Home Security and Home Safes

We are a licensed locksmith and for your safety, only State Licensed locksmiths should be used.

Home security and a purchasing a safe for your home are topics that are easily ignored until you are burglarized or a fire destroys your home and your valuable papers. Here are some tips about these topics from Carl Norlin, owner of MGN Lock-Key & Safes of Mundelein.

Home security can be defined as, physical security and electronic security. Physical security refers to your locking door hardware such as knobs and deadbolts as well as auxiliary locks on patio sliding doors and some windows. Electronic security is commonly called a burglar alarm. It can include heat and smoke detection as well as exterior and interior monitoring. The alarm will dial out to a central station, which in turn calls your local police or fire departments. See your local alarm company for these products and services. All security contractors MUST be licensed by the State of Illinois. Always ask that your service company is licensed and insured.

Locks and deadbolts
Exterior doors should have deadbolts including the door leading from the house into attached garages. You may be wondering why a deadbolt is needed on the garage to house door? The overhead garage door with an electric opener provides virtually no security. It is NOT a lock. In addition, there are many ways to defeat the garage door opener. It is as important that the interior service door have a deadbolt like your front or back doors.

A properly installed deadbolt needs to have a 1” long bolt and the strike must be reinforced with steel and have 3” anchoring screws. The installation of deadbolts that have a key inside and outside of the door (double keyed deadbolts) are NOT permitted by “Life Safety” and Village Codes. If breaking a window to unlock the deadbolt is your concern, these codes supercede their security feature. Remember these codes are in place for YOUR safety in the event of an emergency!

• Many homes have sliding patio doors. The locks included with these doors provide little or no security. Adding an auxiliary lock or a “Charley Bar” is an important addition to prevent jimmying the door open.
• Most new windows are secure, but in older homes with double hung wooden windows, you may want to add auxiliary locking devices on the sash.
• If you have a full basement, a safe way to secure that area from the living space is to install a deadbolt on the door at the top of the basement stairs. The key side faces the stairs with a thumb turn facing the living area.
• Keys are an easily forgotten item until you are locked out of the house or an unauthorized person copies your key. See us for ways to provide secure products to hide am emergency key and installing locks with keys that cannot be copied.

Home Safes
There are a number of reasons to consider owning your own home safe, some features to look for:

• Convenience of accessing your papers and valuables without going to the bank safe deposit box. Not the mention the yearly rental fees. 5-10 years of rental fees can purchase a very nice home safe.
• The safe should be minimum one-hour fire rated (C 350), and we recommend bolting the safe down to a floor or into a hollow wall area.
• For your convenience we suggest an electronic keypad style lock versus the old dial combination. They are much easier to operate, can change combination on your own and have a higher security rating for burglary.
• Most homes need a fire rated safe, however data and media (CD’s & Diskettes) will melt at the C 350 fire rating. If you store data disks onsite, you should consider adding a data box to the safe or purchasing a free standing Data safe with a C 115 rating.

Suggested Reading on Bump Keys
'Bump Key' Can Unlock Many Locks
Police: Mom, Son Used 'Bump Keys' To Enter Hundreds Of Homes
Police Concerned About Lock-Opening Technique
Bump Keys: Crooks Are Using A Locksmiths' Trick To Open Almost Any Lock
Call 4 Action: 'Lock Bumping' Makes Breaking And Entering Easy
Experts: Bump Key Burglaries A Growing Threat
Bump locking is opening a world of opportunity for thieves
Deltona Plans To Prevent Bump Key Burglaries

Scams and unlicensed locksmiths stories
Attorney General Koster sues unscrupulous locksmith company
Locked out? Don't fall for this locksmith scam
Some Bay Area People Fall For Locksmith Scam
Unlicensed Locksmith In San Mateo County Jail
Unlicensed Locksmith Caught Gouging
Dependable Locks workers charged in scam
10 Connects investigates local locksmith with hidden cameras
WATCH: 10 Connects helps bust national locksmith chain
Locksmith technicians charged for overcharging scam

We hope these pointers can help you evaluate your security at home. If you have further questions you can visit MGN lock & Key’s show room to see all the items discussed.
We are located a 513 E. Hawley St. in Downtown Mundelein or call us at 847-949-0603 or
Hours: Mon - Fri 9 am to 6 pm Sat. 9 am to 2 pm Closed Sundays