In the modern age of smart locks and digital access, you would think that having a spare key is more of a luxury than a necessity. But the truth is, spare keys are essential for everyone. Whether you lend them to a friend, give them to a family member or store them in a secure location, you should have a set of spare keys for your home and office. But why is this, and what’s the best way to handle and store your spare keys?
Peace of Mind
Having a spare set of keys for your home means you never have to worry about being locked out again. Even if you forget your keys or the wind blows the door shut while your’ putting out the bins (we’ve all been there), you know you can gain entry back into your home, without having to damage property or pay for a locksmith. Instead, you can pick up your spare keys from a person or location you trust, and then get on with your day.
New Keys Made Easy
There’s nothing worse than when a key gets damaged. Whether it’s snapped off in the door or it got a bit too close to a blowtorch at work and melted (hey, we’ve seen it happen!) Keys can get damaged in all sorts of ways. Having spare keys not only means that this isn’t an emergency but makes getting replacement keys a diddle. Just take your spare to any locksmith and they will be able to cut you a perfect replica in no time at all.
Save Money
Lost or damaged keys are more than inconvenient. They can be expensive too! Depending on the age and style of lock you have, getting replacements can cost anything from £30 up to £100-sometimes more for the antiques! Having a spare set of keys is a wise investment if you don’t want to get caught out by an unexpected bill.
Reduce Lock Changes
If you damage or lose your keys and you don’t have spares, many locksmiths will opt for the easy route. Easy for them- not you. They will often drill your lookout and charge you for a replacement lock to be fitted. This is time-consuming and expensive – which is why we prefer not to do it! Instead, we would rather pick the lock and cut you a new key based on your spare. It’s better for everyone!
Prevent Lock Damage
As we mentioned earlier, keys aren’t invincible. They can get damaged, or the teeth can get worn down over time and prolonged use. If you keep using a worn key, you risk damaging the mechanism within the lock. This would lead to your lock gaming or breaking, which would be a much bigger job to fix! Having a spare key means that when you spot your main key is getting a bit worn, you can swap it for your spare. Your spare will be in much better condition, and will tide you over until you can get a new set cut.
Where To Keep Your Spare Keys
Ok, so now you’re sold on spare keys – the next question is where to keep them. Gone are the days when you could leave your spare under the doormat, on top of the frame or in a flower pot. Burglars are wise to these tricks, and if they had easy access to a key then your insurance won’t help if you are burgled. Instead, your best option is a key safe. We’ve talked about these before, but they are essentially safes for your spare keys, operated by a combination code. They’re usually set into brick or concrete so they can’t be stolen and are the most secure place for spare keys.
If you don’t want to, or can’t install a key safe, then your next options are with people. Ideally a neighbour or someone close by, but definitely someone you trust. Family and trusted friends are your best choice, as long as you will be able to get to them to retrieve the key if you need it.
At My Locks, we’ve seen our fair share of people locked out, with broken keys and everything in between. We do our best to avoid drilling locks when we can, instead preferring to replace keys and pick locks. whenever we at replacement keys we always ask if you would like a spare, and can even cut you a set of spare keys from your master key. If you’d like to know more, or get your own spare key and key safe, just get in touch with the team today.