Key Duplication: Why You Should Always Have a Spare Key on Hand
What will you do when you lose or break your keys?
Don’t feel ashamed, it happens to everyone. Whether you lose a key or you get locked out, these problematic situations can come at any moment. Even with the best security systems in place, it is best to have a back-up plan.
This is where key duplication helps you. You’ll never know when you need a spare, especially during emergencies.
Still not sure if investing in a spare key is worth it? Let us explore the reasons why you should have a spare key ready.
1. Helps Prevent Accidental Lockouts
One of the things that key duplication can help you with is preventing accidental lockouts. It can happen to anyone and it can range from a mild annoyance to a major setback.
Having duplicate keys can help avert this situation.
Being caught in a lockout is no joking matter, whether it is your home, your car, or your office. All it needs is for a brief moment of absent-mindedness to find yourself in such a frustrating situation.
With a duplicate key, you can bypass any desperate attempt to get past the lock. Other actions may lead to property damage if not careful. You don’t want to end up breaking the door to get in your own home or car.
If you don’t have a spare – which you should get soon – it’s best to hire professionals to help you get back in.
2. Aids in Reducing Key Breakage
Wear and tear from constant use can cause keys to break. There would also be instances when keys bend out of shape. Whichever the situation, having a spare key helps when the old one becomes unusable.
Now you can keep the original key stored away for emergencies while you instead use the copy for everyday use.
Make sure to have multiple copies available and switch around between these keys. Switching between each copy reduces the likelihood of them breaking or bending anytime soon. This extends the life of the keys as a whole.
3. Aids in Preventing Lock Damage
Another form of damage you should be aware of is lock damage. In connection to the key’s durability, a lock can also be subject to wear and tear if you’re not careful.
Like the key, the lock also faces constant stress due to its usage. This makes it prone to breaking if not well maintained. Locks go through a lot of strain when you use old, bent keys and force them to open the door.
Use spares as a measure of good lock maintenance. Aside from cleaning and annual lubrication, having duplicate keys can help with ensuring the lock functions and remains in top form.
When the worst-case scenario happens, like the door lock breaking, call a locksmith for help.
4. Speeds up Key Replacements
Replacing a key can take a while. If you lost or broke your original key, it might take days before you get another copy from the landlord, locksmith, or car manufacturer. Having a spare ensures you can go about your business as usual while waiting for an original replacement.
You also need to keep in mind locksmiths take on a rather lengthy process to get the key code. They first have to disassemble the lock and then study it to replicate the sequence unique to the key. This could take up a lot of time.
But if you have a spare key with you, the process becomes shorter. With it, they can make a new copy for you within minutes. Locksmiths can borrow the spare and use it as a template to create another copy.
5. Ease of Access for Multiple People
Having duplicate keys can help when you have several people needing to use the key. Having more people use that one key may cause it to shatter and break. To prevent such a situation, and to provide convenience for everyone involved, have multiple copies of the key available.
This helps when you have family members living in the same house. This provides a sense of security and comfort as providing keys to people requires trust and a strong sense of responsibility.
This also spreads the burden. Having to rely on one person with locking and unlocking doors can be a tad bit stressful. Imagine the hassle if someone has to enter the house but the key is with someone else too far away.
6. Maintaining Security
One good reason behind having a spare key available is with regards to security. There are many ways where having duplicate keys can help with maintaining security for your home and your vehicle.
If you lose your car keys, having a spare can help you with bringing the car to the dealership. They can help you by replacing the door locks and providing you with a new set of keys to work with.
That said, make sure that you have your spare key hidden in a place that only you know of.
When working with multiple staff members and you have multiple keys, you can establish restrictions according to position and rank through the use of a master key system.
7. Helps in Cutting Costs
Key duplication can also help you reduce costs and expenses. In the case of a broken key, having a replacement becomes cheaper and faster when you have a spare key to base on (which we tackled earlier). It eliminates the need to spend on other services to dismantle locks and such.
This also helps in avoiding fees for calling a locksmith. You also won’t have to spend more in having the lock replaced if both the key and the lock broke.
Always Prepare with Key Duplication
You can see more advantages with key duplication than disadvantages. It helps you in sticky situations involving the loss of your keys. This way, you come prepared with a backup key and you can even choose to give a copy to those you trust.
When it comes to locks and keys, we can provide you the fastest service possible. To get started with availing of our locksmith services within the Miami area, contact us today.