Unlock Chicago
I Lost My Keys: Should I Change Locks?

“I lost my keys! What do I do?”

It’s a question that locksmiths hear time and time again. Whether they fell out of your pocket while jogging or your teen forgetting their copy at the mall, a lost front door key can bring up security issues that leave homeowners stressed out and wondering what they should do.

While the odds of a burglar using your lost house keys to enter your property are slim, it’s always best to err on the side of caution. There are a few scenarios where

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Forgot the Combination? How to Open Your Safe

A safe is an important household item with many unique uses that can offer value to any homeowner. You can use it for the obvious reasons, such as for keeping money and important documents safe, or as a way to keep family mementos safe in the case of a fire or burglary. You can also use it to protect your children by storing things in it that might pose a risk to them, such as medications and hunting tools. But all of this goes out the window when you forget your safe combination and can’t get it

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Lost Your Front Door Key and Don't Have a Spare?

Don’t you hate it when you can’t find your house keys? The rush of panic you feel as you frantically search for them is a feeling no one ever wants to experience! Luckily, there are things to consider before resorting to calling a locksmith. There are actually ways to get in! Here are three things you can do before calling a locksmith:

1) Relax

This may be obvious, but when you’re in a panic it doesn’t always occur to you: Does anyone else have your key? Family, a friend, a neighbor? Your landlord?! Go down a list in your head and

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Unlock Information for Five Situations where a Local Locksmith is Key

Just when you think something won’t happen to you, Murphy’s Law sneaks up and reminds you that there are more ways something can go wrong than ways it works perfectly. Luckily, your local locksmith is the key to replacing order during certain crisis situations. Each situation requires a little knowledge before contacting a locksmith to help.

Situation 1: You locked your keys into the car

Everybody does this at one point in their life; you are not immune. Life gets hectic, so you might simply set those keys on the passenger seat and forget, or your toddler might “help.” Either way,

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Why Should You Choose a Certified Locksmith?

However careful you are about locking your doors and keeping track of your keys, chances are you will need locksmith services at some point. Whether to unlock a door, replace or copy a key, to repair, replace or install a lock – a locksmith will provide you with all of these services. There are lots of online directories that will help you find a locksmith in Chicago who can attend to your emergency. It’s important, though, to choose a specialist who is a certified locksmith and can properly ensure the security of your property.

Reasons to hire a certified locksmith

Being

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Mortise Locks: How They Work and What Benefits Can They Offer?

Mortise locks are typically used in heavy duty, high frequency use applications and are common in commercial buildings, entry glass doors, and some apartment doors. This type of lock requires a pocket (otherwise called “the mortise”) to be cut in the door where the lock will be fitted. In general, mortise locks are a more complicated type of cylindrical locks and are mostly installed and maintained by professional locksmiths.

Mortise locks consist of:

  • Lock body – the part that is installed inside the mortise. The “mortise” is a pocket that is cut out of
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What is a Master Key System?

Master keys are something our clients are often fascinated with, and this fascination is often born out of confusion as to what master-keying actually does. While the nature of a these systems are quite simple, it does need to be carefully designed.

In general, a master key system is a system of locks and keys with multiple levels of access. The person who has the highest ranking key can open all locks within the system, while other keys can be made to just open a particular door or unlock some but not all of the locks within the system.

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