Are you spending more than 10 minutes every day looking for your car keys? There are two types of people: those who put their car keys, wallet, and house keys in the same place every day, and those who spend up to six hours a month trying to recall where they put everything. Experts do advise making a special spot for your keys; nobody wants to have to call a locksmith just to get into their cars to go to work. Recent advances in “keyless” technology may be a relief for people who hate keeping track of their keys.
New security tools can allow for keyless entry into homes and automobiles. Some newer locks require a numerical security passcode for entrance, while some phones and cars rely on facial recognition or voice recognition patterns. Homeowners who are concerned about their safety may want to consider switching to more high-tech locking mechanisms. Unfortunately, about one-third of all burglaries occurs through an unlocked door or window and can be accomplished so swiftly that owners do not realize they have occurred.
Safety management systems can also be old-fashioned, or low-tech. Keeping an extra house key hidden somewhere on the property does make sense, but keeping the key at a neighbor’s house ensures that burglars cannot simply stumble upon the key by doing a thorough search of the landscaping. Some homeowners maintain security systems, but doing a nightly check of all doors and windows can also work to keep property safe and security levels high.
Statistically, the closure rate on home burglaries is very low. Less than 15% of home invasion crimes are solved, and with the average loss due to burglary totaling more than $2,000, homeowners have every reason to investigate ways to keep their property safe. While a few decades ago, it was common practice to leave a home’s back door unlocked, crime rates have risen so drastically in some parts of the country that homeowners may want to consistently lock their homes at night.
Homeowners have a strong incentive to upgrade their home’s safety features. Laptop computers may be easily replaceable, but the loss of photographs and videos that are stored on handheld devices like tablets and phones can be devastating. Family heirlooms are often irreplaceable, and insurance may not fully cover the price of lost items. Finding ways to secure the home can be essential, especially in areas with higher crime rates.
Losing keys can be an annoyance, but homeowners should make sure to change all of their locks after losing house keys. If the keys to a house or to a car happen to fall into the wrong hands, the loss can be swift and very difficult to understand. Making sure that locks are updated — and perhaps technologically upgraded — can work to enhance home security. For homeowners in every area of the country, the most important possession to keep track of remains the humble house key.
