Written by The Textmunication Team | Last Updated: September 26, 2017 | 5 min
For many people residing in the Washington D.C. area, staying safe while at home is a big concern. Wherever you live in a densely populated urban area, safety is a natural preoccupation. We aren’t trying to say that Washington is a terrible city or that it is filled with dangerous people. However, it is a well-known fact that the more people you have living in an area, the more likely crime is to occur.
If you live in Washington D.C., don’t wait until you have to react to a problem; instead, be proactive. How can you take the bull by the horns? By contacting a 24/7 locksmith in Washington to help you. Locksmiths are lock experts, as you would expect, but they are also general security experts, which means they can offer you solutions that might surprise you. Read below to learn more.
Gates and Bars
If you wish to protect your property as much as possible, gates and bars are the way to go. Nothing will keep you safer than these options. Gates won’t prevent determined individuals from entering your property, but they will deter those who don’t feel invested in learning what is on the other side.
Your locksmith won’t likely install the gates, but he will be able to make them more secure. Allow your locksmith to determine the proper locks for your gate. Also, he might suggest lighting around the perimeter of your property to help make anyone trying to lurk become visible.
Bars are also not something the locksmith can install, but he will be able to refer you to someone who can. Then, when they are installed, the locksmith can help with providing you with the correct locks that prevent anyone from gaining entry while allowing you to escape in an emergency.
Exterior Doors
Whether or not you want to take the step of installing bars or gates, you will want to focus on the security of your exterior doors. In general, these will be the preferred spot for thieves to enter your home. Windows are easier to get past since they are easy to break, but they make too much noise. Not to mention that it looks normal to stand in front of a door, but not so normal to stand in front of a window.
All quality locksmiths will inform you that you must have more than one lock on your exterior doors. This will create more obstacles for them to bypass to get in, and will give the door increased strength should someone try to force their way in.
In most cases, your locksmith will recommend two types of deadbolts and a knob lock. One deadbolt should be a sliding deadbolt that can only be engaged from the inside, while the other should be a double-sided deadbolt that can only be opened using a key from either side.
Additional Security Measures
Beyond adding gates and bars and providing better security to your exterior door, there are many other things you can do to better protect your home. Windows can be given better locks, sliding glass doors can have locking bars added, file cabinets can be installed, and safes as well, or even create a semi-safe room that provides greater security than the others in your home.
If you would like to know more about what a locksmith can do for you, simply give one a call and schedule a consultation.
