Locksmith Services In Seattle- Wait, what the heck is a bump key?

Wait, what the heck is a bump key?

There are standard, high security, bump and pick resistant locks and deadbolts… you know that there’s a difference in price and security of each type of lock, but how do you know which one you need?

The bad news is, if you have a “standard” lock, it’s not too easy for anyone who knows what they're doing to get past it. The point of the standard lock is to make it more difficult to get inside without an exact copy of the key. Unfortunately, with just a standard lock, you’re really not making it that much more challenging to get inside. A potential intruder who knows what he’s doing could “pick” or “bump” your lock relatively quickly and quietly, without making a ton of noise or drawing attention to himself.

In the vast majority of the Seattle Metro apartments, the key they hand you when you move into an apartment with a standard lock is the same key, or a copy of the same key, that several residents before you had — not to mention anyone else they gave a copy to.Changing the cylinder in your standard lock means you’ll have a new key that opens it. This will prevent some idiot who has the old key from just walking in. But that’s pretty much all you get; others can still pick it really easily.

You know what lock picking is, and maybe even tried it once or twice when you were locked out. But what’s a bump key? That’s when some doofus creates a standard key for standard locks that can be inserted, and when the lock is bumped lightly or even vibrated with a tool, someone with a little skill can jostle the lock mechanism just right so that they can open the door with the bump key. Yep, scary (and annoying) stuff. Here’s a kinda cheesy but true news video about easy it is to bump a lock.

A bump or pick resistant lock makes it much, much more difficult to get in without the real key. Someone who wanted to break in would typically have to destroy or drill the lock to do it. In other words, it’s hard to do without making a scene that someone will notice.

If a crook is looking for a target, and your door has a bump/pick resistant lock on it, he’s going to pass your door over for one that’s easier and quieter.

Please feel free to give me a call about what you get from different locks. The Mul-T-Lock MT5 with patented key control is great new high security lock we're offering. Find more of Lockbusters residential lock offerings on the website, and if you're looking for something different, we'll get it for you. On any service visit, Lockbusters technicians can tell you what your apartment’s vulnerabilities are and recommend how to address them. We've seen it all, and I promise we will always give you our honest, professional opinion, and never sell you anything that you don't need.

Thank you sincerely for business, and for your recommendations to friends and family!

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