It can be all too easy to take the services of a UPVC locksmith for granted, and many of us aren’t even aware of just how hard they train to gain their expertise, and the many ways aside from changing locks that they can help us.
To give you a little more of the lowdown about licensed locksmiths, here are five surprising facts:
- Not every locksmith has a license
What you may not be aware of, is that only 15 states mandate licensing from locksmiths, and these are:
Alabama
California
Connecticut
Illinois
Louisiana
Maryland
Nebraska
Nevada
New jersey
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Oregon
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
However, just because a state doesn’t mandate that a locksmith be licensed, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t expect them to be when you hire them. So, be sure to check that a company’s claims of being officially licensed, are true.
- Locksmiths must be skilled in several industries
The best locksmiths make their work like simple, but actually, they need to be trained in several industries to perform their role effectively, and these include:
Mechanical engineering
Machinists
Security
Carpentry
For each task they’re asked to perform, a reputable and licensed locksmith must draw on their training in the above industries to ensure that the job is done correctly.
- Ironically, locksmiths need to pick locks!
For a licensed locksmith with a good reputation, they’ll be able to pick a lock just as successfully as they’ll be able to fix it. When a customer is locked out of their property for example, and doesn’t have access to a key, the locksmith will pick the lock to gain entry, using minimal force and causing as little damage to the lock and door as possible. Naturally, they’ll check that the property actually belongs to the individual before picking the lock.
- Any key can be duplicated by a reputable locksmith
Qualified, experienced and highly trained licensed locksmiths are able to duplicate even those keys that clearly say ‘DO NOT DUPLICATE’ on them, which is often done so to encourage consumers to believe that they need to go to the car or key manufacturer directly to get a copy made.
- For replacement car keys, turn to a local, licensed locksmith
In a similar vein to the above point, car dealerships are not the only people you have to turn to if you lose your car keys, or if they’re stolen or have broken in the lock. Not only might you have to get your car towed to the dealership, but the wait for a replacement key could be lengthy and certainly cost a good deal more than a locksmith would charge for the same service. Able to replace your car keys on the spot, and often whatever type they are (including transponder keys), cut out the car dealership and save time and money by calling on your local locksmith if you need replacement car keys.
Now that you know a bit more about locksmiths, you can use their services with confidence, and even if you haven’t yet had a need to contact one, finding a reputable licensed one in your locality and storing their number in your phone, is always a sensible idea.
