1. Leave a Spare with a Friend

DON’T LEAVE IT UNDER THE RUG! Nor is it a good idea to have a spare home key in a personal car. In a burglary, a thief or criminal may break into your car at random in a busy parking lot, only to find a house key and a home address on insurance documents in the glove box. After a car break-in, our clients often need rekeying services when they discover that their spare house key has vanished, causing them to pay extra money to rekey their home locks to new keys in order to keep the crooks out.

Many homes and car owners who don’t want to get locked out are discovering that keeping an extra key hidden is a good backup plan. The only disadvantage of concealing a spare key is that it may be discovered by someone else. When hunting for spare keys to use to gain entrance, house attackers are known to look beneath carpets, in potted plants, and under hanging lights in the area of the front door. Hide a spare key in a lock box and bury it somewhere that can be recalled but not discovered to obtain the utmost level of security possible.

We recommend being clever about the spare key. Leaving it with a trusted neighbor is likely the best way to go. Either that or going keyless.

2. Replace Bad Locks

Locks that don’t operate properly might cause a slew of issues. Obviously, even with the correct key, the lock will not open. Aside from that, if the lock is difficult to open, the key may become stressed over time. The key will break if the metal in the key is overstressed. When a key breaks in a lock, having a spare doesn’t help much. Check that all of your locks are in working order.

3. Keep your keys on one rung and in your pocket.

If you need to rush back inside the house, don’t leave your keys on a table. Maintain control of your keys by holding them in your hand or placing them in your pocket. Make sure that if you lend your keys to a friend, you receive your keys back as soon as your friend returns. Make sure your keys aren’t visible to outsiders or people you don’t trust. Knowing where your keys are ensures that they are not misplaced or forgotten, and that key security is never jeopardized. Keep all of your keys on one rung so that you don’t lose keys to a broken clip. 

4. Do a mental checklist everywhere you leave

Humans are creatures of habit. If you get yourself in the habit of doing a mental check before you leave, you’ll be sure to remember your keys every time. Ancient proverb: phone, keys, wallet.

5. Don’t upset your wife

We’ve all been in the dog house but if you’re out of the house you must have really done a number this time. You might want to settle things diplomatically before you get a locksmith involved. You can do it; at the very least, make it to the couch.