What Kind of Car Key Do I Have?

Average motorists typically pay little attention to the keys that operate their cars, trucks, SUVs, or vans until they lose them, lock them inside the vehicle, or damage them. Although all keys perform in the same way—either by starting an ignition or opening a lock on a door or trunk—not all keys are the same. Knowing which type of key you have can be important if you ever need to have a key replaced.

There are essentially five different types of keys. Most locksmiths can cut all of these keys, especially if you're dealing with a company like SK Locksmith who is on the cutting edge of key-cutting technology and who has invested in the appropriate equipment and software for the job. The five basic types of car keys include:

• Mechanical-cut car keys. This is the most easily recognized and popular type of key. It is basic and plain, and most of the older model cars used this type of key. It is only cut on one side of its blade, so it can go into your car's ignition only one way; if you turn it the other way, it won't go in at all.

These keys are easily cut using a special punch-type machine—the type you see in most hardware stores or even some big box retailers. These keys are seen less and less today, due to technological advances, including laser cutting that is slowly making mechanical-cut keys a thing of the past.

• Laser-cut car keys. These keys, which are sometimes called internal-cut keys, feature the same cuts on both sides. If you can stick your key in the ignition from both sides and it still turns, then this is probably the type of key you own. Most of today's keys are cut using a laser, and automakers are turning to this type of key because it is harder to pick than mechanical-cut keys.

• Transponder keys. This type of key has a tiny chip in its handle, but it can still be cut by both mechanical and laser-cut methods. Nonetheless, the chip in the key makes it difficult for thugs and car thieves to duplicate, so it is a step up in terms of security from the basic mechanical key.

• Vehicle anti-theft system keys or VAT keys. These keys are mechanically cut and they are specially designed with a unique resistor in the blade. The resistor can be one of fifteen different types, which makes it a lot harder for crooks to make on their own.

• Smart keys. This type of key, as the name suggests, does a lot of intelligent things, including starting your car from across the parking lot or from the front door of your home when it's cold outside and you want to warm it up before you get in. These keys are really difficult for a would-be bad guy to duplicate, making them the ultimate in security for your car.

No matter what type of car key type, locksmiths can reproduce keys for you if you lose or damage your existing keys.

Take Your Garage Door Security Seriously!

Most people feel relatively secure when inside their homes, although garage door security can give them pause to wonder if would-be crooks can actually gain access to their otherwise safe abode. The fault in security when it comes to garage doors is usually found in the automatic garage door opener. 

While this type of device is a godsend during inclement weather, it can also compromise your home's security by making your garage penetrable to would-be crooks. And it's not a big stretch to imagine that when burglars can break into your garage, your home is next on their list. With many homes having access to the interior via the garage, this can pose a risk to your home's safety net.

How Do Crooks Get in Via the Garage?

A safety feature that is meant to add to your security in using your garage door and automatic garage door opener is actually where the weak link lies. Most doors are equipped with an emergency release lever that allows you to open the garage door if your power is out. You can also use a coat hanger or other object (if you're so inclined, and crooks are inclined) to gain access to the pull cord on this lever, effectively allowing yourself into the garage.

What Can You Do?

There are a number of things you can do to overcome this security issue. For starters, you can disable the release lever, but this means that you also lose the ability to open the door in an emergency. You can remove the cord, but that's not a foolproof way to ensure that someone with bad intentions won't get in using the coat hanger method described above.

Frosting the windows on the garage door can make it harder for the coat hanger method to work. Going retro with your garage door is also possible. This would require you to get out of the car to let yourself in, just like they did before there were garage door openers to do it for you.

A Better Option 

If you're not willing to do that and the solutions above seem a little far-fetched or impractical for you, then you can have your local locksmith install a keypad system on the door. This allows you entry to the door by entering a special code, so you can disable the release lever without worrying about the consequences of disabling the emergency lever.

Your locksmith can also secure the entry door that is located in the garage leading into your home with a high-quality deadbolt lock. Even if your garage door is secure, making it difficult to enter your home through the garage makes sense, because once a thug is in the garage, he has free reign out of sight of anyone else to make his way inside quickly. A deadbolt can make that more difficult.

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Could Your Business Use a Good Houston Locksmith?

Keeping your business, and its assets safe is no doubt a top priority for you as a business owner, and your local locksmith can be a partner in helping ensure that the bad guy can't cause you a headache.

Commercial or business locksmiths can be valuable to making sure that only the people that have permission to be on your business' premises are allowed there, and that only those who are allowed in certain areas can gain access once inside. You can also ensure that the activity on your business property is documented and monitored.

Access Control Systems

Most businesses need to control, at least to some extent, who can come through their doors and when they can come through. An access control system can be set up by your locksmith to put you in complete control of who comes inside and where they can go once they get there.

Through a number of available options, those with access can be required to enter a code, use a special key, or even slide an ID card in front of a card reader before they can enter your facility. This can help to ensure that only those with clearance can make their way into your business or different areas inside.

High-Security Locks

High-security locks can give you added peace of mind that intruders and others without authorization cannot get into your business, or if they are inside, they cannot gain entry to a particular area.

This type of lock is great for areas where expensive items are stored, research is being conducted, or records are kept, among other uses. A professional locksmith can discuss the various high-security lock options that are available to you as a business owner.

CCTV Systems

Keeping an eye on who is inside and around your business is not only a good way to deter would-be thieves—it is also a great way to make sure that your employees follow the standards that you demand for business practices, safety guidelines, and so on. A CCTV system can also help to document insurance fraud attempts if you are ever sued by an employee, customer, or vendor.

Today's CCTV systems are made up of numerous cameras that feed footage back to a central monitor, series of monitors, or even your smart phone. This last option allows you to monitor activities on the premises from any alternate location. Call Today! 832-777-7010

Store Digital Copies Of Your Keys in the Cloud With The KeyMe App

Just like you store your photos, your music, and even your documents in the cloud, a new app makes it possible to store a digital copy of your keys in the cloud as well. This app, which is known as KeyMe, has been dubbed a digital keychain. It allows you to scan a copy of your keys using your iPhone, iPad, or even your iPod Touch to store it in the event that the key becomes lost.

The way it works is simple. Just download the app and then go to "Scan a New Key." From there, you'll simply take a photo of the front and the back of your key and upload it to the app's server for analysis. The app will scan the key and then store the key's info for you. After it has been analyzed, it shows up on your digital key ring. The app is free.

After your key has been successfully uploaded using the KeyMe app, you can then order copies of the key using the app. You can also take the image to a local locksmith who can cut the key for you while you wait. The price for cutting most keys using the app or with your locksmith is about the same, so it's really just a matter of preference as to which you use.

Using a Houston company like SK Locksmith, you get the key right away. With the app, you have to wait. When most people lose their keys, they need them replaced quickly, so a locksmith is typically your best bet.

The app makes it possible, however, for your locksmith to make the key without having a copy of it there, which makes the app invaluable, just for that reason. KeyMe does charge $10 for displaying the instructions for your locksmith to use the app. Still, this is less than having to pay to have your locks rekeyed.

At the moment, the app is only available for iOS, and it does not work with all types of keys. In the future, the company plans to offer brick-and-mortar kiosks where you can pick up a key after ordering in the cloud. As of yet, there is only one kiosk in the country in operation, and that's in New York City.

Check out the video:

Why Deadbolts Are Important to Home Security

One part of home security that is often overlooked by homeowners is the deadbolt. A deadbolt can be an integral part of your plan to keep would-be crooks and bad guys on the other side of the door.

Of all the things you can do to boost your home's security and keep your family and possessions safe (such as getting a guard dog and installing an alarm system), if you don't have working deadbolts installed on your doors, then your home really is not as secure as you think it is.

When an intruder wants in your home, he will use force—in fact, that's how most burglars gain entry into homes. According to FBI statistics, 60 percent of burglaries occur when the perpetrators enters the home by force. If you have a deadbolt installed, the chance of that happening is greatly reduced.

What is a Deadbolt?

The most common deadbolt is the bored or auxiliary cylindrical deadbolt. Typically, it is installed above the existing lever or door knob and is in addition to the existing mortise or cylindrical lock.

It is usually installed by drilling two holes in the door, including a cross-bore hole and an edge-bore hole.

Most locksmiths advise homeowners to avoid entryway doors that are equipped with glass panels on the side, since a burglar can easily break the panels, reach inside, and unlatch the deadbolt, thus defeating its purpose.

If you have a glass-paneled door of this design, you can go for the double-cylinder deadbolt that comes with a key that unlocks the door from the inside. However, this can be dangerous if you ever need to get out of the home quickly (such as during a house fire), which is the biggest drawback to this installation.

Proper Installation of a Deadbolt Lock

Any deadbolt is only as good as its installation, which means that hiring a locksmith to properly install your deadbolt is money well spent. Installation requires allowing for a "throw" on the strike side of the door, the installation of a security plate, and proper placement of screws that extend all the way through the frame of your door.

An experienced locksmith is best equipped to install your deadbolt properly so that it keeps your family and your home safe from potential intruders. Click Here to find out more.

What Type of Services Does an Auto Locksmith Provide?

You likely know little about what a locksmith does until the time arises when you need to hire one. And while you may know that a locksmith can unlock your car if you leave the keys inside by mistake, you may not know that the locksmith offers many other specialized services, like re-keying your lock after a break-in and rescuing drivers who become stranded when they lock their keys inside their trunks.

With today's automotive systems becoming more and more advanced, consumers can have peace of mind in knowing that a well-trained Houston locksmith is on hand with the high-tech tools needed to help when a problem arises.

Some reasons you may want to call on your local Houston auto locksmith:

• Auto lockout service. If you lock your keys inside your car, our trained technicians will be dispatched to help. Usually, we can be inside your car in minutes, and you can be on the road and back to whatever you were doing before you forgot your keys inside your car.
• Trunk lockout. Being locked out of your trunk can be frustrating, especially when you've got groceries or other items inside. Our technicians can open your trunk quickly so that you can get on with your day.
• Broken keys in the ignition. If a worn key has broken inside your ignition, you're probably not going anywhere soon. Not to worry; our technicians are trained to deal with this all-too-common problem right away, even if your car is a newer model.
• Lost keys. Because our technicians have the ability to make laser-cut keys and transponder keys on the spot, losing your keys doesn't mean the end of the world.

No one is perfect, and finding yourself in need of a locksmith doesn't mean that you're absent minded. Your Houston auto locksmith operates from a high-tech service vehicle that is equipped with the tools needed to make keys or even ignition replacements within minutes.

Keep in mind that not all Houston locksmiths are created equally, since not all are licensed by the Texas Department of Public Security (DPS). If a locksmith is not licensed by the DPS, the locksmith is not legitimate.

All legitimate Houston auto locksmiths are bonded, licensed, and insured to operate in Texas to protect you, the consumer, while receiving needed services.

When Should I Get My Locks Changed or Re-keyed?

There are several occasions in life at which you will need to have your locks changed, and an attempted or successful break in is one of those times. However it’s not just victims of burglary that should consider getting new locks, although if you fall into that category you shouldn’t hesitate to protect your home with new locks.

It could be that you’ve given some spare keys out to various people over the years – you may not even remember who has them and you may have no idea where they have ended up. You gave one to the plumber that came to work in your kitchen when you couldn’t be at home… now you feel uneasy as you recall that, did you ever get that key back?

Perhaps you lost your keys at some point, and have no idea whose hands they fell into. You decide it’s better to trust in human nature and not to worry about it, but meanwhile your keys are discovered in the local area by a dubious sort of person who decides it is far too easy take advantage of the situation and may decide that your home could be an easy score.

It's at times like these that you should seek out the services of a professional locksmith. They can quickly install new locks or rekey your old locks to work with a brand new key. Just use your favorite search engine to look for local companies in your area like SK Locksmith, an experienced company like that will ensure you regain the security of your home and your piece of mind.

If you are moving in to a new home, you should think about changing the locks after you move in. The people who lived in the house before you may still have access to your home. Could you sleep easy at night knowing they could come into your house through the front door at any time?

The same goes for relationship break ups, especially acrimonious ones. You’ve fallen out with an ex boyfriend, and he still has a key to your apartment. You return from a restaurant one night to discover he has been in your apartment and stripped it of all the things you bought together to get his revenge. Whether it’s a partner or just a roommate, don’t make it easy for them to get into your private space without your permission, call a local locksmith.

In Houston Call: 832-777-7010