Full-sized safes are built to be strong and heavy. You want something that will help protect your guns, valuables, and important papers from thieves, fire, curious children. You might be tempted to load your safe in the back of your truck and try to carry it into your home or business yourself, but you’re taking a big risk. Having a professional safe mover deliver and install your safe is the best way to get it home or business and ready to use. Consider these benefits of leaving this hefty job to a professional.

PROFESSIONALS HAVE THE EXPERIENCE NEEDED

A safe is not a purchase you make very often, so you probably haven’t moved one before. An experienced safe delivery does it all the time. We know how to get a safe into your home or business undamaged. But that’s just a small part of the services professional safe movers provide. We know how to:

• Get your safe into your home or business without injuring themselves, you, or your family members.
• Take precautions to prevent damaging your home.
• Read the layout of your home and identify issues that could be a problem, like that wooden chair that cannot support the safe’s weight or tight turns in hallways.

PROFESSIONALS HAVE SPECIALIZED MOVING EQUIPMENT

Moving a heavy and bulky item like a safe requires specialized moving equipment. A professional will have a heavy-duty specialized truck that is equipped with everything needed to get the job done, including an Ultra-lift motorized hand dolly.

If you choose to take the risk of doing this job on your own, any damage that may occur is your responsibility. 

Moving a safe on your own is very dangerous and can be costly if you become injured. Between medical bills, time lost from work, and possible damage to your vehicle or home, it just doesn’t make financial sense. But don’t let the worry of how to move a safe discourage you from making this important purchase.

Thanks

Todd Theroux

Nearly a quarter of Americans lose their house or car keys twice a week. This can cause these people to be late for school or work. What’s worse is that they may end up losing their keys permanently and paying for a replacement. 

This situation can be inconvenient when it comes to replacing a key fob. Not only can a key fob replacement be expensive, but the process of getting one can get complicated. However, it may not be as difficult as you think. 

If you’re interested in learning some car key replacement tricks, read on. 

1. Buying an Aftermarket Key Fob

The basic process of getting a new key fob costs anywhere from $150 to $500. This final price is usually made from two major costs. Your dealership will charge you for the key fob itself and then for key fob programming services. 

There are a few ways to lessen this price, but many are risky. One is to purchase an aftermarket key fob from an online seller. You can then bring it in to a dealership and ask them to program it for you. 

There’s a big risk to this method, though. Many online stores only sell cheap knockoff versions of key fobs. These can either work poorly or not work at all. 

What’s worse is that a dealership won’t refund the programming cost if your aftermarket key fob doesn’t work. 

2. Programming a Key Fob Yourself 

Another way to make replacing car keys cheaper is to program a key fob yourself. This is especially easy if you already have two working fobs and need a third. Your car owner’s manual can instruct you on how to perform this task. 

Also, if your key fob is merely damaged, you may not need programming at all. Switching the internet circuitry from your old key fob to a new key fob shell is possible. Try this before attempting key fob programming. 

Keep in mind, though, that you may not be able to program more advanced key fobs. 

3. Replacing a Key Fob Using a Locksmith

BAYSIDE LOCKSMITH & SECURITY can provide cheaper services than a dealership. There may, however, be limits on their abilities. Locksmiths often don’t have the information or equipment necessary to program a car key replacement. 

One reason this happens is that some dealerships and/or brands won’t provide locksmiths with the codes they need. Another reason is that more advanced fobs can need special equipment that locksmiths don’t have.

Hire BAYSIDE to Replace Your Car Keys or Fob 

As a final tip, remember that sometimes a great expense will be much less than many minor expenses. Don’t keep refusing to pay a larger price because you want to get a good deal. It may be that paying hundreds for replacing a key fob is all you can do. 

When you need a car key replacement, contact us. We can provide automotive locksmith services to over a dozen brands. BAYSIDE LOCKSMITH & SECURITY offers 24/7 emergency services, including on-site key replacement. 

Thank you

Todd Theroux

You know that feeling when you just can’t seem to find your keys, and you start to panic because you’re late for an important meeting? Or when you come home from a long day and realize you don’t have your keys to get into your house? Yeah, those are both pretty terrible feeling. But what’s even worse is realizing that your lock isn’t working properly and needs to be replaced. Here are five signs that it may be time for a new lock on your front door.

5 Signs to change your locks

Weathered Locks

In order to ensure your security, it is important that you change out the locks on all external doors at least once every two years. You may also want to consider having an annual service conducted by a locksmith who can inspect and clean any internal components in order to prevent problems from occurring before they occur!

Loose and Damaged Locks

Door Locks are a vital part of your home security system. The most obvious sign that they should be repaired or replaced is if their appearance has been damaged in any way and it makes you worried about using them for protection against intruders, who could easily break into an unlocked house with ease thanks to this convenient access points.

Signs of Tampering

Locksmiths recommend that you keep an eye on the condition of your locks and take special care to identify any sign a burglar might make. Evidence including unusual scratching or marking around keyhole could suggest upgrade is required – call Bayside Locksmith & Security. 

Faulty Locks

When the mechanism in your door lock begins to malfunction, you will typically experience issues with turning keys or locking and opening doors. Faulty systems can be caused by wear-and-tear as well as misalignment so it’s important that professional handle this problem for you!

Lock Keys missing

Locking yourself out of your home or car is never fun, but it’s even worse when you have young children at the same time. Keys can easily go missing during family transitions which leaves homeowners with no choice but to call an experienced locksmith in order to get back inside their house before they miss work or school!

What should you do when your key breaks in the lock?

You’re back home after an exhausting day at work. You reach your porch and insert your key and ‘SNAP’, the key breaks in the lock. When you’re looking forward to having dinner and a good night’s sleep, the broken key in your lock ruins your day. No matter how hard you try, getting the key out is a futile effort.
In such a case, getting you out of such a stressful situation is only possible with the help of a locksmith service. In this post, we’ll help understand why keys snap in the lock and how to tackle this issue calmly.

Why do keys snap in the locks?

Usually, keys snap in the locks due to-

• A damaged key
• A brass/nickel key (experienced locksmiths do not recommend soft metal keys)
• A Jammed or non-lubricated lock

What can happen to the lock if you don’t extract the broken key from it?

• There is a risk of further damage to the lock.
• You could be left locked in or locked out of your home.
• If you don’t extract the broken key from your lock, your home is left vulnerable to break-ins.

3 things to try yourself before calling for help

Use needle-nosed plyers– You could consider this if there is a small part of the key jutting out of the lock. You will need to be quite careful with these plyers though.

Use a strong magnet An easier way to remove the key, a strong magnet could help you get the key out quickly.

Use a hairpin– If a magnet or a pair of plyers isn’t at your disposal, a hairpin could do, if you know how to use it properly.
Though you could try any of these methods, there is a grave risk of damaging the lock further if you try too hard. Worse, you could end up pushing the broken key further into the lock if you try too hard.

How to make sure the key doesn’t snap in the lock again

To ensure you don’t get yourself into such a situation again, you need to-

Lubricate your locks– Your lock requires its share of maintenance. Every six months, you should lubricate your locks to help prevent issues like broken keys or jammed locks. Apply a mild lubricant to the lock. Do not use oil-based lubricants like WD-40 as this could damage the locks.

Use the right replacement keys– Just like any metal instrument, keys are prone to wear and tear. If you see any damage to the keys, you should immediately replace the keys with new ones. Ensure you do not make the keys with soft metals like Brass or Nickel.

Lastly

You need to care for your locks just as you would with any electronics. Regularly lubricating your locks makes sure they work well and are long-lasting. Though there are many types of locks you can use, it makes sense to hire a locksmith who will help you choose the right locks and maintain them when necessary.

Thank You

Todd Theroux

Locks & keys help us to control and manage access to our homes, offices, businesses, and belongings. They enable us to deter unauthorized access to properties and physical assets; thereby making us feel secure. If there were no locks and keys, theft would be the order of the day, and most people wouldn’t feel secure in their homes.  

Here are facts you probably didn’t know about locks and keys.

• The key was invented by Theodorus of Samos—a Greek sculptor

Theodorus of Samos –a Greek sculptor and architect is credited with the invention of the key in the 6th century BC. The key was made out of wood and was about 30 inches long.

• The largest padlock measures 144.3 cm tall, 105 cm wide, and 26 cm deep

Students and teachers from Pavlovo Arts College in Russia created the world’s largest padlock. The padlock and its key weigh 916 lb (415.5 kg). The padlock holds the Guinness World Record to date.

• Locksmithing has been around for over 4,00 years

Locksmithing is believed to have originated in Ancient Egypt and Babylon. The oldest known lock is roughly 4,000 years old. The first locksmiths in Ancient Egypt used their locksmith skills to protect the tombs of rulers.

• Keys were a symbol of wealth in Egyptian society

It’s only a few people who could afford locks and keys in Ancient Egyptian society. Having a lock and key was considered a symbol of wealth. Affluent Egyptians used to put keys around their finger to reflect power.

• Mass production of locks in the U.S started in 1840

Before 1840, locksmiths used to make locks and keys by hand.

• Master keys have key serialization

Master keys have a unique serial number that allows one to track keys to their individual holders using tracking software. Key serialization allows for effective key control in businesses and protected areas.

• The oldest known lock was found in ruins near Ninevah

Egyptian archeologists found the oldest known lock in ruins near Ninevah 4,000 years ago. However, archeologists believe that there could be locks older than this artifact. The lock was primitive in nature as it used a wooden bolt and pegs to secure a door.  

• Nearly 30 percent of burglaries are attributed to unlocked windows or doors

Not all burglaries occur as a result of picking locks or tampering with the lock mechanism. A considerable proportion of burglaries happen because people leave their windows and doors unlocked.   

• James Sargent invented the earliest combination lock in 1857

James Sargent (1824-1910) created the world’s first key-changeable combination lock. Sargent’s lock mechanism became instrumental in making safes. He later established a company that specialized in manufacturing a wide range of high-security products.  

Call BAYSIDE LOCKSMITH & SECURITY For All Of Your Locksmith Needs

At Bayside Locksmith & Security we offer a wide array of locksmith services, including key cutting, key duplication, lockout services, key replacement, key fob programming, emergency locksmith services and many more. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to serve you.

A locksmith is a specialist.  We can sometimes do magic with locks.  We always offer our best, professional advice for your security.

What can BAYSIDE LOCKSMITH & SECURITY do for you today?

When you are thinking about spending some of your hard earned cash on improving your locks, spend some time talking with our locksmith about the proper way to design your locking system.  Often we are rushed for emergency service and you end up with additional keys or locks that should be only temporary.

It is easy to take a lock for granted.  A lock is the most reliable machine that we use everyday.  We think that the builder or previous owner installed the best lock for our needs. This is rarely the case.  I encourage you to review all your locks and keys when you need service on just one.

One Key to Rule Them All
Using the most basic locksmith skills, we can give you one key that opens every door in your house or even every lock you use everyday!  No need for a large ring of keys.

REKEY OR REPLACE
When you lose control of your keys we can cancel the lost key and create a new key for your locks.  If your lock is in good working order this is just regular maintenance.

THE MASTER KEY
Our locksmith can take a series of doors, as you will see in an apartment building or condo, and make a key for each door that will only open that one door.  Next we make a master key that will open all the doors.  The manager of the building will carry the master key in case of an emergency.

Thank You,

Todd Theroux

After being asked over and over about locksmithing work, and about the tools of our trade, in particular, we decided to write a blog post about them. We love that people are interested in what we do and are always happy to tell our trade secrets.

As locksmiths, we work out of our vans, which we like to consider a “mobile workshop”. We pride ourselves on our timely and efficient work and of course, our tools play a big part in this. In order to be able to do our best work, at any time, we need to have our tools easily accessible, and that means that they should always be kept very well organized in our vans.

Our tools are organized by types of tools and their uses in different tool bags and tool boxes so we can just take the tools we need at any given time in order to do a specific job rather than take everything in a large, heavy tool bag with us.

Here is a list of some of the most useful tools that every locksmith uses:

Tweezers

These are long tweezers, the tip of the tweezer has been milled and has a grooved tip for fast and easy loading of cylinder pins, used for rekeying.

Slim Jim (Lock Pick)

Slim Jims are used to unlock car doors without the use of a key or slip pick.  It is a thin strip of metal roughly 24 in. long and about 0.79–1.57 in. wide. Using a Slim Jim, with careful manipulation, the car door can be opened without a key. Only trained locksmiths should use a Slim Jim, unskilled users can cause damage to the car.

Key Cutter Machine

We have key duplication machinery that enables us to create a new house or car keys on the spot, from right out of our vans.

Key Gauge

A gauge that’s used to measure keys to find out the cut depths of a key.

Hook Pick / Lock Pick

Used to pick locks, this tool is one of the most common tools used by locksmiths. These picks come in different sizes and shapes to fit different sized locks.

Precision Screwdrivers

A set of screwdrivers that are smaller than regular screwdrivers, which come in handy with the very small screws that are found in locks.

Shim Stock

This is a very thin piece of shaped metal that is used for re-keying locks.

 Jackknife Pick

This took has about 5 picks on it that can be used to pick simple household locks, like the locks on bathrooms or bedrooms. The different picks are suited for different types of internal lock mechanisms.

 Bump Key

Bump keys are essentially keys that have been shaved down to enable you to bypass a lock.

These are just the most common of the many tools we carry with us in our mobile locksmith shop. We hope that this has taught you a little more about the tools that professional locksmiths use in their day-to-day work, and what they are used for. All professional locksmiths have been professionally trained at their job and know how to use these tools without damaging the car or door that they are working on. We do not suggest using these tools unless you have had the proper training to do so.

If you have any further questions or  if you are in need of our services in GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN please don’t hesitate to give us a call, we are always happy to hear from you.

Thank You

Todd Theroux

In order to choose the best lock for your needs, it’s important to know what type of lock you’ll be using. Security locks are typically used in industrial and high-security areas such as government buildings, banks, homes, or commercial establishments.

Electronic locking systems are commonly found on public doors on schools and universities, health care facilities, airports, or large facilities such as hospitals. The best locks for your house are made from hardened steel and feature a high-security locking mechanism that is difficult to pick.

They should also be able to resist attacks from drills and saws. You will find the best lock by checking the ratings of each product. It’s important to get a high-quality lock in order to prevent a break-in or burglary. There are many types of locks available, but the most common ones include lever locks, deadbolts, and knob locks.

It’s important for you to decide which type of lock is the best for your needs before visiting a locksmith to change your lock. The best lock is always the one that you have at home, but if you live in a dangerous area then choose a “high security” kind.

High-security locks are meant to deter potential intruders to protect your belongings from theft. It’s also important that the locks are installed properly so as not to be easy for burglars. Types of locks can be very confusing. There are different types that someone may want to use depending on the situation.

A good lock is key-based and offers mechanical security and a defense against drilling, picking, or manipulation.

Call BAYSIDE LOCKSMITH & SECURITY today for information or advice on your specific situation.

Thanks

Todd Theroux

When upgrading your security system the locks could be easily forgotten. To feel home and secure, many of people consider installing a strong garage door. Unfortunately, they forget about the door locks. Did you know that the locks count when it comes to securing your belongings and safety of your children? In this post, we are going to look at some important considerations when you want to change locks on house. By the end, you will learn how to choose the perfect lock for your house.

1. Factor the intended daily use

The number one factor when purchasing new replacement locks for your house is the intended daily use. Today, you will find a growing number of front door locks available on the market. Each of the options you find is suitable for specific use. Before purchasing a replacement lock, consider how you will be using the lock. For instance, let us say you are purchasing a replacement door lock for the front door. Number one, you expect to use the lock for several times a day especially when living with relatives. It is without doubt that the front door lock is one of the most used locks in a house. Therefore, you will consider a mortise lock compared to the standard rim cylinder deadbolt.

1. Determine the desired security level

The second factor to consider when purchasing the door lock is the desired security level. If you are protecting your valuables, the security level here is higher than just locking up a house to control entry. Realistically, everyone wants to feel as safe as possible. Finding out the level of security when purchasing a replacement lock for your house door is very important. Therefore, ask the dealer to give an explanation of the deadbolt features. Why is the dealer recommending the particular lock? Ask yourself whether the lock really meets the security standards as expected. You should be sure to pick appropriate lock that will meet the expectations when it comes to security levels.

To evaluate the security level, consider how easy it is picking the particular lock. What resources and time is required to pick the particular lock? For high-level security, you want to ensure a lock that takes time to pick and requires advanced technology to pic

2. Do not be carried away by the brand name

A serious mistake that many people make when purchasing a replacement door lock is being carried away by the brand name. Ensure that you consider quality rather than purchasing base on brand name. Ask for the best door locks that meet your desired security level and is best for the intended use. This way, you will be able to choose a better door lock for your house

3. Consider the smart locks

We are in an era when everyone wants to consider the smart door locks. The smart locks provide curb appeal ensuring high-level security, and enjoy convenience. There are various smart lock options available in the market.

4. Ease of installation

Some door locks provide an easy installation experience while others are complicated. It is advisable that you go for the door locks that are easy to install and provide the user simplified use experience.

Consider the above factors when purchasing the replacement locks for your house. Remember that security is an important consideration when purchasing the door locks. Do not forget to engage a professional to assist you in choosing an appropriate replacement lock. At Bayside Locksmith & Security , we provide the best door lock installation. Contact  us today for professional expertise.

Thank You

Todd Theroux

Theft of personal items happens every day. Unfortunately, one of those common crimes is the theft of vehicles. Automobiles have become one of the most important and valuable items that a household can have. For most individuals, they are essential for getting to and from work, for others they are essential just for general mobility. A vehicle?s value, whether monetary or not, is precisely why thieves target them.? Vehicles can be stripped for spare parts or even used to commit other crimes. Now more than ever it is important to protect your vehicle just as you protect your home and family.

There are a few simple tools you can use with your vehicle to help deter or even prevent theft.

The first and primary tool is your vehicle?s car alarm. Luckily this tool already comes pre-installed with all modern vehicles. The sudden loud noise it emits is perfect for chasing off most thieves since they prefer to work quickly and quietly. However, even if your vehicle already has an alarm, it does not mean it is safe. Car alarms are so commonplace that most people have become desensitized to them, so they are not 100% likely to deter thieves. Other tools may be necessary.

Another useful tool may be a steering wheel lock bar. A lock bar is a convenient and compact tool that can be placed on your steering wheel to prevent it from being turned. This can usually deter a thief since its presence makes it a huge inconvenience for them to attempt to remove it. A brake lock is also an effective tool to prevent theft. Brake locks secure to the bottom of the brake petal so it can?t be suppressed. Thieves can?t steal your car if they can?t drive it away.

The final tool is quite effective and most modern cars possess one, a tracking device. Tracking devices are useful for determining your vehicle?s position via GPS if a thief manages to make off with it. Tracking devices are one of the most useful functions vehicles have these days and can be quite powerful when used with other tools. Some companies can even disable your car for you once they find out it was stolen, often causing thieves to abandon the vehicle. Sadly, older vehicles do not come with this function and it can be an expensive system to add to your car. Please research which tools would be most effective for you and your vehicle before you buy.

Thank You

Todd Theroux