There are many times when you need to change your locks. But while many people don’t even think about changing them when they are in one of these situations, but if you don’t, you are making yourself and your family more vulnerable to thieves and other criminals. Here is a look at the top reasons to get your locks changed and for even more information.
Change of Employee
Change your locks if someone you have employed no longer works for you. This includes gardeners, house cleaners, babysitters and other people you might have given a key for access to your home. You cannot be sure that they have not made copies and could return to clean you out.
Loss of a Key
If you lose your key, then you need to replace the whole locking system as a chance is that someone who knows your house might have taken them and has ill attention. There have been many reported cases of stolen and lost keys that end up in the wrong person and end results become a break-in and theft. So every time you misplace or lose your key, replace the entire lock with immediate effect.
House remodeling
Change your locks if you remodel your home and give a key to a contractor. No matter how reliable you think your contractor is, you can’t guarantee that he won’t make a copy of your key and give it to his workers or other people you do not know. You can’t control what your contractor does with your key, so as soon as your renovations are complete, rekey the locks.
Moving to a new house
Moving into a new house is one of the automatic times when you should change your locks. Many people understand the need for this precaution, but if you don’t think you need to change them after a move, think again. You can never be sure that the previous resident turned over every single key ever made. It is simply not worth worrying about someone you do not know having a copy of a key to your house. Change them and be done with it. Otherwise, even your home security system can’t provide the protection you need. Moving vans are a very large and obvious sign that new people are moving into a house – and both opportunist and ‘career’ burglars take very close note of what is being moved into your new home. Many times there has been break-in on the same weekend that new owners have taken possession of their house. It is more than a co-incidence! So when you move in remember that you are not the first one to rent that house. While many of the previous renters are normal, decent and law-abiding, there is a small minority that makes use of copied or unreturned keys to enter a property with the intention of taking what they can from the new occupiers.
Divorce
When you divorce or separate from your loved one, you need to change your locks. Given the anger and emotional distress that goes along with a separation or divorce, your spouse may decide to revenge by stealing away some of your precious possessions or documents. So take note of that and change all your house lock anytime you separate with your loved one as you may never know his or her intention given the fact that this is someone who knows a lot about you and every corner and detail of your house.
Break-ins
One of the best ways to prevent the recurrence of break-ins is to change your locks anytime your house has been broken into. Chances are very high that those who broke in still have a spare key of your house or might have taken one when they forcefully broke into your house. If someone has a key, no one is going to think twice about someone entering your house when you’re not home. After all, if a person has a key, he’s supposed to be there, right? You know the answer is that not everyone who has a key has permission to enter your house, so change the locks and make your house more secure.
Change of tenant
Finally, if you are a landlord, change the keys when your tenants move out. They might give you a key back, but you can’t be sure they didn’t make one or more copies. Change the locks immediately after your tenant leaves so you can better ensure the safety of your new tenants.
