We all do our best to make sure our home is safe and protected and it’s very common for home owners to hide a spare key somewhere in case there comes a time where they find themselves locked out without their regular key. When it comes to hiding your spare key, there’s definitely a right and wrong way of doing it.
If you plan on hiding your spare house key, you want to make sure you are hiding it in a place that’s easily accessible to you and your family; however, if it’s easy for you to find, it’s easy for an intruder to find as well. Your local locksmith in Bergen County, NJ has some tips on where you should and shouldn’t hide the spare key to your home:
Where you shouldn’t hide your spare keys
Whether you believe it or not, criminals aren’t stupid. In fact, over time it seems as though criminals have only gotten smarter due to our updated security options for our homes. So when it comes to hiding your spare house key, you have to make sure you are outsmarting the criminals.
It may be obvious to say it, but hiding it obvious places is never a good idea. Places like under your door mat, above the door frame, in or around a light fixture at the door or a fake rock are all considered obvious spots. You should never be hiding your key near your home because that’s where the criminals look! Although a criminal may not take a lot of time to search for a key, they will still try to do their best in finding it and they will always check those obvious locations.
Where you should hide your spare keys
The best place for you to keep a spare key is on you. If you keep your spare key in your wallet or in your car, you’ll never have a problem with needing to be discrete. Another safe option is giving your key to a trusted neighbor, family member or friend. This can ensure that you know where the key is at all times and there’s no chance a criminal can find it. You can also invest in a key vault. Similar to a safe but much smaller, a key vault can be attached to the outside of your home or hidden somewhere and can keep your key safe.
If you are looking to hide your spare key somewhere on your own property, make sure you hide it in a place that you can retrieve it without being seen, such as your backyard or other protected area. If you have a dog, hide it in their outdoor doghouse. Odds are a criminal isn’t going to take a chance on a doghouse.
Another aspect in hiding a spare key is cycling the keys out often. Change it up. Even if you haven’t used the spare key at all, it’s a good idea to switch the location every now and then.
When all is said and done, the trick to hiding your spare key is to make it as easy as possible for you and your family and as difficult as possible for a criminal. Keep in mind that criminals are smart and though it may take them some time to find the key, it won’t take much.
Be creative and unique with it. If you have any questions or need some more ideas, feel free to contact your local locksmith in Bergen County, NJ and discuss other possible options in making sure your home is safe at all times.