Safes are a specialist item that you cannot “do it yourself” to try and save money.
Ultimately it could end up costing owners more as they cause further damage and it means a job that would have been straight forward for our safe engineers will be more complicated.
Here are a two examples of safes that owners have attempted to open without success. Customers often try to drill the locks off, however if you do not drill in the correct places you end up setting off the internal security locks.
#locksmith #northeast #Newcastle #locallocksmith
Compare that to the next set of pictures, here I have picked open the safe with no damage, then either new keys or a new lock fitted and customer has their safe back good as new. Often safe engineers will charge a set price for openings, and this is the expertise and skill that you are paying for.
Do you need a safe opening in Newcastle Upon Tyne? Find out how we can help by giving us a quick call or why not Get a free online quote
Iain
Lock snapping involves breaking of the lock or cylinder hardware using physical force of any sort. This is one of the ways by which burglars can gain entry into homes and they can execute it quickly using simple tools such as hammers and screwdrivers.
Euro Profile cylinder locks are mostly fitted on UPVC and composite doors in houses and homeowners need to be careful in such cases. After forcible breaking, the locking mechanism is then exposed allowing manual disengagement of the lock. This is a serious threat not only to property but also your family’s safety.
If you have identified that your doors are fitted with Euro Profile cylinder lock, then you may want to change it altogether a more secure kind of lock. There is a multitude of door locks commercially available depending on the amount of security you require.
You can upgrade to BSI kite marked Euro Cylinder locks these can be Anti Snap, Anti bump and anti pick. Furthermore they can be put on a restricted section, so no keys can be cut without your permission.
These locks can also be keyed all on 1 key so all your front, back & conservatory doors can all work on 1 key.
Should you want your home security surveyed and a price to upgrade the locks then please do not hesitate to contact me on 0191 268 8009 or 07772623891 or submit an enquiry online by clicking here
Having large amounts of cash at home may keep you safe from online fraud and bank charges, but then there’s always an outside chance of fire or theft. So, for those who want to keep their cash at home, it’s far more sensible to invest in a decent safe.
First off, it’s important to check the fine print of your contents insurance policy before deciding on the right way forward.
Most insurance providers will only cover a fairly small amount of cash in the home if it is not kept in a safe. So if there’s a fire or you’re robbed, you may find that you’re only covered for the first £250-£500, and you may well be underinsured.
Insurance providers will obviously make more concessions for money kept in a safe, as there will be less risk of a claim arising. However, as much as a safe is recommended for jewellery, personal family heirlooms and a modest amount of cash, it’s probably best not to keep your life savings in it.
Firstly get a safe which is big enough for the volume of valuables you intend to put in it!
Beyond that, it’s worth considering just how robust the safe in question is. Every safe has a cash rating or a grade, which broadly indicates how secure it is.
So, for example, a safe with a cash rating of £6,000 will be tougher to break into than one with a cash rating of £1,000. Whatever cash rating it is the jewellery-valuables rating will be 10 times its cash rating.
However, it is important to bear in mind that this rating only tells you how secure a safe is considered to be… It does not necessarily have a bearing on how much of its contents will be covered by your insurance policy. So, before committing to buying a safe, check against your policy first. Some policies may cover you for a cash value beyond your safe’s rating, but some may cover you for less.
It’s possible to get lightweight, compact safes which you could store in your cupboard or attic and so on, these do cost more, for more heavyweight safes, you should follow the Safe Engineers advice on where to position it within your home.
You many need to anchor the safe to the ground or to a wall. That way, any opportunistic burglars won’t simply carry it away with a view to trying to open it later away from your property. Plus, a safe’s cash rating only applies when the safe is correctly installed.
Safes can be opened and locked in a variety of different ways, so it’s up to you to choose which method suits you best. You could go for a traditional key, an electronic type pad, or even one which recognises your fingerprint.
If you have any questions or would like to look into getting a house hold safe please feel free to contact me
Have you changed your locks since you moved home?
Recent surveys have suggested that up to 80% of residents have not had thier locks changed when they moved home
When you stop and think about it, you have no idea how many previous owners have had keys or who they have gave keys to, such as to friends and family.
11% of people move home each year (an average of moving 8 times in a lifetime) meaning that there are an awful lot of people out there with keys for someone else’s property.
Statistics show that 6 out of 10 burglaries are now carried out through the front or back doors of homes in the UK – a lot of these without any noticeable damage, suggesting that the burglars have had previous knowledge or possibly even keys for the house.
So if you haven’t changed your locks since moving in, give us a call 07772623891
Emergency locksmiths do not take a deposit over the phone for a job. Payment is usually on completion.
Companies not in your area will give you a reference number (REF NO XXX) this job is then sub contracted to non specialists. Be aware they are likely to cause more damage to your lock/door, and charge more.
Check for reviews and testimonials on independent sites such as Yell or Google
A good locksmith will be able to give you a price range for the job from a detailed description of the problem. They will also check prices with you before commencement of any job.
Look for membership of professional body such as SAVTA or MLA.
Have you thought about your house security?
Is your address on social media?
Do you post that you away on holiday, with your location and for how long?
Who has access to your social media?
Consider removing these as they can be used by unscrupulous individuals who will target your hard earned possessions.
Remove address from social media, and review your security settings
Do not advertise that you going away on any social media.
Have BSI fitted cylinders to your property
Invest in a home safe to secure all your important documents and valuables, not a cheap safe from high-street DIY Stores.
Invest in a CCTV system; this can be networked to your phones when you are on holidayIf you want any of the above supplied and fitted please do not hesitate to contact me for a survey/price
Have peace of mind that your home is secure as it can be and you can relax on holiday
Don’t wait until you’re locked out at night to contact a locksmith. If you are prepared, you can find a good company and keep their details to hand.
Know ahead of time who you’d call, should you ever have a need for this kind of service. Keep that number in your phone, wallet, purse and car. Once you have identified potential companies, use Google and yell for impartial testimonials and feedback and select a company that is well established with good customer reviews.
Many people look for phone numbers with local dialling codes, please bear in mind that if you are asked to quote a reference number on enquiry, this is likely to refer to the area you calling from and that company is not local and you have contacted a national call centre who will pass this work on.
Be wary of 0800 and Freephone numbers and having to quote a reference number, or if they request a deposit over the phone prior to any locksmith visit on site. These are all tricks that companies use to get the call booked in and then you may wait all day for someone to turn up.
Clarify call out, hourly rate and parts charges, many companies claim not to have call out charges, however they charge for every 15/30 minutes and this soon results in a hefty bill and likely to include hidden costs. Before agreeing to any job, make sure you get information about any extra charges such as for mileage, service call out minimum time or emergency hours.
Reputable locksmiths should be able to give an estimate of cost and diagnosis of the likely problem over the phone. Once on site they should diagnose the full problem and give any unforeseen costs before proceeding
Any good locksmith should have full public liability insurance and carry some form of ID If required. If a company promises to be with you within 15 minutes and are not, the likelihood is that they won’t be with you as they are not local and you should call them. A good locksmith that is delayed will call ahead.
Check the locksmith’s vehicle; it should be marked with the company details.
A good locksmith should not cause damage to your property when carrying out the work and any additional work needs to be agreed in advance.
