Being locked out of your home or car is a frequent occurrence. According to Forbes, over 16,000 home and car lockouts occur each day in the United States. If you can't find your keys, it might be time for a lock replacement. Additionally, the locks on your doors are the first line of defense against a home invasion. If you can't rely on those locks, however, you might be putting the security of your home at risk. Occasionally, locks need to be replaced to get the best quality safety and security. Let's look at a few signs that it might be time to seek door lock replacement.

New House

When you buy a new house, it's a good idea to change out all the existing locks. You have no way of knowing how many sets of keys may have been made for those locks. Even if the previous owners give you keys, there are likely other sets of keys floating around. New locks will ensure that you and your family are the only people with working keys to your home. You will feel good about this door lock replacement.

Old Locks and Doors

As doors and locks age, they lose security integrity. This means that they are easier and easier to unlock improperly. In our experience, it's a good rule of thumb that once locks are a decade old, they should be replaced with new locks. When you're purchasing locks, don't forget that the quality of the locks matters. To get the most life span out of a lock, you want a quality product. This should give you about 10 years of reliable security.

Difficult Locks

Another reason you might want to consider replacing locks is if the locks are difficult to lock and unlock. Signs of a difficult lock can include the need to lean or pull on the door to unlock it. Jiggling the key or needing to maneuver in any way are also signs that the lock isn't working properly.

Home Intrusion

If you've had the trauma of a home intrusion, you'll need to seriously consider changing out your locks. During a home intrusion, an intruder may take note of how to get into your home by finding spare keys or maneuvering the lock or door somehow. To safeguard against this happening again, you'll want to change out all locks.

These are just a few signs that you might want to consider door lock replacement. If you're looking for quality lock services in your area, please contact Alford Safe & Lock Company Inc today. We are here for your locksmith needs.