Austin Key Masters-Your Trusted Locksmith in the Heart of Texas
It’s never a good time to need a locksmith Austin TX. With a bit of advance planning and preparation, though, you can reduce the bill you need to pay. Here are a few ways to minimize your locksmith charges without compromising your safety and security.
Get Spare Keys
The easiest way to minimize the majority of locksmith charges you are likely to encounter is to have spare keys made. Whether it is for your home, your car, or your business, it is always best to have at least one spare made from the original. You may need to pay your trusted locksmith for this service, as many of today’s keys cannot be duplicated on a big box store machine, but the price will always be lower for a duplicate than for a brand new original key.
Try Re-Keying Instead of Changing
If you need to change a lock so that previous keys no longer work, consider having the lock re-keyed rather than completely changed. This replaces the inner cylinder of the existing lock, and is significantly less expensive than completely changing the lock.
Get New Locks
If you frequently find yourself needing to have locks re-keyed, or if you or your kids are prone to losing keys, consider ditching the keys altogether. A pass code lock can be just as secure as a keyed lock, and you only need to memorize the code rather than keeping up with a key. Best of all, the code is easy to change. If you regularly have babysitters, construction workers, or others in and out of your house, a passcode lock is much easier and safer than handing out a bunch of keys.
Other options include biometric locks and ID scanners, although these may be more preferable for a business than a home. Lock technology is always changing, so be sure to ask your trusted locksmith what is best for you.