Spare House Keys
It’s always important to have a spare house key in case you lose your main one. However, one common mistake many homeowners make is hiding their spare key within their property. You may think you’ve hidden it well, but someone can still be able to find it and get inside your home.
Instead of leaving your spare house key unattended, you should entrust it to someone else. Of course, this person cannot be a stranger. They should also be someone reliable because this is a very important responsibility. With that said, here are the people you may want to consider to hold your spare house keys for you.
A Close Neighbour
One may think to give their spare house key to a family member. However, when your family lives far away, getting your spare key from them can be quite a hassle. This is why your neighbour can be a great option instead.
Of course, if you’ve never spoken to your neighbour or are not close to them, you may not want to entrust them with your spare house key. However, if you have a good relationship with your neighbours and find them to be reliable and trustworthy, they can act as a suitable guardian to your spare key.
The best part about it is the proximity. Since you live nearby or perhaps right next door, you can easily just walk to their house to get your spare house key when you’re in a pickle.
A Friend Living Nearby
If you don’t really trust your neighbours enough to entrust them with your spare house key, you may look for a friend that lives nearby. Perhaps you have a trustworthy friend that doesn’t live too far away from you. This way, you can easily get to their house if you’ve accidentally locked yourself out of yours.
However, it’s important to choose which friend carefully. The best option is typically the best friend since they’re the one you have the strongest relationship with. However, if your best friend has a history of losing things or is not particularly responsible, you may consider another friend instead. Additionally, if the nearest friend is not someone you’re that close with yet, it may not also be a good idea to trust your spare key with them despite the proximity.
Your Parents
If your parents are in the same area or city as you, you may also consider entrusting your keys with them. After all, they’ve always had your back, and you can likely trust them when you’re in a sticky situation.
However, some parents can be quite invasive. And they may end up using your spare key for non-emergencies. If this is the case, it is quite understandable not to give your spare key to them.
If you live by yourself in a house or an apartment, you probably consider safety to be one of your top priorities. Even if you don’t live alone, the chances of someone in your household being home 24/7 are slim to none. You need to go to work, attend to personal errands, and fulfil social obligations every day.
While there’s nothing wrong with spending time away from home, long periods away can make your house more susceptible to cases of burglary. Crooks may be watching and planning the perfect time to hit while you’re off enjoying some drinks with friends.
There’s no need to live in fear, even if you live alone. By taking some smart security measures, you can ensure that you’re as safe as possible. Let’s take a look at eight tips to help you secure your home.
- Get the light right.
Lighting plays a great role in the security of your home. That said, you have to make sure you do it right. For one, it’s best to leave outdoor lighting on at night to deter possible intruders. It’s also important to know when to turn your lights on and off. That said, be smart about the times you turn it off as it can signal intruders that you aren’t home. If you live in a house, consider investing in an automatic porch light timer so that it can turn your light on and off, even when you’re away!
- Imply that you aren’t alone.
It isn’t a ridiculous idea to be living alone. A rule of thumb, however, is to not let any curbside strangers know that you’re alone. You can imply you aren’t alone with some lighting and gadgets. However, psychological tricks may be perfect for the job. For instance, if you’re a woman living alone, leave a pair of man’s boots in front of your door.
- Don’t assume lock security.
It’s never right to trust your locks completely. Many people are just happy they’ve got them at all and have no fears moving into a new house or apartment, so long as there are locks. However, it’s best to do an overhaul whenever you move into a new place and make sure only you and the landlord have the keys. Get in touch with an expert locksmith to help you secure your home and make sure to choose a high-quality option.
- Get proper lock reinforcements.
In some cases, changing your locks isn’t enough. Consider investing in lock reinforcements. Remember—a deadbolt is useless if your door isn’t much stronger than a plank. Make sure your door is sturdy and look into a good security system. If you can’t afford one, purchase a couple of signs or fake devices to make it appear as though you have a security system set in place.
- Don’t forget to secure your door.
This may seem basic, but you’d be surprised as to how many people fail to secure their doors every night. Even if you’re just running to the mailbox or taking out the trash, never leave your door unlocked. It’s easy for someone to slip into your home to steal or harm you in an instant.
- Lock up your window securely.
Remember—security doesn’t end at your door. Windows are said to be the weakest link in your security plan. They can be a fire hazard if you’re trying to get out. Make sure to check and have reinforced windows installed.
- Use social media wisely.
Know that there are online communities that can keep you informed about crime in the neighbourhood. Be sure to check on this from time to time. On that note, try to avoid flaunting expensive, fancy items on your social media accounts if possible. If a would-be burglar happens to see them, they may see stealing from you as an easy payday.
- Know the whole neighbourhood
Since you’re living alone, it’s even more important to get to know your neighboorhood. After all, someone eying your home and considering breaking in could be a neighbour. Another reason to get to know your neighbourhood is so you have people to fall back on in times of need. Becoming friends with your neighbours is important because they will keep an eye out for you even when you’re gone.
Security at home is of utmost importance. It is all the more vital if you’re living alone. You should do all that it takes to ensure your house and your possessions are kept secure and away from the prying eyes of unscrupulous individuals. By following the valuable tips mentioned above and getting in touch with a skilled locksmith, you can ensure you live alone safely and with peace of mind.
If you are looking for a locksmith to help you secure the doors to your home, get in touch with us today! We’re happy to help.
Final Thoughts
Hiding your spare house key within your property may not be such a good idea. Strangers and intruders may happen upon them and enter your house without your consent. So, it’s best to find someone reliable to entrust your spare keys with instead.
If you’re locked out of your house without a spare key to save you, Locksmith Emergencies can help you out. We are an emergency locksmith in Paddington specializing in rim and night latches, locked doors, UPVC hardware, smart locks, safe opening, safe installation, safe repair, after burglary repair and more. Call us now!