After purchasing a new home, preparations need to start for the move-in. Prior to the move-in process, you will have an opportunity to address any issues that need to be fixed. If appliances (A/C, Furnaces, kitchen appliances) are part of the deal, you’ll want to know what’s working, what needs replacing, and what can be repaired. The same thing can be said about things like doors, windows, and plumbing fixtures.
Another home feature you should focus on is home security. That should include looking at the home’s locks and electronic security system. The best time to inspect the home’s locks and electronic security system is prior to you making the big move. Think about it. Do you really want to occupy your new home without knowing just how safe you, your family, and your personal assets will be?
The right person to inspect your new home’s security systems is a professional locksmith. To be clear, it should be a locksmith that you would consider to be a “locksmith near me.” By securing the services of a local residential locksmith, you’ll benefit from the expertise of a technician who understands the security needs of the community.
To serve as extra motivation for you to hire a locksmith prior to moving into your new home, here are five (5) good reasons for doing so.
1. Rekey Locks
One of the first things any new homeowner should do is rekey the locks.
The quickest, easiest, a least expensive way to resolve this problem is to have a professional residential locksmith rekey your locks.
It’s something an experienced locksmith could do in half a day or less. Remember, you’ll want to rekey all locks on all doors and windows whether they are external or internal doors or windows. If you get all locks rekeyed prior to move-in day, it’s one big item you can check off your “move-in list.”
Not convinced? Here are four reasons why you should rekey your locks when buying a new house.
1. You Don’t Know Who a Key Has
Unless you are the first owner of your new home, there is a good chance they are prior owners and occupants who still have keys to existing locks. For you to continue allowing strangers to have access to your home would be irresponsible. Simply put, you, your family, and your personal assets would be at risk.
The previous homeowners may have given keys to family, friends, or even the neighbor’s kid, who always mows their lawn. You don’t know who has a copy of the key to your new home. So it’s best to change the locks to be safe.
2. The Locks May Be Worn
The locks on your new home may be old and worn. They could be easy to pick or bump. Changing the locks will give you peace of mind knowing that your home is secure.
3. It’s a Fresh Start
A new home is a fresh start. Why not start fresh with new locks? This way, you can be sure that only you and your family have keys to your home.
4. It’s Inexpensive and Easy
Changing the locks on your new home is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to increase your home’s security. So there’s no reason not to do it! You’ve spent 10k on the new kitchen counter; why not invest a few hundred bucks into new keys and locks?
2. Inspect, Repair, and Replace Existing Locks
As part of the rekeying process, you should request that your locksmith technician inspect/test every lock in the house. This affords them the opportunity to identify locks that are broken, unsecured, or outdated. They can also identify locks that don’t seem to have any working keys.
After gathering the prescribed information, a good professional locksmith should be able to make suggestions related to repairing or replacing existing locks. Setting the cost factor aside, you would be well-advised to follow their recommendations as best as you can.
There are two other things you might want to consider. The first would be going with highly-efficient state-of-the-art locks that include extra security features. Second, you might want to consider going with a master key-locking system. It’s a great way to reduce the number of keys you have to carry on your person.
3. Provide Replacement and Duplicate Keys
Assuming your locks are in good working order, it would be a good idea to make sure you have keys for all locks. In fact, you might want to consider making sure you have plenty of duplicates available because lost key issues can leave you in some very difficult predicaments.
By calling a high-end residential locksmith, you should get a response from a fully-equipped mobile locksmith unit. The unit should be equipped with raw key inventory and the right machines to cut keys right there while you wait if you are missing some original keys, no worries. Professional locksmiths can still make duplicates without the original keys.
4. Provide Security Recommendations
As you look around your new empty home, you might start thinking about how you can keep your home, family, and possessions as safe as possible. This would be a very good time to consult with a home security expert, someone like an experienced professional locksmith. Consider this a must-do if your home lacks modern security features.
The locksmith’s dictate should be to inspect your home with an eye on making it as secure as possible. That would open the door to them coming back with recommendations related to modern locking systems and electronic surveillance devices. As long as you give them a budget number ahead of time, they should be able to come up with a viable security strategy.
5. Peace of Mind
Sometimes, you just need an expert to tell you that everything is ok. That’s something a professional locksmith could do after looking over the security features in your home. Once you have a professional locksmith’s “seal of approval,” you should find it easier to sleep at night.