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 If you need a car locksmith in the Twin Cities, it's important to find a qualified one, but it's not always easy. Here are a few tips for finding a qualified car locksmith:
So now that you've found a locksmith, what will it cost? That's a good question! The cost of car locksmith services will vary depending on the type of service you need. In general, you can expect to pay between $50 and $200 for a service, such as making a new key. More complex services, such as repairing a broken ignition, can cost more. Car locksmiths can provide a variety of services to help you keep your car running smoothly. If you need a car locksmith, be sure to do your research and find a qualified one.  Car locksmiths are often called upon to help with a variety of problems, from lost keys to broken ignitions. Here are some of the most common car locksmith problems:
 Did you know that Rekeying your locks is a great alternative to replacing your locks altogether?
Lock rekeying can be a great alternative to replacing locks for your home or business and it can also be more cost effective. Lock rekeying works to reconstruct the internal pins of your lock so it can use a new key. If your lock is in good working order, rekeying can be a great way to restore security if you need new keys. Rekeying can also be done a lot faster than it takes to replace your locks. While lock rekeying is fast and affordable, there may be some circumstances where we may recommend a new lock altogether. Some of those circumstances could be if a lock is more than a few years old, if your security needs have changed, or you have a master key that the locks are no longer compatible with. Of course, at Minnesota Locks, we will always help you find the best option for your home or business in the Twin Cities.  Have you ever considered a safe for your home? Many people over look them, but it can be a great place to keep your valuables and important documents safe (no pun intended). Not only can it prevent theft, but some safes are also fire or waterproof which your valuables can even withstand a home disaster.
A safe isn’t just for money, but you can protect jewelry, heirlooms, documents like passports and marriage certificates, and so much more. Small safes are great for protecting the essentials like those listed above, but larger safes are also an option. Having a safe in your home can help protect children in the home if there are items you need to keep out of reach. So now, you just need to decide what type of safe you will get and what items you need to keep in it! While we don’t specialize in safes or carry them at Minnesota Locks, we are happy to help make recommendations for you!  As a professional locksmith, we take the sercurity of our customers very seriously. While we can get you back into your business if you’re locked out, that’s not the only value we bring to the table.
We can also help with:
We utilize our skills and expertise with experience to deliver you with the best service in West Saint Paul and the surrounding area. If you need help with your business, we’re here for you!  There are many reasons to buy security cameras for your home. The most obvious is providing security for your family, not to mention deterring crime, being able to monitor your home while you are away, and providing peace of mind. If you are thinking about getting security cameras for your home, here are a few things to think about before you make that purchase.
Resolution and Night Vision You’ll want to find a camera with good resolution so you can see details of things inside or outside your home, including an intruder’s face for later identification by the police. Look for a camera that offers at least 1080p. You’ll need a good Wi-Fi signal to utilize the 1080p quality. So make sure you have a strong signal. Most cameras out there offer some sort of night vision. Look for ones that offer color night vision for a better picture with more details. Video Storage There are many different services for security footage storage out there that can offer different options for a monthly or yearly fee. Think about what kind of storage suits your needs, like how much you want to save and the duration of how long you’ll want to save it. Some of the cheaper options will keep all your footage for a short amount of time on an external server, with options for you to save and download your video clips on your own devices. And you can set your cameras to only record when motion is occurring, instead of rolling 24/7. If you’d like to save some money and skip a monthly fee, some cameras utilize SD cards, so you can do all the storing and saving yourself on a camera card. Field of View/ Pan/Tilt/Zoom Options Think about how much space you need to capture on your camera. The field of view is everything you see on the camera. Consider what you need to cover for the type of lens the camera should have. A narrower lens (110 degrees) covers a smaller area, and a wide lens (180 degrees) will cover a bigger area. Some cameras offer a pan, tilt, zoom (PTZ) option to allow you to control the camera and where it is pointing through an app. Some of these can rotate 360 degrees offering the opportunity to see the whole space from every side. PTZ cameras can offer a little more of an affordable option as you don’t have to get multiple cameras. Ease of Use - App Functions When shopping for security cameras consider their App-based control systems. Look at how their Apps work and what features and alerts that they offer for what suits your needs and your workflow. It’s easier to learn Apps that are familiar to others that you already use. Professional Monitoring Professional monitoring for cameras is a bit more rare these days, since people tend to monitor their security cameras themselves. But it’s still a good thing to consider during your camera search. It is a bigger cost to have a professional security company monitor your cameras so they can alert authorities to threats like break-ins and fires. But it takes that responsibility off of you to monitor it yourself. If you are interested in hiring a monitoring service, then make sure you read trusted reviews to see if the service is reliable and emergency services, like the police or fire, will actually show up when needed. So consider these items before you buy your home security cameras, then you can get exactly what you need.  Minnesota in the winter can be such a fun time of year. Sure, it can get a little cold, but there are plenty of fun things to do.
Here’s a list of our top 5 winter/holiday activities you can do with your family or friends:
 As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, now is the perfect time to make sure all of your home maintenance tasks are taken care of. Afterall, who wants to be stuck worrying about your furnace, roof, or fireplace right before the holidays!
Inspect Your Roof: Did you know that the National Roofing Contractors Association recommends you should have your roof inspected twice a year? Yes, we said twice! If you haven’t had it looked in some time, it could long overdue. Whether you take the time to look at it yourself or hire a professional, its important to spot potential problems before they become, well, as serious problem. Check Your Furnace: Checking your furnace is an important one to get done before the weather gets cold. You don’t want to be stuck without heat on the coldest day of the year, especially in MN. We highly recommend brining in a professional to do this. Many companies have programs where they offer discounts for regular maintenance or you can schedule a one-time checkup. Inspect Your Fireplace and Chimney: Isn't there something so cozy about having a nice warm fire in the winter? If your fireplace isn’t working right. If you haven’t touched it all year, now is a good time to have it cleaned and inspected. If it’s gas, having it inspected for any blockages is always a good idea as well. A professional can go through all aspects of it to make sure it’s running smoothly. If you need more resources, check out the CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America). Storing Outdoor Furniture and Garden Items: Did you forget to bring in your outdoor pots or chairs last year before the first snow? Now is a great time to break it all down and bring it inside. Don’t wait until the last minute! Clean Your Gutters: Cleaning your gutter is key! Clogged gutters can lead to issues like ice dams (no one wants those in MN during the winter), issues with rodents and insects, or even water damage. Having them inspected and cleaned one to two times a year is key to making sure gutters and downspouts area clear of leaves and debris! There are many more things you can do to prepare your home for winter, but theses are just a few of the big ones we recommend putting on your to-do list every year! If you’re running short on time or just don’t want to do these yourself, always consider hiring a professional.  Is your door not closing properly? One of the things that may be causing it is a misaligned door strike plate. Now, you’re saying, what is a door strike plate? Well, that is the metal piece that is in the door frame that your door handle or deadbolt aligns with to close the door. Other problems can occur if this plate is out of place like weakening the door frame or affecting the effectiveness of the door lock. So, now that we have that covered, let’s talk about making some adjustments to the strike plate.
One of the easiest things to do is to tighten the screws on the strike plate. Over time, it’s possible that these can loosen just from regular usage and you can try tightening them to fix your door closing issues. If your deadbolt isn’t aligning in the strike plate properly anymore, you can move the whole strike plate. If the misalignment is severe, you can unscrew the plate and move it for proper alignment.Though, in this case, you may want to look at other issues (are your hinges secure?), as to why the door is so misaligned and address that problem too. Those other door fixes may put your door strike plate back into its proper place with the deadbolt. If it’s just a little off or the deadbolt doesn’t seem to be closing fully, you can also trim the wood where the hole is for the deadbolt. You could also look into installing adjustable strike plates that come with ovular screw holes so you can make adjustments without having to install new pilot holes for the screws. If all else fails, it might just be that you need a new strike plate. If you are having troubles, don’t hesitate to contact a locksmith, to ensure you have a secure lock in place. Give us a call at Minnesota Locks for any questions and help that you may need!  Oof, that stomach drop feeling of when you’re about to head out and your car key won’t work. Whether having trouble opening the door, getting the key in the ignition, or the key fob won’t connect to the car to start, we’ll help you get it fixed. Let’s think about what could possibly be wrong with it and how to fix it.
The first thing to look at with your key fob is power. The simplest thing to check is your batteries. You can easily pick up a new battery and see if that works. If that doesn’t fix it, the key fob could be damaged. It’s possible for your key fob to become damaged internally over time.There could be a problem with the connectors and then the car won’t be able to start because of it. Or there could be a problem with the programming. All key fobs are programmed to your particular car, and if that isn’t working properly, then the car won’t start. In this case, you’ll need to call a locksmith technician and they can repair or reprogram your key fob for you. It is also possible to order an entirely new replacement key fob. Sometimes your key can become damaged from general wear and tear, and our everyday roughness with our car keys that could cause bending, breaking or chipping of the key. Over time, car keys can just require a replacement from the wear grinding down the key. If you just received a new replacement key, it’s possible that you may have gotten a bad duplication key. Sometimes there is poor key duplication, so do research before landing on a place to take your key fob for duplication. There could be several issues that could stop your car from starting. Give us a call at Minnesota Locks for any of your car key troubles, whether it is keyed or keyless. We’ll get you straightened out and on your way again. |
AuthorWe offer automotive, commercial and residential locksmith services in the Twin Cities. Archives
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