House Lock Audit: 3 Checks You Should Perform
Posted on: 25 April 2016
When was the last time you evaluated the security of the locks that protect your belongings and family members from intruders? Consider the following three issues when you carry out the next audit of the security of the locks in your home.
How Deep Are Deadbolt Holes?
You may have heeded the advice to install deadbolt locks in order to make your home more secure. You may have also installed those deadbolt locks yourself. How sure are you that you installed them correctly? One test that can help you to know how well you installed those locks is to check how deep the holes of the deadbolt are. Get a small stick and push it into the hole in the wall where the bolt goes once you engage it. Mark off the depth of that hole on the stick. Next, engage the deadbolt when the door is open. Place the stick against the extended bolt and find out if the length of the bolt is the same as the depth of the hole. Make the hole deeper if you find that it cannot accommodate the entire deadbolt. This action will ensure that the deadbolt can do its work of preventing any forced entry into your home.
How Are Your Windows Secured?
Many windows come with simple latches that help to keep the window closed once the latch is engaged. Those latches may be sufficient if the window cannot be accessed from outside, such as windows on an upstairs room. However, a latch may not provide effective protection if it is on a sliding window that can be accessed from outside, such as a window on the ground floor. It is better to install an additional locking mechanism, such as deadbolt lock, so that the windows are more secure from intruders who may try to open them from outside.
Can You Account for All Keys?
Many homeowners make several copies of keys and give a key to each family member. Some homeowners even give a neighbour a key so that it can be used in an emergency. As you do a lock audit, try to account for all copies of your house's keys. Do all people still have the keys that you gave them? Re-key your locks if someone misplaced a set of keys that you gave him or her. Those keys may be in the possession of someone who can steal things from your house while you are away.
The audit above can give you a broad idea about how well your locks are protecting your home from intruders. However, you should also ask a locksmith to conduct a professional audit of your doors and locks. That detailed audit will be based upon to give you recommendations about how you can improve the locking system of your home.
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