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Being a homeowner tests people’s multitasking skills with how many chores you have to stay on top of. But all that effort is worth it in the end as long as it ensures your property stays in peak condition. Although it’s easy to get dizzy from all of those tasks, there’s one thing that should be your top priority besides having a clean living space, and that’s home security.

Even when today’s modern houses used to be mere caves or forages, security has always taken the forefront of society’s mind. After all, your property is where you can be most comfortable while protecting yourself from the outside elements. And honestly, there’s no greater horror story than having someone invade your home when you least expected it. That’s why locksmiths can even be found online like https://locksmithplusinc.com/tucson-az/ or somewhere in your local area.

How To Change Home Locks

Most of society has probably turned to technology by now. After all, with how many advancements it has accomplished already, home security is already a part of them. However, although modern, there’s no guarantee it’s a risk-free solution. Because the more milestones technology achieves, the more doors it opens up. Unfortunately, not all of them bear pleasant results with cyberhackers in the midst.

While there’s nothing wrong with going completely technological in your home, using traditional home locks wouldn’t hurt. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry. By having door locks installed all over your property, you’re essentially doubling security. But naturally, these home locks are subjected to wear and tear eventually. Therefore, you must consider giving them security upgrades before that happens. And the best way to do that is by changing them completely.

1. Choose Your Lock

With technology’s advancements seeping into other industries, they allow more freedom when forming a design for different locking systems. Because of this, you have all sorts of door locks such as:

• Entry door knob locks
• Entry door lever locks
• Deadbolts
• Electronic door locks
• Lever handlesets
• Sliding door lock

Naturally, all of them have their perks and downsides, whether it’s due to their designs or the convenience they can give to the homeowner. Therefore, it goes down to your preferences and a locksmith’s professional advice to know which one works best for your property. But be that as it may, they all possess the same basic components for each lock to resemble one another. So, you must be familiar with each one besides features that are only exclusive to that type of lock.

Besides learning their parts, it’s highly recommended you look for knobs labeled ‘keyed alike,’ or they all have a matching code. This way, even though it’s not as convenient as a virtual lock, having ‘keyed alike’ home locks saves you a lot of time because some homeowners might find it too much of a hassle to have different keys for each lock. By replacing your older home locks with ‘keyed alike’ ones, you can save time when using them. However, most hardware stores offer rekey services to adjust your lock set to only use one key.

2. Remove The Old Lock Hardware

Once you’ve purchased the right lock for the job, you can now proceed with replacing the older one. To do that, all you need to do is get the old hardware removed. Look for screws from the interior side of the door lock, so you can stay indoors when finding it. As soon as you find these screws, go ahead in unscrewing them before removing the lock’s exterior components such as the spindle (the skinny rectangle part which connects the interior parts to the exterior of the lock), the rosette (the hole cover under the lock that also secures its knobs), or the strike plate and faceplate. When you remove the exterior parts (or the knobs), you’ll be left with a hole in your door where the lock used to be installed. Inside this hole is a deadbolt assembly that doesn’t possess knob parts, making them easy to spot from the rest of the interior parts.

3. Install New Deadbolt

Now that you’ve removed your older lock, start arranging the new one. Generally, the holes in your door should correspond with the door lock. You can place the latch assembly into the hole the same way you took out the older lock. When you peek through the hole, you’ll notice the assembly has a hole with four corners. Line it up to center it in the door hole to ensure the spindle passes through it smoothly. Screw the latch assembly back up and see if both holes are centered. If the hole for the spindle is close to the edge, adjust its depth. With different home locks in the market, how you adjust them might also turn out different. Therefore, it’s best to consult its instructions instead of winging it.

4. Test It Out

Once you have the locking system locked on, always remember to check on them before leaving them alone. After all, you must be careful about maintaining your security system. Use its key to ensure you can lock and unlock it on both the exterior and interior sides.

Takeaway

Security works hand in hand with comfort. After all, no one can be comfortable when they’re perfectly aware of how risky it is to live in an insecure home. Therefore, installing and maintaining the right security system should be a top priority. One way to apply maintenance is by changing your home locks.