Home Security - Secure Locksmith Denver
By denverusr2 Locks 0 Comments

Best Type Of Locks

Out of the common style of locks, which are the best type of locks, and how does the ANSI grading system work?

ANSI Grading System For Door Locks

The American National Standards Institute, abbreviated as ANSI, has established three grades for door locks to help identify the quality and durability of locksets and deadbolts. Each lock must pass rigorous testing for operation, security, cycles, door strikes, and weight testing. An ANSI rating of Grade 1 is the best.

ANSI Grade 1 – Grade 1 is the best and highest grade security available. All locks tested at this level meets commercial building requirements and is also available to be used for residential deadbolts. For a knob lock to be rated at the best rating, it must withstand 800,000 cycles, 6 door strikes, and 360-pound weight test. Deadbolts must withstand 250,000 cycles and 10 door strikes in a hammer test.

ANSI Grade 2 – Grade 2 is considered to be a better rating. Locks at the Grade 2 level exceeds standard residential security and building requirements while meeting light commercial building specifications. For a knob lock to be rated Grade 2, it must withstand 400,000 cycles, 4 door strikes, and a 250-pound weight test. A deadbolt must withstand 150,000 cycles and 5 door strikes with a hammer test.

ANSI Grade 3 – Grade 3 is considered to be a good rating and meets residential building requirements but not commercial requirements. For a knob lock to receive a Grade 3 rating, it must withstand 200,000 cycles, 2 door strikes, and a 150-pound weight test. A deadbolt must withstand 100,000 cycles and 2 door strikes with a hammer test.

The ANSI Grading System For Door Locks Locksmith Denver

Styles of Locks

Knob Locks

Probably the most used type of locks is knob locks. Knob locks are used on a variety of doors from the front entrance to the patio or garage door. Knob locks have a door know on both sides of the door. One side has a lock button that you turn to lock or unlock, and the other side of the door has a keyhole that requires a key to be inserted to lock and unlock. The keyhole is usually placed on the outside of the door. Knob locks are commonly used but are also one of the most unsecure locks available as they can easily be broken or picked. 

Lever Handle Locks

As the name implies, these locks have a handle and are usually found on interior doors. If the handle lock has a lever, they don't require a key. You simply push or twist a button.

Deadbolt Locks

Deadbolts are typically found on the front or main entry doors as they provide the most secure form of keyed lock protection at the most affordable cost. Deadbolts use a metal bolt that slides into the door jam. The bolt is controlled by inserting a key and turning. Within the deadbolt style of locks, there are single deadbolts which have a lock turn on the inside and a keyhole on the outside, a double deadbolt lock that has a keyhole on both sides of the door, a jimmy-proof deadbolt, and captive deadbolts.

Keyless Entry Pad Locks

Keyless entry padlocks are controlled electronically. Deadbolts are also available with keyless entry pads. They require a code to slide the deadbolt open. They cost more to install but provide a high level of security.

Find the best style and grade of lock for your residential or commercial security needs. Do your research, and ask a qualified and knowledgeable professional locksmith Denver to determine the best type of lock for your needs.

Garage Door Maintenance Service Denver
By denverusr2 Garage Door 0 Comments

Garage Door Common Repairs

You hit the button, and the garage door opens and closes! It's easy to not think about your garage door until something goes wrong. You might even dismiss a loud creaking or groaning noise as normal, but they are not. Don't ignore signs that your garage door needs maintenance. Avoid garage door breakdowns by calling an expert to perform a few inspections each year along with frequent lubrication of all of your garage door parts.

Common Garage Door Problems That Most Homeowners Face

Be aware of these common garage door problems so you know what to look out for if you experience issues with your own:

Broken Garage Door Springs

When your garage door seems to have difficulty opening, slams shut too fast, or won't open at all, you will need to temporarily disengage the emergency release and operate the garage door by hand until you can get it repaired. Depending on the type of spring, you use, you should be able to look above the garage door and see a cracked or cleanly split spring and know that it's time to call an expert. Don't risk the safety issues that can be associated with repairing garage door springs yourself.

Your Garage Door Sensor is Misaligned

At the base of your garage door are two laser sensors that help prevent damage or injury to objects or pets and small children who may be in the path of the garage door when closing. These sensors should be lined up but can become misaligned causing the door to immediately reverse or to not operate at all. When this happens, the sensor boxes need to be adjusted to be in proper alignment again.

Dead Garage Door Remote

When your remote stops opening the garage door, first check your batteries. While most remote batteries last for quite some time before needing to be replaced, they don't last forever. Replacing the batteries can be an easy step to do yourself, however sometimes, the remote may be broken and will need to be repaired or replaced.

Garage Door Off Track

Sometimes, the garage door comes off of the track it operates on. Maybe someone slammed it down too hard or maybe the sensors stopped working and it hit an object on the ground or was hit by an object-throwing it off the track. You may need a new track which will require maintenance to the track and the door will need to be reattached to the rail which will require the assistance of someone who knows what they are doing and has the proper equipment to help.

Maintenance Prevents Problems

The easiest way to avoid unnecessary garage door repairs is to have it maintained quarterly. Why spend time and take a chance on doing the maintenance yourself when you can call a trained repairman to make sure your maintenance is done properly. Have a certified technician come out to inspect and lubricate the garage door parts. This small service charge could save you a bundle on future larger repairs.

Locksmith Denver
By denverusr2 Locks 0 Comments

Reasons For Changing Your Locks After Moving To A New Office

6 Reasons Why You Should Change Your Locks After Moving Into a New Office

Owning or renting office space puts you in charge of the business. This means that you are the one who reaps the benefits of profit when your company is doing well. It also means you are the one responsible to ensure the safety and security of your office building, its contents, and the employees who work there.

One simple step you can take to make sure your new office is secure is to change the locks. Unless you are the very first occupant of the office, you just don’t know who has a copy of the key that allows access to the building. This should always be the first thing you do before moving anything or anyone into the new office space.

When you move into a new office, there are six reasons why you should change your locks. These reasons include general maintenance issues of locks wearing out over time, handling lost keys or key control after an employee quits or gets fired, knowing what after-hour cleaning or maintenance crew to trust with a copy of your keys, keeping your office safe after reported break-in attempts, and always staying up to date with the best technology to keep your office and workers protected.

Maintain your Locks

It may not sound like a huge safety concern, but the general maintenance of locks calls for you to change them every so many years. Depending on the manufacturer, the exact amount of useful time a lock will function varies. Since, when you move into a new office, you’re never really sure when the locks were last changed or maintained, it’s a good idea to go ahead and get a new locking system in place from the start. After that, be on the lookout for rust or wear and tear, and have routine maintenance and cleaning performed on a regular basis.

Change your Locks After an Employee is Fired or Quits

When an employee is fired or quits, it’s quite often an emotional time. Occasionally, one of these disgruntled employees will attempt to retaliate by trying to enter the office with harmful intent. Even if they turned in their keys upon leaving, they may have made a copy for themselves or for a friend or family member who may not have the best intentions in mind. Ensure the safety of your building and the workers by making it company policy to change the locks and keys whenever there is a shift in employment.

Only Give your Keys to Those You Trust

Turnover in after-hour cleaning or landscaping personnel can also be a cause for alarm. If you give a copy of your office keys to cleaning, maintenance, or landscaping personnel who have access to the building before or after business hours, it’s imperative that you have fully screened and trust them. However, when there is a change in personnel, even if they return their set of keys to you, it’s important to make sure you change the locks since you don’t know if they have made another copy.

After a Break-In Start with a Fresh Set of Locks

Break-in attempts either directly to your office or in the area is always an urgent situation to address, even if the break-in reported was nearby and not targeted to your door. Make sure your business is as burglar-proof as possible by installing a new locking system.

When you Don’t Know Where your Keys Are, Change the Locks

Lost keys is the number one reason people call for a locksmith’s help. But, the problem of losing a key runs so much deeper than a matter of inconvenience. Think about it. When you lose your keys, you don’t know for sure whether or not someone has it and is planning a break-in. Now, imagine an office that is filled with numerous employees, some of whom have misplaced their keys. This could pose a huge security issue with several copies of the key potentially in the hands of someone who could cause harm.

Know When it’s Time to Upgrade to a Keyless Option

Know when to upgrade to electronic keypad locks. For you and your employees’ utmost protection, stay up to date with the latest in technology. Newer locks are being made that don’t require a key at all. Many are designed with a keyless entry system that involves your only needing to remember a specific code. And, these codes can easily be changed whenever necessary. Additional advances in technology make your business even more secure with fingerprint, retina or face recognition options.

Find a Local Locksmith You Can Trust

Regardless of what types of locks you have chosen to keep your new office safe and secure, it’s always a great idea to have a local commercial locksmith on hand whom you trust to service your locks, give recommendations, or be there in a hurry in the case of an emergency. Be sure to interview local professionals and know who to call for help before you move into your new office.

Garage Door Top Brands - Denver Experts
By denverusr2 Garage Door 0 Comments

Garage Door Brands

Garage Door Brands

Denver Experts handles and installs all major garage door brands. In the years we've been servicing overhead garage doors and operators for homeowners and businesses in the Denver, Colorado area, there isn't a single manufacturer or brand of garage door that we have not been able to install or repair to our customer's satisfaction. We install and service every quality brand and manufacturer of garage doors and openers that are available on the market and are known to recommend the best garage door brands for your individual needs and taste.

Garage Doors come in:

  • Aluminum
  • wood
  • steel
  • wood composites
  • fiberglass
  • vinyl

Each material has its own benefits and drawbacks. Wood is classic because of its natural beauty, is readily available and easy to customize. However, it doesn't last as long as other materials and requires constant maintenance. Steel is very popular because of its strength and durability and is relatively inexpensive with low maintenance and can even be made to look like wood. Other materials have their own strong points, and there are even hurricane-proof garage doors and screen doors for garages.

Wood Garage Doors 

Different styles of doors include roll-up wood garage doors that have sections that roll-up. They may have either flush or a panel construction. Flush sections are made by fastening a plywood panel over a wooden frame. Panel doors fit several separate rectangular panels into a wooden frame. Panels may be flat or three dimensional. Tilt-up wood garage doors are easiest to build and the most affordable. The flush construction of a tilt-up wood garage door is strong and affordable.

Fiberglass and Aluminum Garage Doors

Most fiberglass doors actually consist of an aluminum frame. Aluminum and fiberglass are both very lightweight. Fiberglass is also translucent and resistant to salt water air near beaches or water. However, it is not the best insulation, yellows with age and breaks fairly easily especially when it is exposed to cold weather.

 

Steel Garage Doors

The quality of steel comes in thickness and cladding. The best steel doors will often be 2 inches thick and filled with insulation, clad in 24-gauge steel. You can save some money by going with a less-expensive door with 28-gauge steel. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the steel. Steel doors come in single or double skin which combines foam insulation between panels on both the outside and inside of the door. Weather-stripping is another indicator of quality. The best steel doors have a full-width vinyl bubble garage door weather stripping along the bottom edge and rigid vinyl weather-stripping along the sides of the panels.

Consider the Cost:

When it comes to garage doors, there are many styles and qualifies to consider. The prices range from a few hundred dollars up into the thousands. When you consider the cost, realize that a quality and attractive garage door instantly adds resale value to your home as it boosts curb appeal.

Some options include the type of springs and the style of openers.

There are many adequate garage door brands. Popular garage door brands include:

  • Safeway
  • Mid America
  • Sawmill Creek
  • Door Link

some popular garage door openers include:

  • LiftMaster
  • Chamberlain
  • Stanley
  • Linear

Set your house apart from all the others on your street with the best garage door brand available. Installing the wrong garage door on your home can quickly cause your investment to go down the drain due to lack of curb appeal. Don't let this happen to you!

There are many factors that go into finding the perfect garage door for your home. Some of these factors you may not even consider at first. Our experts are able to work with you to recommend the best garage door brands for you.

A Good Garage Door Seal

It is important that the door you purchase has a good enough seal on it to be able to protect your car and valuables inside.

If you've ever asked the question, “what are the best garage door brands available?” our knowledgeable garage door experts are able to answer your question.

The best types of garage doors are known for:

  • Durability
  • Aesthetic Appeal
  • Warranty

Choosing the best garage door brand also leaves a trail of happily satisfied customers who are glad they called the experts at Denver Experts to help with their garage door brand decision.

Garage Door Brands | Denver Experts

Since purchasing a new garage door is such an important financial investment to make, it's important to research each brand before ordering one. Some of the top-notch garage door brands that are manufactured by these companies that have left customers satisfied include:

  • Amarr – Carriage house doors, contemporary and raised panel doors
  • C.H.I. - contemporary, raised panels, and carriage house doors
  • Anderson - Wood, steel and wind garage doors
  • Carriage House – Some carriage house garage door manufacturers include Amarr, C.H.I, Clopay, and Delden Garage Doors.
  • Clopay 
  • Craftsman – Sold by Sears
  • Dynaco 
  • Holmes - Residential and commercial garage doors, traditional raised panel and carriage house style door.
  • Martin - custom made garage doors for residential and commercial. 
  • Mid America Door - Residential wood and steel garage doors, commercial doors
  • Mesa - Wide range of colors, decorative and designer windows style
  • Midland – Raised panel and carriage house doors
  • Northwest Door – Maker of raised panels, contemporary, and carriage house doors
  • Overhead Doors 
  • Raynor 
  • Sears
  • Steelcraft
  • Unique Garage Doors 
  • Wayne-Dalton - Commercial and residential doors steel & wood. Find a local dealer here
  • Windsor Republic 

For more information visit us at Secure Locksmith Denver