Locked Your Keys in the Car? Call a Professional!

Over four million drivers lock themselves out of their cars each year. While the Internet is rife with two-bit tutorials on how to pop the lock yourself, there are many reasons to ignore this not-so-sage advice and leave the job to a professional.

Slim Jims were once a popular choice for popping a lock. Cars manufactured after 1990 will not respond to a Slim Jim for the simple reason that manufacturers realized nobody wanted a car that could be easily unlocked and, therefore, easily stolen. Sophisticated antitheft systems have also been developed to prevent unlawful entry. Fortunately, these modification have made it much more difficult for thieves to steal your car. Unfortunately, biometric technology is not yet standard in automobiles, so your car cannot yet tell the difference between a thief attempting to unlock the door without a key and you, the owner, attempting to unlock the door without a key.

When there’s nothing but a thin sheet of glass separating you from your beloved keys, you might be tempted to just smash the window and get on your way. Don’t, unless you’ve locked a child in a hot car or some other true emergency. Replacing a window can cost much more than calling a locksmith and will take up more of your time as well.

While breaking the window obviously damages your car, other methods of attempting entry present their own dangers. A coat hanger can scratch exterior paint, tear interior leather and destroy internal wiring. There is no part of your car that a coat hanger cannot destroy, and any money potentially saved will be lost again repairing the damage. Wedges also present a danger, as they can damage doors and shatter windows when used improperly. If you’re thinking of saving time, consider that many locksmiths are available 24 hours a day and can get to your location in minutes. Messing around with a coat hanger or wedge will likely take much longer and in the end you may be unsuccessful and wind up calling a professional anyway.

Many cars today are keyless. While it seems like an oxymoron to suggest that you could lock yourself out of a keyless car, it is in fact quite common. With the fob on the inside and the driver on the outside, calling a locksmith is often the only way to regain entry to your vehicle.

If you’re standing on the sidewalk kicking yourself, think about how much harder you’ll be kicking when you’ve damaged your car and are still locked outside. Click here to find a car locksmith in Carlsbad, California.

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DIY Don’t!

Locked your keys in the car? Don’t fiddle around with coat hangers and credit cards. Call a professional locksmith and you’ll be back on the road in no time.

Find a Safe to Match Your Needs

Many individuals and corporations require a secure location for cash, valuables, important documents and weapons. It is important to choose the right safe for the location and contents. Consider the following and keep your valuables out of the wrong hands.

1. Location – Location impacts the size and type of safe you will purchase. Choose a location that is large enough to house the contents but hidden from most visitors, such as a closet, storeroom or garage. Homeowners typically prefer a standalone or wall safe. Restaurants, retail stores and gas stations often use a depository or drop safe, enabling multiple parties to deposit cash without giving them access to the main storage compartment.
2. Type of Contents –Are you storing jewelry, cash, guns or electronics? The intended contents will determine the size, shape and fire safety rating required. While coins, cash and documents can withstand smoke damage and fairly high temperatures, data and family photos are much more fragile and can be corrupted at temperatures greater than 125° Fahrenheit. Data safes offer added protection for vulnerable contents.
3. Value of Contents – The total cash value of the contents of your safe will also impact the type of vault you choose. Models with greater theft protection will be more costly but offer greater protection and increased insurance coverage.

It is never a bad idea to choose a safe that is slightly larger than your current contents require and that offers slightly more protection than you think you’ll need. Click here to learn more about safes for sale in Vista, California.