House Sitting

I was house-sitting for my sister who had gone away on a long business trip of 2 weeks to Hawaii. Can you imagine that? Her company sent her out to Hawaii to train a group of people for two weeks, all expenses paid, of course. Gosh! I wanted her job. I have my own online business and I am doing well with it but there are a few things here and there that chained me to Baltimore and I can’t easily take a trip anywhere unless someone else covers for me. Luckily for my sister someone can cover for her, at least taking care of her house, when she is gone. I went grocery shopping on the third day and realized I had left the keys inside the house. I looked for a residential locksmith service in Baltimore right away.

How could I forget to take the keys? I think the problem started when I had accustomed myself to a little ritual for every time I get in or out of my house and the car. You see, I have trained myself to always double check I have my keys when I come out of my house or my car. What happened that instance is that I did follow my “double-check ritual” but I had my own house keys in hand when I checked instead of my sister’s. My brain played a trick on me!

Luckily the locksmith service guys arrived quickly and were able to aid me. I did not of course tell my sister as to not worry her. She was having a great time in Hawaii and I did not want to spoil it for her. She even said she met someone interesting at her company’s Hawaiian offices. When she came back, they continued talking over the phone and online. So much change can happen in period of time as short as two weeks, isn’t it? I had to take a picture of the house lockout for future laughs! (See below)

Safe Lock

My mother gave me a surprise the other day. I had been delayed in my bills from the past few months and so she wanted to help me out. She gave to me the jewelry my great-grandmother had left her when she passed away. I thought it would be just a few earrings, necklaces and rings. Judging from her old pictures, it seemed like my great-grandmother was a very humble person who rarely got dressed up to impress others. To my surprise, she actually owned a pretty expensive collection of jewelry, a $50,000 worth collection! I did not know what to think. But I did know I needed a safe lock box for it.

There were quite a few robberies in my neighborhood last year and I was not expecting it to drastically decrease this year. So to be on the safe side, I bought myself a safe lock box and placed all the jewelry in it, well, almost all of it. I grabbed $20,000 worth and paid off my two credit card bills with it! A big burden was taken off my back when I did so. It’s incredible how much stress financial hardship can have on people. Those who are not able to bear the stress end up in really bad shape, physically or emotionally. I used to be one of them.

Now my next plan is investing the rest! How can I triple or quadruple my $30,000?! Here’s one question to ponder upon. Should I open up a small business? Should I buy artisan merchandise and re-sell it online for a higher price? I had already been thinking about that! One thing I know for sure is that I am truly blessed. You never know what will come to you, so be open to anything! And keep in mind that you will receive your blessings when you least expect them. Have a great day!

What to Do when Your Car won't Start

You’re running out the door late for work and you jump in your car.  But for some reason, no matter how hard you turn the key, the ignition won’t start.  What do you do now?  First of all, don’t panic.  Your best option is to call an auto locksmith and ask for ignition key service.

Most people have the number of a standard locksmith on hand, but did you know that there are locksmiths that specialize in auto services?  Your car is a very precise and delicate machine, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want just anybody messing with it.  Auto locksmiths are trained to deal with the ignitions of all car brands and have mechanic experience as well.

Auto locksmiths know that there are many reasons your car might not start.  It could be a battery issue, an engine problem, or a faulty ignition.  Whereas other locksmiths might just perform a costly ignition replacement without revealing the cause of the problem, auto locksmiths can diagnose the issue quickly and accurately, saving you a ton of money.

 If my ignition didn’t turn over, my first instinct might be to have my car towed to the dealer or call a mechanic.  But you could end up wasting money and time this way.  How many dealerships or mechanics do you know that are open 24/7 and will come to you?  Auto locksmiths are used to receiving emergency calls at all hours and can arrive to your location within minutes.

Hopefully, you keep your car well-maintained and will never have to experience the frustration of car ignition problems.  But you never know what kind of unexpected issues could occur.  Being knowledgeable about auto locksmiths and ignition key service will protect you and your wallet in case of an emergency.  I recommend keeping an auto locksmith’s business card on hand at all times.

How I Left My Car Key in the Trunk

This is the story of how I left my car key in the trunk and locked it. It was a Saturday morning and I had gone to the supermarket for groceries. After I was done shopping I went to my car, opened the trunk and started putting everything inside. After I was done, I locked the trunk and I was ready to get in my car and drive off. But wait… I couldn’t find my car keys! I checked my purse and nothing! I knew it had to be
somewhere because I had just used it to open the trunk…and that’s when it hit me! I had left the keys inside the trunk!

The first thing I did was to get pissed off at myself for being so silly. Then I got really frustrated because I didn’t know what to do. I had never needed a locksmith before so I didn’t know who to call. Lucky for me, good people still exist who are willing to do kind things for total strangers.

A random man saw the situation I was in and he approached me. He asked me if I had left the keys in the trunk and I, embarrassed, said yes. He laughed a little but in a kind, sympathetic way. He then told me the same thing had happened to him a while ago and he suggested I call Baltimore Locksmith. He said they had provided great service at a decent price and that they managed to open the trunk really fast, without damaging it. So I did, I called Baltimore Locksmith and just like he said they came right over, opened the trunk, and the day was saved. 

The Funniest Locks

People always get creative with their personal belongings. If you are still a young adult, chances are you are part of the aforementioned characterization. When I was growing up, especially in elementary and high school I saw the craziest and funniest locks you could ever imagine. The toy industry was an important producer of these security pieces. My friends always had Disney theme locks for their backpacks while I personally only used generic ones. I considered them to be far more durable and frankly a lot better for what I needed which was locking up my belongings, all the other types seemed purely decorative.

Perhaps the best example of ‘’cute’’ non-functional locks was the one that came with my little sister’s journal which she got as a present on her 10^th birthday. Virtually every other journal or diary made by the same manufacturer came with the same lock which was a curvy 2 inch little thing that was supposed to protect all of my sister’s secrets. I of course could not resist myself and promptly used one of those keys (later I learned that you could use a random kitchen knife to open them) so I used the key and opened it. I realized she didn’t think as highly of me as I thought. 

Now as an adult (and past the trauma of my sister thinking little of me) I realize the importance of unique, durable and strong locks especially if they are for your gate. We are not protecting books and pencils anymore but the physical integrity of the family unit, our hard-earned belongings and much more. Always think about whats at stake whenever you are about to buy a lock. You should not haggle over their price, for what they protect is priceless. Also, make sure the lock you end up buying comes with at least an extra key and put it away somewhere safe where you and those concerned will know about.

The ignition key

For as long as I can remember, people have hired locksmiths with the sole purpose of unlocking the door of their cars; seldom will you hear of folks losing the ignition key. The reason for this disparity is because most times the door key is the same as the ignition key however, in some cases especially with old vehicles or too modern vehicles, you either use a different key to open your door and another one to turn your car on or in the case of modern vehicles, you use a remote device to open doors sometimes even by inputting a code on a door pad.

You may have seen in movies how burglars play with the wires just below the steering wheel to turn a car on, I personally have no idea how they do it or where those cables come from but it is without question something you can do and perhaps the easiest part of having your car stolen (from the burglars’ perspective). In case you have a key for your door and another for your engine, it is important to know that locksmiths have the tools and expertise to create a key from evaluating the patterns of the shaft and replicating it on a generic key.

Once you get that key from them, I would highly advise you to ask the locksmith to make you a copy; this is usually a lot more affordable than having a new key created. Make sure to put your spare key set in a safe location that you can remember whenever an emergency happens. Another useful advice is to look up a local locksmith’s number and store it in your contacts because you really never know when you, your family or friends will be in a position to need a locksmith and you definitely want to be prepared for that.

My Baltimore Residential Locksmith

In this changing and developing world, where smart phones are often pegged smarter than us and ‘’apps’’ seem to do everything from copying your dictations to turning off a TV and even opening doors. We often find ourselves dependent to them and made much more vulnerable by them. Regardless of technological experts’ opinions who christen the information age as the backbone for a sustainable future, I will not subject myself to the helplessness of not being able to open my house because ‘’my phone went dead’’. That’s the excuse I hear for almost anything now a days.

Don’t get me wrong, I love technology… in fact, I get to speak my mind on social media, watch news or shows I missed on YouTube and even take cooking courses online. My problem is with being too dependable on what I consider still as largely unknown, which is why instead of downloading an app to open my house (my lock is not even digital) I have keys; tangible and curvy things that I get to feel and replace in case of emergencies. 

I have often experienced the ‘’emergency’’ of being locked out of my house especially when I was younger and went out more often and forgot to bring a set of keys with me. Thankfully I have been able to rely on the capable hands of my residential locksmith in Baltimore. I really think their industry has helped many generations over the years and I really can’t picture the day when people just stop forgetting about taking their keys with them. There is something weird about keys, when I think about the concept of routines like showering and getting dressed (things you do every day or are supposed to) in comparison to taking your keys (which you know you will need when you get back home) for some reason people from all cultures and walks of life always seem to forget about them. I really wonder what the problem is; then again… it’s not just me and we can all rely on residential locksmiths, at least for the foreseeable future.

My Worst Mistake Last Year

2013 was a very good year. I may be a little selfish in making that assertion but I am speaking on a personal perspective here, if yours wasn’t so good, I hope 2014 compensates.

Last year I had a lot of good things going for myself but the most important achievement of that special year was a job interview I had with a corporation I had sought for years; the position finally vacated and I had prepared myself extremely well for it, nothing could go wrong, except… could it?

I thought not, fate would prove otherwise. You know how before a major moment comes around you get all clumsy and nervous? Well, I experienced that on that morning, I went to my garage to get on my car and drive off to the corporation (let’s call it P&G), when I’m in my car, keys inserted in the slot and all, I realize I didn’t have my briefcase! I get out, go upstairs and get it. When I walk back down to jump back in the car, I’m locked out! Oh… yes, the all so developed alarm system locked my car after 3 minutes. Pandemonium! My phone was inside below the radio and I had just disconnected my landline because, well… It was a landline! I had no means to contact a locksmith. Car lockout was the last variable I could have pictured happening and I’m a very numeric girl.

I could only think about how I could have walked over, taken a taxi or… wait, it was 20 miles away and no

taxies are around in my Baltimore neighborhood. Jesus, I felt so helpless, so stupid. When I contacted a locksmith with a phone that I borrowed (2 hours later), I managed to unlock my car, drive over and discover that not only was the recruiter absolutely furious but that the position had already been awarded to the ‘’would be runner up’’. It’s funny how what I considered being little things like having a locksmith on my emergency contacts list or a landline and even a spare set of keys all colluded to prevent a major thing from happening. To this day I cannot explain what happened to me that day, I’ll just attribute it to fate since now I have a better job than the one I would have had at P&G, this time there was no need for a car lockout or locksmith and I’m making a little more money than what I would have made with them.

Word of advice, don’t underestimate the importance of a locksmith! You never know when you’ll need one!

Baltimore Emergency Locksmith Service

Have you ever lost your keys? I think we all have at some point and with no doubt it was a nerve-racking experience. Have you ever lost your keys at 3:00 am? That could be a real issue. Baltimore Emergency locksmith services would come very handy at that time.

Being caught up in everyday life can make us forget where we put certain stuff and keys are a crowd favorite in that field. There are many case scenarios in which our keys could get lost. A fun night out with friends can be ruined when you get to your car and find out that you left the keys inside. The desire to get into bed after a long day at work can be crushed, when you realize that you have lost the keys to the house; and even a normal day at the office can turn into something embarrassing if you get locked out of your own workplace or business. Common questions at that time might be: where could my keys be? What do I do now? How could I have lost them? Who do I call?

Most people panic in those situations but you shouldn’t worry, because companies offering Baltimore emergency locksmith services are happy to help you.  Knowing that someone is coming to help will calm your nerves. The great thing about companies that offer emergency locksmith services is that they specialize in handling urgent and stressful situations at any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.

Remember that unforeseen events can happen at any time, so we recommend that you have in hand the number of a local company that offers emergency locksmith services. If you live in Baltimore, there are great options to choose from. These trained professionals will become your new heroes and the great thing is that you can always rely on their quickness and expertise. 

Ordinary Security Locks and High Security Locks

Locks and their level of security are very important. In any house, we normally feel secure as long as everything is locked; locks make us feel safe and protected from burglars. Of course locks do help with the security of any place, but they are not completely unbreakable. If they were, there would not be as many break-ins as there are today. And it is because of this reason that we must understand the difference between ordinary security and high security locks.

Ordinary security locks are easy to pick open and very easy to drill, too. It is important to understand that a business cannot use residential door hardware if it wants to be protected against theft. While you may not see the difference between commercial and residential locks or why they should be different, the truth is that the use we give to them are far from similar. Residential hardware is used for homes where there aren’t hundreds of people coming in and out all day. Commercial locks get a lot of wear and tear which is why they have to be specially made for commercial purposes. You can contact a commercial locksmith so he can advise you on the safest locks to keep your business protected. 

Most people don’t know that locks come in three different grades:

·         Grade 1: Commercial – Industrial

·         Grade 2: Heavy Duty Residential/ Light Duty Commercial

·         Grade 3: Residential Only/ Consumer Expendable

If you are getting new locks for your home or business you should ask the locksmith you hired about the different grades to guarantee that he is using the appropriate one. There are high security cylinders that are very hard to pick or even drill! Of course they are going to be kind of pricey but they are totally worth it, especially if you are going to use it for a warehouse with a lot of inventory or any commercial building. Security comes first so contact a commercial locksmith today! 

Automotive Locksmith

If there’s something I have to say to locksmiths is: thank you! They are constantly saving us and getting us out of trouble when our clumsy selves forget or lose keys! Past experience has taught me that the ideal number of keys to have for your car or house is three. Most people have two but you are not safe even with two! What happens if you lose a key and then before you get a chance to duplicate the one you have left, a thief steals your purse or bag and the one key you had left happened to be in there? Somebody’s in trouble.

Sadly, those unfortunate events do happen every once in a while. Luckily, our locksmiths are here to help us! Automotive locksmiths are so incredibly helpful. In the case that you are left with 0 key to your car, you can always contact a locksmith to create duplicate car keys or replace car keys. It’s no big deal and there’s no reason to lose your mind over it.

An automotive locksmith is equipped with the tools to solve any type of car lockout situation. Being locked out of your car can be very frustrating. But don’t take unnecessary actions like, say, breaking the window! I know it sounds crazy but there are people out there who would do that just to get back in the car when they have left the keys inside. Of course, that’s a little extreme and you shouldn’t do it. What you have to do is contact a locksmith so that he lets you in. And while you are at it, you should really consider requesting to duplicate the key so you don’t have to go through that hassle again. And once you get the copies, it’s also good to keep them in different places. You wouldn’t believe the amount of people who have copies of a key but keep them all together. Then they lose their bag and bye bye keys! 

Peephole installation!

Other than the obvious service of opening doors for people when they accidentally lock themselves out of their houses, locksmiths can perform several tasks in your home to improve security and keep away burglars or otherwise people you don’t feel like seeing. There are many locksmiths to choose from so if you ever need any of their services there will be one to help you out.

One of the things they offer is peephole installation. We all know that there are some people that we just don’t want to deal with. Maybe it’s an annoying ex that keeps on stalking us, or just friends you don’t feel like hanging out with at the moment. Well, a peephole allows you to see who’s outside without having to open the door! That way you can just pretend you’re not home and continue on doing whatever you were doing without everyone hating you.                                 

While peepholes help you avoid people you don’t want to see, they also do more than that. Peepholes are also a security measure for your home. When we hear a strange noise in the middle of the night we have the urge to open the door, step outside, and check who’s out there. However, that might not be a smart idea because it can put us in danger. If you have a peephole installed in your door then you can try to see who’s outside and if you see someone dangerous you can immediately call the police.

If you don’t have a peephole yet, you should really think about getting one. Most Baltimore locksmiths offer that service and it’s an easy installation that won’t take that long. Peepholes truly bring along benefits and we should take advantage of them and also make sure our homes are safer and we are more in control of what happens around. 

Residential Locksmith Services

Locksmiths provide services that are very important. Without locksmiths or locks we wouldn’t feel safe in our own home. There are three main types of services that a locksmith provides: residential, commercial, and automotive locksmith services. I am going to focus on residential locksmith services and how important those services are for a secure home. 

Probably the most common use of residential locksmith services is getting your door open when you have been accidentally locked out of your house for one reason or another. If you are located in Baltimore, perhaps you forgot your keys in the rush of the morning as you were heading to work and didn’t realize it until you got back at night. Maybe you went out at night for a couple of drinks and somewhere along the way you lost your keys. Whichever the reason, you can count on a locksmith to come and get you out of that trouble. 

If that’s the kind of situation you are in, you should probably contact a Baltimore locksmith that advertises fast response! Imagine how annoying it would be to be locked outside your house and you have to wait hours for your locksmith to come and open the door for you. Also, if this hasn’t happened to you, you should still consider looking for one online, or get the number of someone who has been recommended to you so that you are prepared beforehand. If you don’t know whom to choose, start by looking for one that’s near your area, the closest, the better. Also another main feature of your ideal locksmith is that he offers 24 hour service, 7 days a week because then it would be useless if you get locked out late at night. 

Once more, make sure the locksmith you choose advertises quick responses so that you don’t have to find yourself waiting for hours to get back into the house. In conclusion, locksmiths are great and we should be grateful they are around to rescue us!