How to Choose the Right Locksmith for Your Needs

When it comes to choosing the right locksmith for your home, car, or business, reliable locksmith services are key to safety. A locksmith’s reputation is their most significant asset, and word of mouth is one of the best ways of choosing the right locksmith for your home or business. A reputable and trustworthy locksmith will have positive reviews and referrals.

According to the Society of Professional Locksmiths (SOPL), the locksmithing industry is a specialized and tightly connected community, with professionals bringing diverse skill sets and backgrounds.

“On a local level, professional locksmiths know each other and those working within their demographic area because of all the hours spent training together, meeting at locksmith supply houses, attending social events and association meetings, and attending product seminars or conventions,” explains the SOPL.

The sense of bonding and ongoing education between professional locksmiths allows them to stay up to date on all the current security technologies as well as industry standards- this makes it all the more essential to use trustworthy and reliable locksmith services.

Crime Stats

Having a reliable locksmith on call is key to home and business safety. If you’re locked out of your home, it’s better to call an emergency locksmith for locksmith services instead of trying to pick your front door lock.

According to a report by the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC), a home is burglarized every 18 seconds. This means that there are as many as 4800 burglaries in a day.

The Bureau of Justice adds that 34% of burglars use the front door when breaking into a home. This shows you how important it is to prioritize your home and business security. You have to be sure that the locksmith you choose for your home or business is a reliable and reputable locksmith.

How to Find a Good Locksmith

When it comes to the security of your family, pets, and business, there’s nothing more important than working together with a professional locksmith. When you hire a locksmith, you should first do the following:

• Check out credentials: If you need a good locksmith who’s trusted and reliable, check out online reviews, get a referral, or find out if they’re certified. Choosing a certified locksmith gives you peace of mind because they will have the training, experience, and expertise to keep your home or business safe.
• Get an Estimate: Do this and compare their prices with other locksmiths. Always ask for their policy on mileage charges or any other hidden fees. A trustworthy locksmith should be able to give you a good-faith estimate.
• Review Locksmith Services: Be sure that your locksmith can do a lot more than change locks. They should have years of experience and specialize in a variety of security services. Ask questions and look for red flags.
• Availability: As service providers, locksmiths should be available 24 hours a day, so if you find yourself locked out of your home or car late at night, they can help you get into your home.
• Red Flags: You don’t want to hire a dishonest locksmith who may overcharge. Do your due diligence by verifying credentials, checking reviews, and asking for an upfront estimate before hiring. If you need a locksmith, you should look for 3rd party approval.

Don’t Wait Until It’s an Emergency to Call a Locksmith

One of the reasons that people call a locksmith for emergency locksmith services is when they have an emergency. Being locked out of your house or car occurs often, but you don’t have to wait for this to happen.

The SOPL says that when a consumer contacts a locksmith during a lockout, they should expect to be asked several questions and not just quoted a flat rate. They should also expect to be asked to provide some form of evidence that they have the authority to enter or are who they claim to be.”

These questions are asked to develop an assessment for the locksmith to prepare and convey both a best-  and worst-case scenario for the consumers.  This information is the best a locksmith can do without actually being on-site to evaluate his/her response or methodology to service the call,” explains SOPL.

Be prepared in advance! Having a go-to locksmith like Locksmith United will help ease the stress of most lockout situations. By taking this small step today and getting locksmith services ready, you can save time and money.

What Does a Professional Locksmith Do

Locksmiths often have difficult jobs to do, especially when it’s an emergency. Locksmithing services usually involve precise and detailed work.

A certified professional locksmith must know about electricity and electronics. According to the ALOA, a professionally trained locksmith and security professional will do the following:

• Install locks and deadbolts in a home or business
• Install mechanical or electronic locking devices to safeguard homes, businesses, vehicles, and other property.
• Modify or repair this equipment
• Rekey locks
• Duplicate keys or cards
• Generate or program new keys/cards for locks whose keys/cards have been lost 
• Respond to emergency car, home, or business lockouts
• Fix locks that have malfunctioned.

Tips for Hiring a Professional Locksmith

If you’re looking to hire a reliable locksmith, then you should do the following:

• Look for a locksmith that provides services in your area. This tends to be more affordable and reliable. Businesses with broad service areas tend to use intermediaries, making services more expensive.
• Be wary when rates are too good to be true. Before starting work, a trustworthy locksmith will inform you of all charges, fees, and costs.
• If something doesn’t feel right, go with your gut feeling and move on to another locksmith company.

Identify Your Locksmith Needs

Before hiring a locksmith, you should decide what services you need. You want to be sure that they can provide the locksmith services you need. The most common locksmith service requests are for the following:

• Rekeying locks
• Duplicating keys or making copies
• Installing high-security commercial locks
• Replacing access cards
• Key cutting, key fob programming, and emergency lockouts
• New lock installation
• Responding to emergency calls 24/7
• Fixing components of biometric, keyless, or access control systems.

Be Aware of Scams

According to the SOPL, there’s one question to ask when determining the difference between a locksmith and those “posing” as a locksmith. “The consumer should ask, “Will you damage my lock?” or “What non-destructive methods of entry will you first attempt to use,”  says SOPL.

“This single question will unfold a discovery process that will reveal the locksmith’s knowledge and intent.  In many cases professional locksmiths will express to the consumer during the call for service that they will employ the use of non-destructive methods BEFORE having to drill,” explains SOPL.

Locksmith scams happen occasionally. To protect yourself from this, you should always be aware of low prices and inadequate branding on stationary and business vehicles.

Any reputable locksmith will be able to spend time answering your questions and giving you information that makes you feel safe and secure. Some red flags of potential include very low prices and toll-free numbers.

Contact a Reliable Locksmith Today

At Locksmith United, you get reliable and professional locksmith services for homes, cars, and businesses in all areas we serve while getting the best customer service. Our team of certified technicians delivers the best services, which include automotive, residential, and commercial.

No matter the size of the project, Locksmith United’s team of professional locksmiths is standing by to help you. Whether you’re locked out of your house or car or need advanced security solutions, Locksmith United has a team of registered technicians who can assist in home and business security.