Thursday, March 26, 2020

Garage Door Locks for Additional Security


What is sitting in your garage? Surely there are some things that either have meaning to you or came at a high cost. For example, you probably use your garage to store your vehicle. You might also use it to store holiday decorations, which sure, could be replaced, but maybe some of the ornaments you have were handed down to you by someone who means a lot to you. Garages can be used for many purposes, too – maybe yours is a man cave, or even an extra living space. Perhaps yours is used as a work space to carry out handy projects, like building furniture pieces. Regardless, the point is that garages are important, and you need the items inside to be protected. 

So, what are you supposed to do to make sure the things in your garage are secure? Is a garage door opener good enough or can this be manipulated with ease? The answer is that yes, an opener system does have the potential to be broken through by someone who is eager to get inside. So really, an opener might not be good enough for security. You need garage door locks. If you need help in terms of having garage door locks installed or if you have questions about all the different types and which type would work best for your specific garage door, you should talk to a locksmith. 
Here are some garage door locks that are available… 
  • Keyed T Garage Door Latch by IDEAL Security
  • National Hardware Zinc Garage Door Side Lock
  • Overbuilt Reversible Garage Door Side Lock
  • Keyed L Garage Door Replacement Lock by IDEAL Security
  • Clopay Garage Door Keyed Lock Set
  • Prime Line Garage Door T Handle Keyed Chrome Plated Finish
When it comes to garage locks, you are looking at latches and side locks. Let a locksmith go over the differences with you and let you know which one might be best for your specific scenario. A locksmith can provide numerous affordable services for you to take advantage of, so we recommend talking to one about better security options, including garage door locks. You don’t want your garage door to be easy to break through by someone who wants to get into your property. Luckily, if you are in Downers Grove, IL or the surrounding area, the locksmiths at Complete Lock and Key are able to offer the assistance that you need for a good price.  

Garage Door Locks – How Important or Mandatory Are They?   

If you are wondering, “Is a lock for my garage door absolutely mandatory? My garage door is very sturdy, if you ask me”- we understand. But yes, we do believe there are benefits to having a lock for your garage door. After all, you probably have a lock for your patio door, or even for your windows. Why not take the extra security measure?   

Here is one reason for why we think it’s so important to have a garage door lock in place in addition to an opener. Openers can be overridden and suddenly a person has access to your garage and everything in it. If they can get into your garage, and your garage is connected to your home, then they just gained entry into your home pretty much, too.  

There are different security options for garage doors. You saw the list above, but here we will go into details/more specifics. 

Deadbolts and T-Locks 

T-locks and deadbolts are things you might want to look into if you are considering your garage door and its security. They are very hard to manipulate so it would be unlikely someone could override them and gain entry to your garage. These locks slide into the garage door and they are not visible in the sense that they are not displayed in the open, which you might find to be beneficial. 

Monday, March 2, 2020

Get the Best Lock and Key Service in Downers Grove, IL! Watch Video to Learn How!



You stick with companies that go the extra mile, and Complete Lock And Key in Downers Grove, IL knows this. That is why we offer great deals for top services. That’s why our experts are insured and licensed. You can count on us for your commercial, residential, automotive and even last minute lock service needs. Call us for help at: (331) 256-8930

Complete Lock And Key serves Downers Grove, Illinois. We are local experts and we provide a satisfaction guarantee, making us the best! You can call for a free consultation and quote.

CALL: (331) 256-8930

Our website: locksmithdownersgrove.net

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Lockouts: Different Problems and Solutions



Our locks and keys help protect our assets, our loved ones, and ourselves. Without them, we would be vulnerable to intruders and have no real way to protect ourselves from home or vehicle break-ins and thefts. Most of the time we can count on our locks to function properly and it is likely we do not think much about them as we go about our days. That is, of course, until we experience some sort of problem with our locks. 

One of the most common lock and key issues one can experience is a lockout. Whether you are locked out of your vehicle or home, a lockout is bound to happen to the majority of us at some point in our lives. Luckily, regardless of what kind of lockout scenario you may find yourself in now or at some point in the future, there are plenty of ways you can resolve lockouts quickly and efficiently.

Residential Lockouts

There are a couple of different kinds of residential lockouts. The most common will be either home lockouts or apartment lockouts. Depending on where you live and whether or not you own or rent your dwelling, there are certain procedures you should follow in order to alleviate a lockout.

Homeowners 

Most home lockouts can be prevented with a little bit of preparation. A lot of homeowners opt to hide an extra house key somewhere on their property to retrieve during a lockout situation. You can either purchase hide-a-key devices or find a clever hiding spot somewhere around your home to store the key safely. 

A lot of homeowners are turning to electronic and keyless entry locks to help prevent lockouts altogether. Upgrading to electronic or smart locks makes it so that a physical key is unnecessary to unlock your home doors. One can purchase models that either allow users to connect their smartphones to their home locks or operate through the use of a keypad or combination device. The need for a traditional key is eliminated and a much more secure and convenient mechanism is put in its place.

Apartment Complexes

Apartment lockouts differ slightly from home lockouts. Most of the time, you will either not have the option to hide an extra key to your apartment on the property, such as you might if you owned your own home. You do not want to leave an extra apartment key under your front door mat, since this is an obvious hiding spot to begin with, but may also be the only hiding spot. If you are concerned about apartment lockouts, you should leave an extra apartment key in your car or have an extra key made that a friend or family member can hang on to.  

Most of the time, if you are locked out of your apartment, the complex management can let you back inside of your apartment. Some complexes have emergency management hours available for this reason, so even if the office is closed, you may still be able to reach someone to help. However, because this may not always be possible, it is best to give a copy of your apartment key to someone your trust or leave a spare in your vehicle.

Vehicle Lockouts

Vehicle lockouts can be one of the most inconvenient types of lockouts. Unless you have a specialized device that stores a key on the outside of your vehicle, usually near one of the vehicle’s tires, it is likely that you will need to call a locksmith. Since vehicle lockouts usually need to be resolved as quickly as possible, calling in a professional right away is recommended. 

Do not try to break-in to your own vehicle yourself unless it is an emergency. If there are children or animals locked in the car and it is hot outside, you will obviously want to get into the car and anyone out of it as soon as possible. If you can wait, however, it is advised that you call a locksmith and have them help you get back into your vehicle without any damage to your locks or windows. 

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Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Ignition Problems



A motorist may not necessarily enjoy driving but the enjoy the convenience of getting from point A to B. Despite the convenience of being able to drive to wherever you need to go, driving still has its fair share of issues from time-to-time. If you are not having maintenance performed on your vehicle then you are prone to experience problems every now and then. This is the same as if you don’t receive checkups from the doctor. You may experience health issues that you may not even be aware of until it is too late. Despite the possibility of the problem getting worse, many people still avoid having maintenance performed on their vehicles. This is often why they experience ignition issues.

When you have a problem turning your key in the ignition or if you are not able to turn the key in the ignition, then this is a problem that you should allow a locksmith, such as Complete Lock and Key in Downers Grove, IL, handle. The first thing that they will likely do is discourage you from snatching the key out of the ignition. This is something that will only make the problem worse. We encourage you to remain calm. It is proven that when people remain calm, they are able to think more clearly. We want you to be able to avoid any further problems that c can be costly.

There is no sense in blaming yourself for the problem because to you the key might look perfectly fine when in reality it was slightly damaged. This is something that you can’t always see for yourself but when the key gets stuck in the ignition, this is often the case.  

Here are some of our suggestions for helping you get through this problem.

What to do if the car is turned ON

Check the dashboard to make sure that it is in the right position. It should be in the park position not the drive or neutral position. If it is any other position other than park then the key will not be released. 

Check to make sure that the gear is in the parked position. Sometimes it will show that it is in the parked position on the dash but it isn’t completely in the park position. Therefore, make sure that it is clearly in the right position. 

Attempt to loosen the key while it is in park. All that you should do is slightly wiggle the key back and forth but not with too much force.

What to do if the car is turned OFF

The first thing we will do upon arriving to help you with your ignition issue is check to see if the battery is dead. If it is then we’ll need to replace it with a new battery or jump the existing battery. This is something that you can do yourself too. However, if you don’t know how then we’re happy to do this for you. 

Loosen the key by gently wiggling it back and forth. If the key doesn’t come out then don’t force it. This will only make the matter worse. 

Evaluate the position of the key because sometimes, especially if it is an older cylinder, the key could enter the ignition incorrectly. 

If you try any of the above suggestions and they do not work then it may be necessary to contact our locksmiths. If they work then this is great! There are some people who are afraid to even attempt to resolve the problem for fear of making the problem worse. If this sounds like you then it’s best to just give us a call. 

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Broken Transponder Key Problems and Solutions



Transponder keys have changed the way vehicle security is maintained. Since the mid-1990s, transponder keys have been a requirement for all vehicle makers to outfit on their vehicle. Most vehicles you will see on the road today use transponder keys and for many good reasons. Transponder keys help eliminate vehicle thefts and guarantees that the rightful owner of a given vehicle is the only one who is able to operate it.

How a Transponder Key Works 

Transponder keys operate through the use of two different signals. One signal sits inside of your car key, while the other is tucked inside your vehicle. These two signals match up to one another through radio waves. They are paired to recognize each other once the key is within a certain distance of the signal within the car. In order for one’s vehicle to start, this transponder signal must be free of interference and pair up perfectly. Without a perfect pairing, one’s vehicle will not start. 

Each vehicle that has a transponder key system is outfitted with a signal that is completely unique to that car. It is impossible for one’s transponder key to operate another vehicle, even if it is of the same make and model type. In fact, this is the very problem that transponder keys helped to eliminate. Prior to their invention, some vehicle keys could be used to unlock and drive other vehicles of the same kind. This error resulted in accidental thefts by innocent drivers that were somehow able to open and operate someone else’s vehicle, but also intention thefts and car-jackings. With a transponder key system in place in one’s vehicle, this makes it impossible to hotwire and steal. Unless one has the right key and the right transponder signal in place, the vehicle will not start under any circumstances.

Broken Key

The first possible problem that can happen with your transponder key, is that the chip inside of the key itself is broken or out of place. When this happens, you may be unable to start your vehicle, even though it may not appear on the outside as though anything is physically wrong with your key. If for some reason the chip inside the key is not able to transmit the transponder signal to the matching component in your vehicle, then you will not be able to start or drive your car.

Broken Vehicle Signal

It is also possible that the transponder signal inside your vehicle is broken. Even if there is nothing wrong with the transponder key itself, there may be an issue inside of the vehicle that has caused the vehicle component to be knocked out of place or damaged in some way. It is not advised that you try and reach the transponder chip inside of your car, as it is meant to be tucked away and difficult to reach. If you suspect that the transponder signal inside of your car may be to blame, you will need to contact an expert to help you repair it.

Lost Transponder Key

If you happen to lose your transponder key altogether, you will need to get it replaced immediately. Any sort of spare key you may have for your vehicle that is not outfitted with a transponder key will be of no use to you. Sometimes, vehicles will come with an extra car key that can be used to unlock the glovebox and the trunk of the vehicle, but is actually useless when it comes to turning on and operating the car. Without an extra transponder key to match your vehicle, you will be out of luck. A certified locksmith, however, can help you repair or replace your transponder key easily if you need to have a new one made fast.

Getting a New Transponder Key

It may be difficult to know for sure what the problem is with your transponder key. In fact, it may be impossible to tell if the source of the problem is coming from the key or from the vehicle’s transponder signal. No matter what you think the root of the problem may be, it is important to get help from an expert that has experiencing replacing transponder keys. 

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