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Door locks|Broken locks
Posted by admin in Locksmith | 0 comments
Unfortunately, door locks weren’t made to last forever. Eventually, all door locks will break depending on the quality.
Door Lock
When a door lock breaks it could be crucial that you fix it as soon as you can. A broken door lock can compromise the security of a property as it isn’t functioning to its full capability.
You may need to replace a broken lock or sometimes you can just repair your lock. As locksmiths in Toowoomba, we carry a lot of spare parts for locks in our service vans and workshop. Or replacement locks where required. There are a lot of little moving parts inside a lock, occasionally there is just one simple broken part stopping it all from working together.
A common occurrence in a lot of older style homes, especially in Toowoomba where we have stunning Colonial and Queenslander homes, is building or house movement. The foundations of a house can often move and shift causing a door to not meet up with the striker plate on the frame of the door. Weather can also play a major part in house movement, colder months versus summer months there is always a slight adjustment in the ground. All these causes can give the user the impression that they have a broken lock but this may not be the case. This can be a simple fix where a locksmith can make an adjustment to the part that the lock actually locks into.
broken door lock
A factor of a broken door lock could also be that it is faulty. Sometimes there are faults in the manufacturing of the lock, there are a lot of moving parts that make a lock work. If one of those small parts isn’t doing it job correctly it can cause the whole lock to not work. Depending on the situation it could cost more for a locksmith to pull apart the lock and try fixing the broken lock.
Many people would worry that if their lock cannot be repaired, they will have to buy a new lock that might not match the rest of the doors on the house or business premises. There are plenty of options on the market that you will be able to source the exact same or very similar fitting lock. Toowoomba Locksmiths have a number of suppliers with all different products, the chance of not finding what you are after for a replacement lock is slim to none.
Matching New Lock
The new lock could also be changed so it can match a current key for your house. This just involves the lock being taken apart and the internals of the lock being rearranged, for example: the same key will operate both the front and back door. This eliminates having a different key for every door in your house, it is one universal key.
Garage Door Remotes | Garage door
Posted by admin in Home Security | 0 comments
Whether you have a roller door remote, tilt-a-door remote, or a panel lift, all Garage door remotes come in a huge range of brands and frequencies. It is imperative that you choose the correct remote for your motor and receiver, purchased from a reputable stockist. Buying Garage Door Remotes online can be costly if the incorrect remote is selected for your requirements.
Adding and deleting Garage Door Remotes can be a simple process, and providing the correct remote is selected it can be a DIY job to reprogram. Or for peace of mind have a trained technician from Toowoomba Locksmiths to clear your receiver’s memory and add remotes as necessary.
Garage door
The Garage door is often overlooked when changing locks on your property which can mean anyone carrying old remotes may have unauthorised access to your home or garage. Be sure you know who holds remotes for your garage door – Old tenants or property owners, unwanted family members or old tradespersons may have these garage remotes and could potentially access your property without your knowledge.
Deleting old remotes is Easy and highly recommended whenever you are unsure who may have remotes, anytime you move into a new home, or if someone you know has a remote unlawfully.
Remotes can operate a large range of openers. For instance, Roller door remotes, tilt-a-door remotes, panel lift remotes, and even some auto gates, could possibly all use the same remote. Selecting the right remote means you could have one remote that operates different garage doors and gates without having to carry more than one remote.
If your remote is no longer working it can be due to a few reasons:
- The battery is old and may need replacing
- Sometimes there may be an issue with the receiver or motor
- You may simply need a new remote if there is an internal fault
This can be diagnosed by contacting any of the knowledgeable staff at Toowoomba Locksmiths.
Security screen and Security Door Locks
Posted by admin in Home Security | 4 comments
Security screen, commonly known as screen door locks are often the most heavily used doors in your home. Each time your main door is used the security screen is often used as well. Not only do they offer additional security to your home when locked in conjunction with your main glass or timber door but they offer the ability to secure your home while still offering fresh air to flow through.
There are 4 main brands of security Screen door locks commonly used in the Toowoomba Region, these are Whitco, Lockwood, Doric and Austral. Toowoomba locksmiths stock a wide range of these brands for both Sliding Security Screens and Hinged Security Screens. Whitco and Lockwood are the most common and longest used brand of Security Door Locks and although are no longer manufactured in Australia are still both high quality and affordable. It is important the correct brand and model is selected to ensure smooth replacements and correct security requirements.
If your Security Screen Door Lock stops working, there can be many reasons for this. Like any mechanical item, Security Door locks are not designed to last forever however with care and servicing, you can be sure they will keep your home secure for many years. There can be many reasons why your Security Door Lock has stopped working, these can include but are not limited to:
Reasons your Security Screen Door Lock May stop working
- Ground movement causing the lock to no longer meet its strike correctly
- Attempted or successful break-in
- Incorrect fitting
- A build-up of dust or foreign objects either inside the lock
- More commonly inside the hole in the frame of the door
If you are replacing one of your screen doors locks and want to use the same key with the new lock, this can usually be easily achieved as the cylinder can most commonly be removed from the old lock and work well in the New Security Lock.
It is easy to mistake a broken Screen Door Lock with a repairable fault. The best way to establish if you need a new security lock or if the lock can be repaired is to contact one of the Knowledgeable locksmiths at Toowoomba Locksmiths.
Why you should change locks on your house
Posted by admin in Home Security | 0 comments
Have you recently had concerns about the security of your house, but don’t have the funds for replacement locks?
A common misconception to house owners is that to change locks on their house, the only option is replacement locks. However, you don’t have to replace the whole lock to maintain confidence that your house is secure, simply rekey your lock cylinders.
Changing locks may seem like a large and expensive task but actually, for a knowledgeable locksmith, it is quite fast and efficient. Changing lock barrels is significantly cheaper than replacing locks as you can reuse the lock handle etc. We simply just take apart the lock, adjust and rearrange parts inside ensuring the old keys will no longer work and therefore be able to unlock the door. A new set of keys are then cut to work with the reconfigured lock on the inside.
Why you should change locks
There are several reasons why you would want to change your locks. We commonly have people contact us when they have their keys lost or stolen. Lost keys may be able to be tracked back to your property, leading to you feeling that your house and family are not secure and safe. We recommend changing locks in this situation to stop any intruders being able to possibly gain access into your property.
Moving into a new house
Moving into a new house maybe another scenario why you might consider changing your lock barrels. You can never be 100% sure that previous owners and tenants have returned all the keys. Builders and subcontractors from a newly built house might be a factor as well. More commonly then not builders and subcontractors would have at some point in time, required keys into your house to perform tasks. Changing the locks will eliminate them from gaining entry later.
Unfortunately, there are also sometimes family break downs in play, with upsetting circumstances. Sometimes a broken family may have some issues where you no longer want to have a family member to have access to your house for whatever reason. Rekeying your locks will eliminate this person being able to access the property with old keys they may still have, ensuring the safety of your family.
Replacing garage remote
Don’t stress about a garage remote in the wrong hands either. A garage remote and motors can be easily reprogrammed. You can eliminate remotes that may be in the hands of someone you wish not to have access. We reprogram the motor to no longer recognise any remotes, then re-introduce the remotes possessed by the homeowner, meaning any old garage remotes that use to work that haven’t been reprogramed will no longer be able to open the garage door.
Got questions about your locks? Let us help you
Security Surveys – Don’t be caught out when you least expect it
Fire Resistant Safes Toowoomba
Posted by admin in Safes | 3 comments
There are 3 types of Fire Resistant Safes in the Guardall Safe range and here we will go through them so you can better identify which may meet your current and future needs for better security.
The BFG range is all rounder Fire resistant safe, it is also Grinder proof, the initials stand for Burglar, Fire, Grinder Proof, it is a robust beast and will serve to protect valuables as well as data from fire. The cash rating it offers is a reflection of how well built this safe is, from the thickness of the walls and door, the grade of security it offers and when anchored and supported with an alarm or CCTV system you can inquire with your insurance company how that may increase the cash rating of the safe.
Fire Resistant Safes
offer a fire rating starting from 30 minutes up to 2 hours.
The next range of Fire Resistant Safes are the Data Safes, these are ideal for office/business situations where there is sensitive and valuable data that needs to be secured from theft and fire. They offer a 1hour electronic lock fire rating, which is huge, and a 2hour data and paper fire rating for this range.
- The Guardall GD series of data safes are specially designed with a second layer of fire protection to safeguard valuable data storage devices from hazards such as moisture, humidity, heat and magnetic fields.
Guardall Safes FP range Data safes are your small fire safe range, great for the home and personal documents such as passports and sensitive paperwork to be kept secure.
A house fire is over within a very short amount of time, the FP range offers a 30minute rating for fire.
For Guardall Safes to be able to get the fire ratings for their safes, in the initial design phase that Guardall and any safe manufacturer has to go through is similar to this demonstration of a test.
Buying a safe is like buying a home in a way, it is something that you are not going to want to look to replace anytime soon. So make sure you identify the core needs you are looking to satisfy with your safe and whether the one you are looking for meets your needs now and in 10-15 years time. That is usually the lifecycle of buying a good quality safe the first time.
Speak to one of our Security Specialists to help you identify the best security solutions for your home/business.
Why You Should Ask For a Security Survey From Your Locksmith
Posted by admin in CCTV | 7 comments
Security Surveys – Don't be caught out when you least expect it
If you are security conscious, you may wish for one of our Local locksmiths to visit your home or commercial premises to conduct an in depth security survey which will outline any current flaws in your lock suitability and will highlight our recommendations to improve the overall security of your premises. We can quote for a complete lock overhaul and will take care of all the installation required to fully secure your home or office or warehouse.Crime Prevention
Crime prevention in Toowoomba is the first step to making your home or office a safer place. For residential properties that are often vacant for long periods, you need to make sure your locks can withstand an attempted break in. We will advise on the latest locking systems available to you whether manual or digital and only use the most trusted and well tested brands on the market. Security is certainly and area where you do not want to cut corners however our locksmiths will work accurately within your stated budget to provide the most cost effective solution.
Offices and warehouses are quite regularly left unattended over weekends and throughout the holidays so security needs to be tight. We can offer expert advice not only on locks but also on digital security systems to best suit your needs and level of protection required. For more information on our security surveys or to book one of our experts, call us today on 07 4632 6060 or use the contact for to your right.
Lock Upgrades
You may require your locks to be upgraded or replaced for many reasons. Perhaps you have been in the unfortunate situation where your property was broken into – our local locksmith is on hand 24 hours a day and will be able to secure your premises and change your locks where required.
If you are moving to a new house, we would always advise that you get your external locks changed the day you move in. Not only for added peace of mind you are the only key holder but also to make sure the locks are up to standard and working properly – one less hassle for you to worry about during the stressful time of moving. Give our locksmith a call today and arrange to have your locks changed the day you move in, here are a few things we can do to upgrade your home security.
- Install deadlocks on all external doors and internal door between garage and house.
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- One key for all your door and window locks.
- Install key operated window locks.
- Install keyed patio bolts to ranch sliders and French doors.
- Make sure all out buildings are secure.
- Secure valuable possessions and documents in a safe, that is secured to the wall/floor in a concealed spot in your home.
When you next get a Toowoomba locksmith to your home, ask them to have a look around your exit and entry points of your property to identify weak security points and any lock or padlock upgrades that may be needed.
OR
Contact us today to book your free, no obligation security survey.
What Does Cash Rating Mean?
Posted by admin in Safes | 0 comments
When you are looking at buying a safe, most specs will involve the cash rating of a safe; $2000 (cheap and nasty safes usually), $5000, $10,000 up to $25,000. A cash rating is the level of cover that an underwriter, insurance company, will give to the contents of the safe, a cash rating is therefore also a very good indication of the security level of the safe, the higher the rating, the more security is offered.
In the UK they are called safe grades, same thing, they go up to Grade 13 and insure for a value of three and a half million pounds. Yes there are safes, strong rooms, that can offer this value of cash rating in Australia.
Image source; Burton Safes
But what most people do not realise, especially if you go to Bunnings or Masters to look at their safes with staff that have a general knowledge about what is in their section, is that this can be improved by installing a supportive system. A supportive system is usually what insurance and safe manufacturers mean to be a CCTV and/or Alarm system.
This Guardall KS2 (business deposit safe)
"Recommended insurable cash rating in an unsupported situation $50000.00"
You will have to speak to your insurance company on what specifications are needed to be met when they say this; self installed system or a system installed by a professional, or even a monitored system which is monitored 24/7 with 3 contacts on the list if the alarm system goes off as well as direct contact with Police services.
There are many levels to security and every home and situation is different.
We have had way too many sad outcomes of people being under covered due to a cash rating of their safe that is below the value of the items stored within them. When this is the case, the insurance company will see that the items were not secured adequately, plus other measures; broken locks, open windows, spare/lost keys used in break in.
To find out how these extra measures can add to your cash rating speak to your insurance agency and others to get an idea within the marketplace of how insurance companies are able to not only provide higher cash ratings but also over premium discounts because you have lowered your security risk.
Remember security is not just one action, it is a building upon small measures which leads to making your home and the valuables; family and high priced pieces, more secure.
Good Quality Gun Safes
Posted by admin in Safes | 3 comments
There are a lot of safes out there, Bunnings sell them, Masters sell them, gun shops sell them, but there are safes and there are safes. Some may offer a great comfort to you just because you have one, but is it secure, does it have a secondary locking system if they manage to damage and open the lock? How much time will it take for someone to break into your safe? This last question is the key, no safe can guarantee 100% security, with time and the right tools every safe is crackable. But a good safe is what buys you the maximum amount of time.
Does it have secondary locking bolts that will not release when it detects the first locking system; the combination lock or key lock has been tampered with?
How thick is the door and sides, does it have cement component in the lining of the sides; this makes grinders useless on them or does it offer a 10mm of higher thickness = more time to cut through?
Is your safe positioned in a space where a crowbar can not be used to leverage the door open?
Is there no swinging room for a sledgehammer? Yes they do, if you are asking whether they would.
There are two types of criminals, the opportunist who does little to no research on your property before attempting a breakin and the professional. If you are targeted by an opportunist and you have a Masters or Bunnings safe for your rifles, guns or ammunition, then you may have a 50/50 chance of keeping your possessions, if they don't find your safe, if they are disturbed or they are the really stupid kind of opportunist criminals. But.... if you get an opportunist who can scratch two sticks together, forget it, they are gone, in most cases these safes can be broken into in under 5 mins - 10 at a push. There are many videos of kids cracking cheap safes.
Now among the best of the good quality gun safes, we recommend Guardall gun safes.
Guardall Safe range all come with internal carpet to protect your firearms and has a separate ammunition storage compartment in all of the gun safe range. They also sell a small range of ammunition/hand gun safes.
This is the Guardall G2 and it can store up to 7 rifles
the G3 sells for approximately
and G3E for around
The ammunition safes range; variation in sizes to this model
Guardall G4E it holds 8-16 rifles and weighs 224kgs.
Please talk to us, Nathan is the man to ask for, about the gun safe range.
How To Prevent a Break In at Home
Posted by admin in Home Security | 1 comments
We never expect to be broken into, we always think that these things happen to other people and honestly we hope you never have to experience a break in. The main comments made by people is that they feel like they have a sense of invasion, that someone they don't know has gone through their home and things.
Nothing we suggest to you here will guarantee that you won't be broken into, but it will definitely decrease the possibility of it happening, the main things that amatuer crims are looking for are easy and quick money, so what we offer is deterrants and inhibitors.
How to prevent a Break in top tips;
Cheap doorlocks = quicky entry, so the money you think your saving by buying a cheap lock won't be worth it in the end, deadlock is what you will need to be insurance compliant so keep that in mind when upgrading your main entry point security.
Sensor lights - anything that reflects human behaviour will scare most amatuers, along with the front door being visible from the street.
Visible security camera - there has been much talk online that even a fake camera will work, and yes it will to a degree and for some people this act alone will be enough of a deterrant. But depending on your security concerns the technology in cameras are increasing and the prices are becoming more competitive. So choose the solution based on your needs.
Spare keys - if you are not interested in having a digital door lock for your home so everyone has their own code, then we have solutions that can allow you to securely hide the spare key. Check out our Key Safes post, these are little iron nuggets, they can try and break into but they will loose. (insert belly laughter)
Security Screens - on both the doors and the windows, especially the ground floor and keep shrubs away from ground floor windows, unless they are thorny, then keep those ones definately.
Dogs - ok so there is a debate on this one, a good guard dog looks scary and does not wag its tail at just about anyone who uses that tone of voice that we all use to say hello to dogs. If they respond like that then your dog will not suffice to be a guard dog. Don't be fooled by big dogs either they can sometimes be the most gentle, we had a story of how a Doberman not only let a thief in but the thief took his collar for a bit of a cheeky call out. Criminals will assess your dog prior to a break in to determine whether they are a threat.
Neighbourhood Watch - being close to your neighbours is one of the best security measures. They know your habits, the sound of your car, if you are away and help you with your security measures while away. (click image below to go to Toowoomba Police Neighbourhood Watch page.)
Another measure is to keep valuables away from the windows; computers, large TV's, handbags, things that make your home become a target.
We did a little search around the web to find some other tips from different countries and some were hilarious and we should have kept the link but we were looking for quality. This blog on how to prevent a break in, has some great tips that we haven't mentioned that may be a worth a read.
Guardall Safes Toowoomba
Posted by admin in Uncategorized | 0 comments
Guardall safes are built with premium security and ease of use in mind. The BFG range and the KCR range are the two most secure home safe models in the range; KCR having the highest cash rating of up to $35,000, more with a supported system.
The key thing to consider when buying a safe is to understand what the value of the things you wish to secure are now and for the next 10 years as a safe is a long term solution buy. So it has to have a 'cash rating' ='s the value of your products. The well publicised story of the war veteran who put most of his earnings into Gold and then went and bought a $400 Bunnings safe with the cash rating of $4000 for nearly $200,000 worth of Gold Bullion. Which the thieves picked up and took with them and opened it obviously in some remote location at their leisure with no possible way of being tracked. Heartbreaking but true.
So if you have cash, diamonds, watches, documents like; your will, ownership of your home, or items of sentimental value that you store in your safe, take a moment to consider how can I add time to the factor of criminals trying to take my valuables?
a. location of your safe, put it somewhere that won't be the first thing to mind; main bedroom wardrobes and under the stairs or in the garage are the top 3 locations where safes are stored and criminals are more than aware of that. There are stats, infographics and images all over the web that identifies these facts and even opportunistic criminals will research online to find out these facts. A fixed to the ground or wall safe reduces leverage so thieves can not pry the safe open as easily, great placement is your number one time factor.
b. the quality of your safe is the next biggest factor in the time factor of security; a safe that offers only one form of access; digital or combination lock will make it easy to crack, one with a backup autolock of with bars like the ones above offers excellent reinforcement as it would need a lot of leverage to get into one. The next factor is making it angle grinder proof; yep, a great home reno tool is a regular feature in a semi-professional thief. Noise is not a factor if the value in the safe is high enough and if they have a way of entering and exiting the property without detection = high fences, no dogs, no street lights, your away and you posted it on social media!! Oceans 11 is not an over exaggeration when they used special explosives to access a safe. Albeit it isn't as common in Australian suburbs in general but again if there is a big enough reward for their risk they will take it.
c. a supported system also known as a CCTV/Alarm system. Either of these will act as a deterrent and also reduce the time spent on site for those who choose to break in anyway.
Security is a long game and if you are always vigilant then you reduce your risk of a break in and increase your insurance pay out if you are broken into. Nothing is an absolute guarantee to prevent break ins, but you can make it is painful and as difficult as possible so that they will go away empty handed and, if they are identifiable, get caught and charged.
d. use your safe properly; don't leave your valuables out overnight, get into the habit of putting the items you wish to keep secure. The ease of use that Guardall safes offers allows you the best of both worlds; security but easy access because you still want to use on a regular basis.
Home security measures are one the most increasing factors to convictions in Australia. More and more Queensland and National Police rely on residential security measures to help them convict more criminals and have less unsolved cases than in any other time in our social history. Every little measure counts.
Talk to one of the team about your security concerns.
