If you are interested in securing your valuables, you are sure to find plenty of things on the market to help you achieve this. You may have come across some things that are well worth protecting and want to decide whether or not using a safe or lockbox is best. In order to make this decision, you'll have to know what a safe offers and what a lockbox offers. You'll need to know the level of security each offer. It is only once you know the answer to this question that you'll be able to understand the level of protection they each offer.
Safe Features and Function
There are various types of safes. They are not all built the same, cost the same or even made from the same materials. Some are more secure than others. When considering the level of security and protection they offer, you'll need to consider the steel content of the entire safe, how well is it welded, the testing parameters used to test the safe if there is a warranty and where the safe is manufactured. If you have a safe, it should be accessible. When it is hidden there is less likelihood of someone finding it. You'll also need to decide if you would prefer a digital lock or combination lock. A combination lock will not offer you quick access inside. However, once you've opened it enough times, you'll be able to open it more quickly. A digital safe will enable you to get inside within a matter of seconds. You are able to keep your valuable in a safe until you need them. However, you should know that they aren't without their drawbacks. You might forget the code or something involving the mechanism of the safe, might fail. A good quality safe is less likely to give you cause for concern.
Lockboxes Features and Function
So let us be clear, a lockbox is a type essentially a type of safe. Your choices in lockboxes are a standard box or a personal protection box. They are designed to be small and easily accessible. Most standard lockboxes are opened up quite often. You'll find a lockbox at a local bake sale, garage sale or yard sale. When someone is about to purchase a personal protection lockbox it is usually because they want to store and secure a gun. This helps keep the gun out of the hands of others who may not be trained or licensed to use one. The personal lockbox opens faster than a standard lockbox, usually in less than a minute. The personal lockbox requires some type of key to open and may take a little longer to access. Some people with a lockbox have them bolted down to prevent them from being stolen. A lockbox is not is made from materials that are not as strong as the materials used to design a safe. A lockbox is made with less metal than a safe is.
There is yet another type of lockbox that you can choose from, the key safe lock. This is a small box, usually made of plastic or a thin metal. You may find them with a four- wheel combination or a combination dial. They don’t usually open with a key. This box was designed primarily for someone who loses their key or to give multiple people access. The most commonly used safe box lock box is the one used by real estate agents to allow other agents and prospective buyers access inside of a property. These are not the safest to secure your valuables in because they cannot be bolted. They can, however, be screwed into the wall. These are used mostly for convenience purposes. You stand a better chance of securing what's in the box if it is concealed from others. They are not as expensive as the other types of lockboxes.
Making a Final Decision
In some cases, you might find it beneficial to purchase both a lockbox along with a safe. Just because a lockbox is also a safe doesn't mean that it serves the same purpose. Making the decision about which one to buy will depend on how you intend on using it. If you need something that you can carry from one place to another and that you can easily conceal, the lockbox is probably a good option for you. However, if you need something made of more solid construction and where the lock cannot be easily compromised, you will likely benefit more from a safe. We like to look at it in terms of a lockbox being something that you simply purchase and that will not cost too much. However, we see a safe being more of an investment; they tend to cost more and you'll need to give much more consideration to the type that you will eventually use. If you're not going to need to open it very often, a safe is a good choice since you'll only need to open it to put things in more often than you'll need to take things out. Also, when considering the type of safe you'll purchase, just keep in mind that a combination lock might be best since electronic lock can malfunction. If this occurs you'll have to depend on the services of a qualified locksmith in Ahwatukee who knows how to gain access to a safe.
The absolute most important thing that you’ll need to consider when trying to decide on a safe is exactly how you intend on using the safe. This will not only help you in making your final decision but it will also aid the sales person who is assisting you in finding one that will best suit your needs. They will know all of the right questions to ask you, you should be ready with an answer to the questions they ask of you. By considering some of the things we’ve outlined in this article, you should be prepared to address their questions.
via Blogger The Differences Between a Safe and a Lockbox
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You don’t have to be a mechanic to know that you are having ignition cylinder problems. After all, you put in the ignition key and nothing happened! Either you couldn’t turn the key at all, or you did and the car didn’t start. So what do you do? If you are like most; you start to panic. You have plans, or else why were you in the car in the first place? Maybe you were on the way to pick up your child from practice? Or, you might have had a dinner date. Notice we said “had” - that’s because you are going nowhere unless you get your ignition cylinder problem sorted out and solved. At Ahwatukee Locksmith AZ we often get calls for ignition cylinder service. Many folks panic and call us right away. Others do so after trying numerous remedies which didn’t work. Here, we offer some pointers that may just save yourself a service call, and get you back on the road running errands like before!
The good ole days!
Originally ignition cylinders were strictly for starting your engine. In more modern times, ignitions also help supply power to your power windows, car radio, GPS system, power seats, headlights, windshield wipers, air conditioning system, heater, and lots more! You know what they say – “The more parts, the more that can go wrong!” That really holds true in this case as ignition cylinder problems can occur more easily and with greater frequency now. Since we aren’t ever going back to simpler times, it’s smart thinking to know what to do when you next experience that frustrating feeling of not having a working auto ignition.
Maybe it’s not your ignition cylinder after all!
What else could it be? You can’t turn on the car so it must be the ignition, right? Actually, there are other factors that often get confused with ignition cylinder issues. For instance, take your gear shift. Which one are you in? You need to be in PARK and nothing else! Your engine won’t turn over, in fact the transponder key won’t even turn if you are in NEUTRAL, DRIVE or anything else but PARK! As a matter of fact, you can’t even be in-between gears. Not only will your car not start, but it may even roll forward or backward so be extra careful when checking. Many people have been injured or even killed by getting out of their cars and having the vehicle move and pin them against something. While checking your gears, always be sure to have the parking brake on – better safe than sorry!
Next check – locked steering wheel
Were you in PARK? Great; now let’s move on to the next possible culprit – your steering wheel. It’s not a well-known fact, but steering wheels do lock up sometimes. If this happens, you won’t be able to turn the transponder key and start your engine. Just remain calm and apply a little pressure on the wheel so that it moves again. Don’t worry – you won’t break it so keep pushing and your wheel will unlock. Once it does, you can turn the ignition key again and get results.
Battery check!
Callers of our Ahwatukee, AZ locksmith shop often overlook another possible problem area; their battery. This might seem obvious to some, but many call for locksmith help first without checking their car battery to see if it is working or drained. Again, put on your parking brake. Then, proceed to turn on your headlights, dashboard lights, car radio, or power windows. The goal is to see if you have battery power or not. If your battery is dead or nearly drained, there won’t be sufficient electrical power to work your engine and your ignition simply won’t work. Now, if your battery is fine and you hear a series of rapid clicking sounds, it is your starter that is the problem; again, not the ignition!
Is your key stuck?
Sometimes, local Ahwatukee, AZ residents find that their ignition key is stuck. Naturally, the ignition cylinder is blamed but often, it turns out that the wrong key was used! Wait; how can the wrong key even go in the ignition? The truth of the matter is that it can and it often does! Some households have more than one car and many transponder keys look similar. During our hustle and bustle of going here and there, it is actually easy to mistake the keys and insert the wrong one in the ignition. Yes, they do go in and yes, they often get lodged in the ignition switch. Here’s where you need to be careful; too much pressure on the key right now can break it and then you have broken key extraction to worry about. Lightly tap the key and see if it comes loose. Apply some pressure, but not too much. You may have to use a hard surface to do the jarring and not just your hand but again; use caution!
Beware friends and family!
That warning may offend some but we mean this in the best way. Relatives and acquaintances are often well-meaning and sometimes have experience with mechanical things. If you call them, always bear in mind that any damage caused is still your responsibility to fix as it is your car; not theirs.
Is it time for locksmith help?
Have you exhausted your options? Here’s what you do. Make a call to your local Ahwatukee, AZ lock and key shop. You are always welcome to call ours but if you have one that you’ve worked with before and trust, by all means, use them. Look for certain traits in your locksmith shop of choice. They should be licensed, bonded and insured, as well as available to you 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Ignition lockups can happen any time; not just during working hours! Of course, it always helps if your locksmith is fast responding, affordable and expert in all manner of automotive lock and key services!
via Blogger IGNITION CYLINDER PROBLEMS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO!
How transponder keys work
Nowadays, transponder keys are standard for most new cars. They make it harder for your car to be stolen. Even though it’s more costly than a regular key, a transponder key is worth the peace of mind it affords you.
Anyone who has used a transponder key ~ also referred to as a transponder “chip” key ~ knows how much easier it is to use than an old-fashioned key. These specialized keys are ignition keys that make it effortless to enter and leave your vehicle, because you can unlock your car doors without actually sticking your key in the lock mechanism; you can remotely open the trunk; you can activate and deactivate your car alarm; additionally, with some transponder keys, you can even start your car remotely.
A transponder key has a chip inside it, which emits a distinctive signal to your car’s computer, a singular frequency aligned only to your automobile. When the signal is received, the key’s mechanical part releases your steering lock so that you can activate the ignition. Nevertheless, problems can sometimes happen. Here’s how to get out of trouble when it comes to transponder key challenges.
Was your transponder key stolen?
When you first bought your car, you should have been given two transponder keys. You can get your other transponder key from a family member who has the spare copy, and that will get you back on the road for now. But keep in mind that because your transponder key is connected only to your vehicle, a would-be car thief who finds your key could easily take your car. Thus it’s best to go ahead and get a replacement now, and then reprogram them both.
To get a transponder key duplicated, reprogrammed, or replaced, track down an automotive locksmith specialist, or go directly to your dealership. In most cases, a locksmith will charge less than the dealership will charge you. If you’re located in Ahwatukee, Arizona, then take all your questions and concerns to a reputable locksmith company. For instance, the mobile automotive locksmith specialists on staff at Ahwatukee Locksmith AZ offer free consultations and they’re available 24/7.
Have you lost your transponder key?
Losing your car key is more problematical than it was decades ago. With a traditional key, you could duplicate a spare key at almost no cost, at any local hardware store or locksmith company, or even at the dealership. But a transponder key is something else altogether. If you’ve mislaid your transponder key permanently, replacing isn’t going to be cheap. Depending on your automobile model and make, and on the complexity of the key’s design, the price for replacing your electronic fob will range from somewhat costly to exceptionally expensive. There are some dealerships that will reprogram your key fob at no charge, but most will charge you a great deal.
A switchblade key is a transponder key with a shank, but it folds into the fob, which you pop out by pressing a button. A switchblade key has either a basic cut or a laser cut. One benefit to a switchblade key is that you can purchase its components separately; but if you’ve truly lost your key, you’ll have to program both parts.
For some vehicles, the transponder key is an all-in-one unit that includes the fob. It’s also called a laser-cut key. The shank is a bit thicker, with fewer carved-out grooves. It’s also referred to as a “sidewinder” key, because of the shank’s winding-cut feature. The dealership will likely need to program a laser-cut key’s built-in chip.
A smart key actually isn’t a key at all ~ not in the usual sense. It’s just a fob, which you either insert into the dashboard, or keep in your purse or pocket. When you sit behind the wheel, then just by pressing a button, you can start and turn off the engine. A smart key gives you exceptional protection because it has rolling security codes. Continuously randomizing the right code, it stops a car thief from hacking it with a code grabber. If you have a smart key, your car dealership will be able to replace it.
Has your transponder key stopped working?
· One common reason your transponder key isn’t functioning is that there’s a manufacturer’s defect, which has been there from the beginning. If your vehicle is under warranty, you’ll be able to get the problem corrected for free. If it’s no longer under warranty, then you’ll have to hire an automotive locksmith specialist in Ahwatukee.
· There might be a tiny foreign object lodged in the ignition. Don’t try to remove it yourself, because you could easily do damage to the ignition. Instead, hire an experienced automotive locksmith professional, who can capably remove any foreign object from the ignition with the precision required, so you won’t have to replace the whole switch.
· Another possibility is that your transponder key isn’t communicating with automobile’s computer because the chip has lost its programming. You can get it reprogrammed, or, you can get an entirely new transponder key with all-new programming. Whatever you choose, the car dealership or an automotive locksmith technician will be able to handle it.
Do It Yourself
If you do need to reprogram your transponder key, with some vehicles, you can take care of it yourself.
The following method below will be successful on quite a few American-made cars. But before you spend any of your hard-earned money, read the owner's manual, ask your dealership, and/or consult with a local reliable automotive locksmith to see whether this procedure will actually work on yours.
1. Insert one of your two functioning keys. Turn the ignition to the "on" position for about 3 seconds (without firing up the car).
2. Do the same with the second key.
3. Insert the new third key, and turn it to the "on" position for 3 seconds. This ought to program your extra key successfully.
If you often lock your car keys in your vehicle, another thing you can do ~ which will at least give you access to your car doors and to your trunk ~ is to order just the basic key, without the transmitter, which means you’ll have a key which does everything except start your car.
via Blogger ARE YOU HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH YOUR TRANSPONDER KEY? HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO!
There are certain situations that will come up in life that warrant a lock change. It is important that you are mindful of security, and aware of when it is important to swap out old locks with new ones. The team at Ahwatukee Locksmith AZ is asked this question all of the time. The team receives phone calls from locals in the Ahwatukee, Arizona area who want to know if their safety would be at risk if they didn’t change their locks. Realistically, you can look at it this way: if you are asking the question about lock replacement, then it is very likely that you should really look into doing so. Here, you will find information that points you in the right direction. Just remember that locks need to be replaced every few years or so primarily because of wear and tear. But some of the situations described below are a bit more urgent.
Replace your locks if they are starting to be problematic.
Worn out locks mean it is time for a replacement. How can you know they are starting to become worn? One sign is that your key doesn’t go in smoothly – you have to wiggle it around a little for it to work. You can also sometimes see signs of wear and tear in the coloration and in pieces falling apart.
You need to replace or rekey locks if you have moved into a new house
One of the main times that you need to consider rekeying the locks is when you have relocated into a different home. Think about how many people might have had access to your locks and keys. You likely had a realtor, contractor and other individuals who were in and out of the house, at least at some point. And who is to say that no keys were misplaced? They could have then been picked up by the wrong hands. Rekeying your locks, or replacing them altogether, is something that won’t set you back financially but it will help you tremendously in terms of safety.
If someone new is moving in, change the locks!
Perhaps you are a landlord that owns a property you rent out. If this is the case, then you should change out the locks in between tenants. You don’t want someone who no longer lives there to have access to the property. And sure, they might have been a completely trustworthy person, but that doesn’t mean that at some point, an individual with bad intentions didn’t make a copy of the key. The person who previously rented from you might not even know if someone else somehow made a copy of their key.
If someone broke into your property, don’t wait – change those locks!
If you had a break in, then you know that this is an absolutely terrible thing to have to deal with. You feel that your privacy and comfort have been completely violated, because they have been. But keep it in the front of your mind that it is important to change your locks fast. This is something a 24/7 emergency locksmith will be able to help you with. Your locks might have been damaged during the break in anyway, which is the first sign they need to be replaced. But if you had a spare key sitting anywhere in the house, it is important that regardless of lock damage, you have it replaced.
You need to replace your locks if you are missing a key.
When you lose a key, or otherwise can’t find it, your mind might wander to the worst: what if I lost it in a grocery store and someone picked it up? Or what if I dropped it in my yard and now someone has it? It’s better to ease your mind and just have the locks replaced, or at least rekeyed. Again, this is something a professional lock and security provider can address for you. Whether your children lost their one and only key copy, or you simply misplaced yours, have the locks changed or rekeyed. You won’t regret it.
I want to replace my locks. What should I do?
If you have determined that you want to have your locks changed, be sure to look up a lock and key professional in your area. You will want someone with a great reputation and affordable solutions. Usually, local businesses will provide you with a great deal. Locksmiths have all of the handy equipment that they need to do the job fast.
Bear in mind that if you don’t want to have to worry about replacing locks or rekeying them, one thing you can do is go keyless. This is becoming more and more popular nowadays. You can have access to your property without the use of a key – you can use fingerprint technology, a short code that is easy for you to remember but impossible for someone else to guess, or other forms of entry that don’t require a key.
Always hire a local, reputable and affordable locksmith. You should be able to get a free price estimate upfront for any service that you need. If you contact the team at Ahwatukee Locksmith AZ in Arizona then you will find that the services are all entirely affordable and the convenience is undeniably. Of course, you might be located in a different part of the country. All you have to do is a search online to find the closest lock and security provider to your location. Of course, another option is to ask someone you trust if they have a business that they recommend. You should have an expert change your locks just because if you make a mistake, you can damage the locks or you can leave them essentially useless. The whole point of locks is to have proper security – and having them installed by an expert can ensure everything is accurately working. Hopefully you have found all of the details you need here to determine if it’s time to change those locks!
via Blogger When You Need To Replace Locks A smoke detector that sends you a text alert when your house is on fire seems like a good idea. An internet-connected door lock with a PIN that can be programmed from your smartphone sounds convenient, too. But when a piece of malware can trigger that fire alarm at four in the morning or unlock your front door for a stranger, your “smart home” suddenly seems pretty dumb. The security research community has been loudly warning for years that the so-called Internet of Things—and particularly networked home appliances—would introduce a deluge of new hackable vulnerabilities into everyday objects. Now one group of researchers at the University of Michigan and Microsoft have published what they call the first in-depth security analysis of one such “smart home” platform that allows anyone to control their home appliances from light bulbs to locks with a PC or smartphone. They discovered they could pull off disturbing tricks over the internet, from triggering a smoke detector at will to planting a “backdoor” PIN code in a digital lock that offers silent access to your home, all of which they plan to present at the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy later this month. “If these apps are controlling non-essential things like window shades, I’d be fine with that. But users need to consider whether they’re giving up control of safety-critical devices,” says Earlence Fernandes, one of the University of Michigan researchers. “The worst case scenario is that an attacker can enter your home at any time he wants, completely nullifying the idea of a lock.” Unlocking Doors The Microsoft and Michigan researchers focused their testing on Samsung’s SmartThings platform, a networked home system that’s in hundreds of thousands of homes, judging by Google’s count of downloads of its Android app alone. What they found allowed them to develop four attacks against the SmartThings system, taking advantage of design flaws that include badly controlled limitations of apps’ access to the features of connected devices, and an authentication system that would let a hacker impersonate a legitimate user logged into the SmartThings cloud platform. In the most severe of their proof-of-concept attacks, the researchers found they could exploit SmartThings’ flawed implementation of a common authentication protocol known as OAuth. The researchers analyzed an Android app designed to control SmartThings services, and found a certain code—meant to be secret—that let them take advantage of a flaw in the SmartThings web server known as an “open redirect.” (The researchers declined to name that Android app to avoid helping real hackers replicate the attack.) The researchers exploit that inconspicuous bug to pull off an intrusion worse than merely picking a lock: it plants a backdoor in your front door. First they trick a smart-home-owning victim into clicking on a link, perhaps with a phishing email purporting to come from SmartThings support. That carefully crafted URL would take the victim to the actual SmartThings HTTPS website, where the person logs in with no apparent sign of foul play. But due to the hidden redirect in the URL, the victim’s login tokens are sent to the attacker (in this case the researchers), allowing them to log into the cloud-based controls for the door lock app and add a new four digit PIN to the lock unbeknownst to the home owner, as shown in this video, sabotaging a Schlage electronic lock: |
AuthorCale Brighton - We have been in the business for years helping with a variety of locksmith issues. Address: 4221 E. Ray Road, Ahwatukee, AZ 85044; Phone: (480) 719-6057; Company Website ArchivesCategories |