Adams Rite Locks Security Tips

There are few things you have to make sure are done properly if you have Adams Rite deadbolt locks on your commercial property.

1. Mortise cylinder Security rings

Most of the times I do one of this locks. The one thing which is not done properly is the security ring . If you use one of this aluminum spacers when you install the cylinder you lower your security by at least 80%. Why? The only thing keeping the cylinder in place is a set screw and if you have a regular mortise cylinder ( and even worst if you mortise cylinder is one of those with aluminum housing) the grove where the set screw goes is very shallow and because you don't have a proper security ring install you can squeeze the cylinder with wise grip and undo the cylinder by breaking the set screw or simply demolishing the thread on the cylinder. Once the cylinder is down you can open the lock with anything. Please see Picture 1 below.

                                

                    

 
             
                  Picture 1                                                                          Picture 2

You can see on Picture 2 the cylinder sinks into the security ring which is hard steel and spins freely around the cylinder preventing grabbing the cylinder with wise grip.

2. Set screw.

Let say every 3rd or 4th call I do with that kind of locks I'm really surprise that the lock is missing the set screw which is very unsecure . When somebody do some work on your door make sure they use the set screw. Most of the time when they change the cylinder they break the set screw or cross the thread and they thing if we make it very tight it will be OK, well is unacceptable just to screw tight the cylinder in place.

            3. Spacing between door and door frame

The last thing you may consider to improve security on your commercial door is the latch guardian. If you have a gap greater then 1/8'' you have to install latch guard because there is a way to manipulate that kind of lock through that gap.
If you have any questions fell free to call us anytime.

What Makes A Good Locksmith & Why You Need To Find One Now Rather Than In An Emergency

No matter your postcode, if you type in your city or area name followed by the word “locksmith” in Google’s or Bing’s search bar, you’ll find out that the Internet is crowded with locksmith companies and services, each claiming to be the best in the field.  So how can you tell apart a firm that’s truly at the forefront of the security industry, employing experienced and professional lock specialists from unlicensed and rogue locksmiths? How can you have the peace of mind that your security is in the skilled and knowledgeable hands of a regulated professional?

It all starts with knowing what actually makes a good locksmith. Can you trust a locksmith just because he claims to have 10 years of experience replacing door locks or fitting news ones? How about a firm with a fancy website with fancy words? The answer is no. A company with years of excellence and experience in the security industry will showcase and advertise certain attributes.

-        Look for a locksmith approved by the industry for safety and security. The Internet is swamped with rogue locksmiths operating just about everywhere in the country. If a locksmith is not licensed, the chances that the individual is a lock and security solution specialist are slim.

-        In case of an emergency, how fast can you expect help? Any locksmith company worth its salt will endeavor to get you help within half an hour. A company who puts customer service first will also have emergency locksmiths that are available round the clock, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.

-        Do they offer free and no obligation advice? How easy is it to make an inquiry or get a quote? This is actually an exceedingly important consideration and a very good indicator of whether you are dealing with a professional or rogue locksmith. A specialist locksmith will always help you with how to properly secure your home or business and give you a straightforward quote.

-        And finally, in the security industry, experience and expertise matter. Before you choose a locksmithing service, make sure that the company is reputable and backed with more than empty claims made in a passionate tone on their website. Look for customer reviews or visit the store if it’s local to get a sense of its credibility.

But in an emergency, you don’t always have the luxury of checking off each item on a checklist of what makes a good locksmith. For example, if your property got broken into or you misplaced your keys and got locked out of your house after a long day at work, all you would want to do is call the first number you come across on Google or Bing. And this is exactly what rogue locksmiths prey on. Desperation. Distress. Impatience. Hastiness. Carelessness.

A solution would be to have a company you can always turn to and a number you can always call in case of an emergency. Think about it. Why should it take a mishap or accident happening for you to look up the locksmiths in your local area and save the number of a reputable one? You can do that right now and have the peace of mind that you’re covered, should anything happen. 

How to choose a reliable and reputable locksmith, in an emergency situation or in advance

1. Beware of locksmith companies advertising ridiculously low prices

It’s simple: A man’s got to eat! Any locksmith company at the forefront of burglary prevention and the security industry will not advertise ridiculously low prices for high quality installation of locks and other security solutions and an excellent customer service. Pricing will be competitive but fair. For example, if you get locked out of your car or apartment, a professional emergency locksmith may charge you around $100. Someone advertising locksmithing services from $10 is obviously not reliable.

2. Does the company look legit?

Beware of companies that publish their information on online directories. Any legit locksmith company will have a website with a local address and a local telephone number that works. National companies that operate through call centers are not reliable. You want a privately owned and funded company because they are less likely to compromise on quality.

3. What payment options do they offer?

Another telltale sign of a rogue and unlicensed locksmith is a company or service that only accepts cash payments. A company that accepts and deals with credit cards is more reliable and likely to be more reputable and worthy of your trust.

4. Is it local?

An extension of number 2, if you are looking for an emergency locksmithing service, you want someone local so the ETA is reasonable. At the same time, you are less likely to overpay if the company is local because it involves less travelling and ergo, no surplus gas charges.

5. Are the locksmiths licensed?

Last but not least, make sure that the locksmith company you choose is licensed and approved by the industry for safety and security. You can’t just trust a random and more importantly unregulated locksmith to provide you with security services and solutions. You need to know that your property is in the right, professional hands.

Frozen Locks

In the upcoming months our office will be flooded with calls from customers whose locks are frozen making them unable to unlock their home or office door and even worse the car door. We have come up with a few tips on how you can avoid being stranded in the cold with frozen locks.

# 1 If you have access to a lighter or matches you can use them to heat up the key for the lock you are trying to unfreeze. After you have heated the key up insert it into the lock and jiggle it around a few times allowing the heat to thaw out the locking mechanism inside the lock and then turn the key. The lock should open right up, but you need to be careful when heating the key not only because metal heats quickly and you could burn yourself but also when metal is hot it is very pliable and too much force could cause you to bend the key making it unusable.

# 2 If you do not have a lighter or matches but have just stepped out of your vehicle and noticed the locks on your home or office are frozen you can use the heat the your vehicle generates to try to heat up the key. Your vehicles engine generates an extreme amount of heat so simply place the key on or as close to the engine block as you can and hold it there until the key is hot then try to stick it into the lock, again be careful not to damage your key while attempting to jiggle the lock.

# 3 Maybe you do not have a lighter and your car is the one with the frozen locks do not worry we have a solution for you too. Hand sanitizer is carried by just about everyone and if you do not carry any right now we suggest you go get some. Since hand sanitizers are filled with alcohol you can use a little squirt on your key and the alcohol will thaw the locks in question for you. This is a much safer way than the lighter since you have no real chance of damaging your key but if your hand sanitizer is a lotion or one of the ones you get from Bath& Body works with the little beads in it DO NOT use it. If you do use it and put the key inside the lock residue will stay in there causing more problems down the road.

#4 There is a new handy little deicer on the market today that allows you to not have to worry about damaging your key it is called the The Hillman Group Lock De-icer available at some hardware stores. This device has a self heating pin inside of it that you can insert into the locks to thaw them out. Not very expensive so if you are living in a area where frozen locks are a common occurrence than it might be a great investment.

# 5 The best piece of advice we can give you is to stock up on the lock deicer which is sold at just about every hardware and drug store in the world. A little bottle will run you a few bucks but will save you quite the headache and stress of a frozen lock.

If all of our suggestions fail you we apologize but you need to call the professionals and we always have a full staff of licensed locksmiths standing by 24 hours a day 7 days a week.