One of the first things you should always do when you move into a new home, is find the contact number of a trustworthy local emergency locksmith in Saltburn, as if you experience any kind of issue with security at your home, their help and guidance will undoubtedly prove invaluable.
On that note, once you’ve found a trusted locksmith operating locally, should you ask them to change the locks on your new home? If so, why?
What makes it so important to change the locks on your new home?
With the potential for multiple people to own a set of keys to your new home – from the previous owners, to the owners before them and anyone they might have given them to! – it’s imperative for your own safety that you have the locks changed, and ideally, before you start moving your family and belongings in.
All of the main entry points must be safe and secure, and if you notice that any of the locks are in bad condition, this is the perfect time not just to change them, but to upgrade them, too.
No matter how nice the previous owners may be, and how trustworthy they seem, how can you be sure that they haven’t given keys to other parties while they were residing them, and that those parties won’t use them for nefarious purposes? In fact, there’s literally no way of knowing sure just how many keys to your new home may be circulating – a sobering thought.
It’s also worth considering that should you be unfortunate enough to have your new home broken into and items stolen, the fact that you didn’t change the locks may well mean that your insurance claim isn’t valid, as they may perceive it that you didn’t take adequate steps to secure the property. Additionally, no insurer will pay out if it’s later discovered that a burglar or intruder entered your home using a key, instead of breaking and entering.
Are there any other occasions when you should have the locks changed?
While it isn’t a necessity in all circumstances, it’s generally advisable to change the locks to your home if you experience any of the following:
- Your keys are lost. This happens a lot, and unless you know where your keys are, anyone could, in theory, have access to them
- Someone has moved out of the property. This is a personal choice to make, but it’s worth remembering that anyone with keys who moves out, could re-enter the property whenever they wish.
- Your home was broken into. Changing the locks following a break in is a must.
- Your locks are old and worn. If they’re old and worn, chances are they may not always work effectively, or hold up against violent methods of entry used by criminals, in which case, lock repairs are essential.
- You simply want to feel safer in your own home. you should do whatever it takes to feel safe in your own home, and if this means changing the locks, so be it.
The decision to change the locks when you move into a new home is of course, entirely yours to make, but for peace of mind, it’s something that all reputable locksmiths recommend. At the end of the day, the cost of a lock change is nothing when compared to the feeling of safety and security that every homeowner erratichour.
