expand, sealing out smoke and flames, and also keeping water from entering the safe (Water might be sprayed on the safe to extinguish a fire).

A point to remember is that if you have a safe with a low-to-moderate level of fire resistance, it essentially won’t provide very much theft protection. If you desire both theft protection and fire resistance, then you’ll need a premium-quality composite-fire safe, a burglar-fire safe, or a high-security TL-rated fire safe.

4       What type of safe do you need?

  • A depository safe (also known as a drop safe), is a popular safe often used by restaurants and retail businesses. You can drop cash, or other small items, such as keys or receipts, into the safe through a little door at the top of the safe, which doesn’t allow access to the main safe compartment. The only way to open the door is by entering the correct credentials.
  • An office safe is also common for restaurants and retailers. Freestanding, or bolted to the floor, this safe typically has a rather high fire rating. This is a good safe that can’t be opened by repeated dropping.
  • An in-floor safe is hidden in concrete, adding an extra level of security. One drawback is that it provides minimal fire protection, because there isn’t a fire board to dissipate the heat. Therefore, if you need to protect any papers or cash, you should choose a burglar-fire safe, a free-standing composite-fire safe, or a high-security burglar-fire safe, which has a 1- to 2-hour fire rating. Anchor it into a concrete floor with bolts.
  • A wall safe is also very well concealed. You can easily hide your safe behind a picture. Nevertheless, a wall safe in not your most secure choice, since it’s attached to the studs in the wall, so it could be cut or pried out by an experienced crook. This safe’s only fire protection is limited to the sheetrock in your wall.
  • A data or media safe is for efficiently protecting your business information. It’s obviously imperative to safeguard your electronic devices from fire and theft. Computer disks, drives, and all other digital media are sensitive to temperature changes, so you’ll want a safe whose interior won’t exceed 125 degrees Fahrenheit or go over 85% humidity.
  • A high-security safe will include a good number of barriers to prevent drilling. They’ll also have additional locking mechanisms that will deploy if a robber tries to force the safe open. A maximum level of security comes with a hefty price, but depending on your circumstances ~ if you have a jewelry store, for instance ~ then it’s definitely wise to keep the heart of your business well secured.

5       What kind of safe lock is right for you?

Safes have different sorts of locks ~ combination dial, redundant, electronic, biometric, and so forth.

6       How do you make your final choice?

There are a lot of factors to consider before you buy your commercial safe ~ actually even more than we’ve discussed here. Once you choose, where you place your safe is also important. To avoid being scammed, do your research first, consulting only with reputable sources. If you’re anywhere in Palatine, Illinois, then you may want to hire a reliable mobile professional safe technician on staff at Locksmith Service Palatine.