Locksmiths do a lot more than just help you out when you’ve locked your keys in your car. There are many types of locksmith specialties, including residential security and commercial security. If you own a business, a commercial locksmith is an important partner in keeping your premises, and any inventory, safe and secure. Read on to learn about some of the most basic FAQs on commercial locksmiths.
What are a commercial locksmith’s primary responsibilities?
While technology has made it easier than ever to secure your business premises, thieves are always working to take advantage and exploit new technologies. No matter what industry you serve, it’s always important to be a few steps ahead to keep your investments secured. Primary responsibilities of commercial locksmiths include:
Installing new locks: If you’re building a new business from scratch or you have an existing business in need of new locks, you need the help of a professional commercial locksmith. This is especially important if you’re taking over a new space for your business. Since you don’t know who the previous tenant or owner may have handed spare keys to, it’s important to change the locks as soon as you take possession of the property.
Rekeying locks: Losing a key isn’t an uncommon occurrence. When this happens, a professional locksmith needs to rekey the locks in order for you to regain entry. An experienced locksmith is able to remove pins and springs from the lock cylinder, replacing them with new ones that will only open with a brand-new key. Many companies rekey locks when they need to let go of employees, especially when that employee may still hold keys to the building.
Repairing locks: It takes the expertise of a professional to repair broken keys or locks. Whether caused by general wear and tear or a faulty lock, a commercial locksmith can ensure locks operate as they should and can replace them when pins and springs start to wear out. In the case of commercial locks, an experienced locksmith can troubleshoot any issues, including those related to faulty wiring.
What situations require the assistance of a commercial locksmith?
There are two main reasons to call a commercial locksmith. Make a service call immediately to address the following problems:
Lockouts: Every minute you or your employees don’t have access to your building results in a loss of productivity and money. Instead of destroying your lock, call the locksmith to handle a repair without requiring full replacement.
Broken front door security locks: When locking up for the day, pay attention to whether the lock is working properly. Call a professional commercial locksmith immediately if the lock seems faulty—don’t leave it to chance, and get the problem handled before leaving the premises.
Now that you understand some of the basic FAQs on commercial locksmiths, you can use this knowledge to find the right professional to help you add security and safety to your business to protect your inventory and your commercial building itself. Contact Artie’s Lock and Key today to learn more about the benefits of hiring a professional commercial locksmith to secure your premises.
Many businesses have adopted automatic door technology to ensure ADA compliance and to create a more accessible environment for their customers. People with mobility issues can also benefit from adding this technology to their own homes by installing a handicapped door opener.
Since your home is where comfort matters most, investing in this convenient upgrade is incredibly important for people with mobility issues, and even for seniors or children who may have challenges opening standard doors. Here are just some of the benefits of installing handicapped doors at your residence.
Improves livability
Easy entry or exit from a home is essential for everyday comfort, and this can be a challenge for people who have limited mobility or are confined to a wheelchair. One of the key benefits of having handicapped doors at home is that everyone, including wheelchair users, can enter or exit the home easily and go about their daily routine as efficiently as possible. Instead of struggling to grip a door handle, the handicapped door opener automatically opens the door for you. It’s not just the front door that can benefit from an automatic opener, but also interior doors like bedroom and bathroom doors.
Automatic door openers are also incredibly helpful for pet owners. As part of a home automation system, doors can be outfitted with technology to detect your pet’s microchip and open or close accordingly, or in some cases they can be remote control activated with a smartphone or other device. This is especially helpful for pet owners who have difficulty making it to and from the door due to mobility issues or pet owners who are often away from home.
Enhanced security
Automatic door openers can be programmed as part of an access control system, improving the safety and security of your home. Since they can be installed in virtually any room of the house, their addition can make every room of the home more secure. You can also ensure that doors throughout the home are truly closed, which is especially important for exterior doors.
Increased privacy
Home automation technology can actually make everyday life more private, since automatic doors aren’t only for garages and entry doors anymore. Many people with mobility issues find that automatic doors for bathrooms are extremely convenient and practical. There are several different types and sizes of automatic doors on the market to install in the home, as well as automatic openers for every type of door. Some people choose to install a wall keypad to open and close the door, or a smartphone operated opener. Both are excellent options that provide you with the privacy and independence you need to live comfortably at home.
An automatic handicapped door opener can make living at home much easier and safer for those with limited mobility or any other disability. They’re easy to install and work exactly when you need them to, ensuring you’re fully able to move about your home with ease. Contact Artie’s Lock and Key today to learn more about automatic door openers for the interior and exterior doors of your home.
Americans with disabilities make up about 18 percent of the population right now, and that number is only expected to grow. That’s why the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets standards for public buildings. People with disabilities need to be able to access buildings without requiring additional assistance. That’s why ADA compliant locks and hardware are so important when getting your building up to standards.
Traditional door knobs that require gripping and twisting are not ADA compliant—the force they require people to exert is not compatible with many disabilities. Lever-style door handles are the most common ADA compliant lock. Read on to find out more about your options.
What are ADA compliant locks?
ADA compliant locks should be easy to open with one hand, requiring minimal grabbing or pinching. Unlike traditional round knobs, the user shouldn’t have to twist their wrist to be able to open the door. Many manufacturers make ADA-compliant locks for a variety of applications, including the indicator locks you might see on a public restroom (the type that say “occupied” or “vacant,” depending on whether the lock is engaged).
Why do I need ADA compliant locks?
If you run a business or operate a building open to the public, you will probably fall under the ADA’s compliance guidelines. Generally, unless it’s prohibitively expensive to make alterations, your existing building can’t have barriers to access for people with disabilities. Similarly, new construction must be built to be ADA compliant. Not only is it the law—which means you could be hit with serious fines for noncompliance—it’s also just good business. Why bar almost 20 percent of your potential clients and customers from visiting if it can be avoided?
Are there ADA compliant home security locks?
If your household includes people with disabilities, you’ll need ADA compliant home security locks. Although the ADA doesn’t apply to private residences, it’s important that every member of your household be able to get into and out of the home safely. There are many home security lock options available—consider browsing a selection in person to see which type works best for you or your loved ones.
Other ADA lock compliance considerations
When installing an ADA compliant lock, be sure to thoroughly review the building standards. For example, the door should require no more than five pounds of weight to successfully open with one hand. A person should be able to operate the door with a closed fist or open hand.
Similarly, the locking handle may not be more than 48 inches (four feet) above the ground, and no less than 34 inches (nearly three feet). This allows people with wheelchairs to open the doors, and the average person won’t need to bend down too far to use the door handle.
If you have questions about ADA compliant locks, talk to a locksmith—they’ll be familiar with the type of locks you need. Reach out to the experts at Artie’s Lock and Key to learn more about options for your home or business.
Locking yourself out of your home or vehicle is inconvenient at best, and downright panic-inducing at worst. The last thing you want to do is call for a locksmith, only to find out that you’ve been scammed. Here are our best tips to help you avoid common locksmith scams:
Find a locksmith before you actually need one. You’re not going to be at your best during an emergency, which is why it’s a good idea to find a reputable locksmith when you don’t need one right away. Spending a few moments asking for recommendations or Googling locksmiths will pay off later.
Check their address: If your locksmith doesn’t have a physical address, that’s a big red flag. It could mean that they’re scammers and don’t want to deal with angry “customers” showing up to ask for their money back.
Look at their online reviews: Review sites like Yelp and Google allow users to post reviews for businesses. Check a locksmith’s online reviews before you hire them. Look for patterns and recurring themes, good and bad—a few negative outliers may not be red flags if the rest of the reviews seem positive.
Ask for an estimate: Before you hire the locksmith, ask for an estimate. When the work is done, be sure to compare their quote to the actual estimate. If they vary wildly, find out why before you fork over your credit card.
Ask about any additional charges: When you’re getting your estimate, be sure to ask if there are any additional charges you should expect. That way, you won’t be surprised if the bill is suddenly a lot higher than you were anticipating.
Get it in writing: Getting the estimate and charges in writing is important—in case you do end up becoming a scam victim, you’ll have written proof of the transaction.
Watch their vehicle: When the locksmith arrives, look at their vehicle. Professional locksmiths often advertise their business on their vehicles. If yours doesn’t, that may be a sign that they’re not running a legitimate business.
Trust your gut: If a locksmith tells you that they’ll have to break a door or window to get in—unless you pay a lot more money for another option—don’t believe them. Approach all similar claims with extreme caution.
Make sure your keys work: Before they leave, make sure your keys work in the lock. Test them several times before you pay.
Don’t pay until you’re happy: Finally, if you’re not happy with the service, don’t pay. Contact the company and let them know what the problem is, such as scratching your doors or vehicle, and refuse to pay until they fix it. If you think they might be scamming you, pay with a credit card so you have some financial recourse.
Locked out? Avoid common locksmith scams by trusting qualified professionals to do the job. Get in touch with Artie’s Lock and Key to learn more about our services. Our friendly, reputable locksmiths are standing by to help.
Many home and business owners hesitate before purchasing a home alarm system. That’s because there have been numerous reports about problems with these systems. They may fail just when they’re needed most, or may even malfunction regularly, leading to a constant annoyance. Some people also mistakenly believe that only a top-dollar security system can be effective.
What is most important is making certain that the entire system is compatible and has been installed and maintained by professional security specialists. Read on to learn more about home security issues in Fairfax, VA.
False alarms
One of the most commonly reported problems with home and commercial security systems is false alarms. These are typically caused because the system has not been installed properly. They may also be caused by a sound that triggers the alarm. This can be a constant irritation for homeowners. However, getting a season pro to complete the installation process and handle routine maintenance can virtually eliminate this issue. The fact is that a high-quality security system won’t cause problems via false alarms.
The security system doesn’t work
Another leading issue is that the security system simply doesn’t perform its main function. While companies all claim that their systems are easy to install, easy to use and flawless in their functionality, this is rarely the case. There are a number of issues that may be the root cause of this. Incompatible cameras, motion sensors, alarms and sound detectors could all be the culprit. That’s why it pays to bring in a pro to install a security system and maintain it.
The security system fails to cover the whole building
Whether it’s your home or your business, you need a security system that provides adequate coverage to the entire space. If you purchased the system on your own, you need to make sure it covers the entire square footage of the space. When it doesn’t, there will be areas that are vulnerable to a break-in. This is particularly a problem for those who have installed their security systems themselves.
The system fails to disarm
This is often the result of a door or window that has not been shut properly. If you try addressing that and it doesn’t work, then there may be a more serious problem with the system itself. In these cases, it’s best to trust a security company that can address any deeper issues.
If you ever experience malfunctions in home security in Fairfax, VA, check out what Artie’s Lock and Key has to offer. For over 45 years, we’ve been here with services for residential, commercial and automotive clients alike. Our professional locksmiths are here to handle any job. At Artie’s Lock and Key, we are fully equipped with the latest tools and are professionally trained to handle locks of all kinds. Contact us to purchase a new lock, new car key or remote, rekey your locks or schedule a job for repair or installation. We look forward to helping you keep your property safe and secure!
