WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CAR KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION

As a nation of car drivers, we use our ignition keys a lot. We think nothing of hopping in the car, turning the ignition key to START and taking off to wherever our destination plans lead us. We do this so much that the process is pretty much automatic and we hardly notice the act of starting the engine at all. That is until you suddenly discover that your ignition key won’t come out! Now, all of a sudden we are aware of a problem and the more you think about it; the worse the situation can seem. How are you supposed to leave the car and go about your business if you can’t even remove the key? How can you possibly lock the car doors without getting the key back out? Should you apply more pressure to remove it? What if it’s too much and the key breaks off? Here at Dunwoody GA Locksmith we handle stuck ignition keys all the time. You may need our services or that of another local Dunwoody, GA lock and key professional for this very reason. That’s why we’ve put together this post; to help you with fast and easy solutions in case your ignition key ever decides to get stubborn and stay put!

What to do first!

The first rule of thumb in situations like these is to simply remain calm. We know; we know; it’s easy to say, but hard to do! This is especially true if you have a busy day planned. You might be on your way to an important job interview. Or, you might be in the process of picking up your child from school or camp. Being busy people, we tend to stay focused on our next destination or goal so having to deal with a stuck ignition key can really throw you off base (and schedule!).

So try your best to get and remain calm. Big stress often leads to hurried and wrong decisions. If your ignition key won’t come out, take a deep breath and try to relax. Then, put on the parking brake. You are going to try different solutions on your own. Don’t worry; no mechanical skill whatsoever is needed for these. If you can operate a car, you can do these simple items and they might just save you some time, stress and money if you can avoid a service call!

You may be wondering “why put on the parking brake?” but think about it. You are sitting in a metal vehicle weighing several thousand pounds. You are trying to make small adjustments to your situation so that your key can be removed. The LAST thing you want is for your car to roll back or lurch forward all of a sudden!

Next!

Is your parking brake on? Good! Now try gently moving the ignition key back and forth. Gently now; you don’t want to have your stuck key problem compounded by suddenly needing broken key extraction AND transponder key duplication services! If this gentle turning motion did the trick; great! If not, check to see if you are in the right gear. You need to be in PARK. Not in-between gears or in DRIVE or NEUTRAL. Your vehicle has a safety feature that will not release the key if you are not in gear. Can you imagine how you would feel if you were driving along and you accidentally bumped your ignition key so that it came out while you were going 75 mph on the freeway!

Steering wheel 

At any time you can try moving your car’s steering wheel back and forth a few times. Usually this will unlock your ignition key and release it back to you. While doing this, be sure to check to see if your battery is still working and not drained. You can do this be trying your windshield wipers, car radio, or headlights. Here in Dunwoody, GA we use our heaters in winter and sometimes this can drain our batteries when combined with headlights, radio and other items that run off of battery power. If your vehicle’s battery is run down your car’s computer will not be able to recognize the signal sent from your transponder chip and this can make your ignition key stop working.

Wrong key!

Yes, it’s possible! People sometimes stick the wrong key in the ignition cylinder; not on purpose of course, but it’s easy to do when you are distracted, rushed or trying to multi-task. Just because the key goes in easily, it’s not guaranteed to come right out without a struggle. If this happens to you, try using a hammer or other flat surface to lightly tap on the top of the key. This can loosen the key to the point of withdrawal but once in a while it drives it in further so be careful!

Wear and tear

Both ignition keys and ignition switches have life cycles and don’t last forever. Over time and with enough use, they will wear down and sometimes key sticking is a result. You can delay this by ONLY using your ignition key for starting your engine or opening your car door and not for other things like ripping open boxes, popping open cans or puncturing surfaces.

Lock cleaning

Sometimes you can lubricate and clean the ignition lock by spraying some electrical contact cleaner on it. Follow this action by spraying some silicone lock lubricant on it. The combination of the two sprays will act as both a cleaner and a lubricant and may just be enough to allow your key to now come out.

Get professional help

Still no key? It may be time to call in the experts. Dunwoody, GA is home to many automotive locksmith shops (including ours!) so don’t hesitate to call for professional help. A full service, mobile locksmith can be soon be on his way to your location to expertly and safely extract your stuck ignition key with a minimum of expense and time spent.

 

Article source here: WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CAR KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION

THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF PANIC BARS AT YOUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

If you have a public commercial building of any sort, then you’re likely aware that “panic hardware” is required at your facility, so that you’ll be following the law in providing proper ingress and egress in case of an emergency. A panic bar is a push bar that must be installed on every exit door, which allows people to get out in a hurry. An unobstructed and uninterrupted departure path leading to a place of safety is also necessary. These doors are often required in restaurants, malls, taverns, schools, and other public places. It’s essential that you obey the law when it comes to safeguarding all the people in your commercial property. If you’re not up to code, you won’t pass inspection and you’ll have to be shut down. When you install these critical devices, you’ll be protecting the life and safety of every occupant ~ visitor, customer, and personnel alike.

Panic hardware consists of a latching device, with a touchpad or crossbar spanning across at least half of the width of the door, which releases the latch when it’s pushed. Panic hardware is also referred to as a “crash bar” or “exit device”; for fire doors, it’s called “fire exit hardware.” This dedicated hardware is used where required by code to make it possible for large groups of people to make a hasty exit. It also provides increased resilience.

Whenever you install panic hardware on balanced doors, a touchpad-style device has to be used. The touchpad shouldn’t extend more than halfway across the door. In general, code requirements prohibit the installation of any other kind of lock on a door with panic hardware, except for electromagnetic locks released by a sensor or switch. Basically, at all times, anyone who has to get out must be able to get an exit route door open from the inside ~ without having to use any tools or keys, and without knowing any sort of specialized information.

Panic bars are made to prevent entry from the opposite side of the door. On the inner side, they ensure a fast exit in an emergency. A panic bar locking only from the outside is allowed on an exit discharge door. Normally, rooms with electrical equipment must include fire exit hardware or panic hardware that permits a professional technician to escape in case of a fire or an explosion.

The International Fire Code (IFC), the International Building Code (IBC), and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Code are the most common building and fire safety codes in the United States. You’ll need to determine which code, and which edition of that code, applies to your particular building. Local codes in your area may oblige you to hold to some additional requirements. Be sure you’re fully compliant.

Most people have trouble concentrating when they find themselves in a crisis, so it’s crucial that you correctly install all your panic bars to avoid mishaps. Adhere to all regulations, and routinely maintain these indispensable doors. Properly installed panic hardware that continues to function smoothly will make a huge difference in life-or-death situations.

Installed on doors that open to the outside, panic bars are available in numerous styles. Most come equipped with an alarm ~ preventing people who are leaving from taking stolen items with them, or from avoiding paying a tab. Constructed vertically or horizontally, all panic bar door openers operate the same way: When the bar is pushed, the door opens. The exact number of exit doors required, and the style guidelines you have to follow depend on the size, height, and type of your building, as well as its purpose and occupancy level.

The requirements affect doors that either lock or latch. For instance, panic hardware isn’t required on a free-swinging door with only a pull handle and push plate. The prevailing code requires panic hardware for only specific occupancy types. A property designated as “assembly occupancy” is commonly a space or building where large groups gather, such as a stadium, theater, or gymnasium. An “educational occupancy” facility refers to a school for children, up to the end of high school. A building that’s used for college classrooms is considered “business occupancy”; some college classrooms (used as lecture halls for example) are big enough to be classified as assembly occupancy. The NFPA 101 Code includes a separate occupancy classification for “daycare occupancy,” a place where daycare is provided to children or adults. A “high-hazard occupancy” (any area containing a high level of hazardous materials) is a place susceptible to explosions.

The push pad on any panic bar must be at least half the door’s width. When you install a panic device, follow the template included with the bar’s packaging to mark the door to see where to place it. The template will instruct you on where to drill the holes and where to mount the hardware. Customarily, the center of the panic bar’s push pad ought to be at a standard height of 41” from the floor. This can vary in schools and daycare facilities. When you attach the panic bar to the door, only use the screws included in the packaging, so you won’t void the warranty. After installing the panic bar, test the push pad to make sure it’s functioning properly.

Panic hardware comes in various kinds. Rim devices are easily installed, and require minimal maintenance. The panic hardware with surface vertical rods is more difficult to install, which means hiring a professional. There is also a panic bar with a concealed vertical rod, which is more costly and also a little more difficult to install. How to decide? It’s important to choose the correct panic bar for each door, based upon your building’s parameters as discussed above. In most cases, it’s really best to hire a professional.

If your commercial property is located in Dunwoody, Georgia, consider a reputable security professional such as a mobile commercial locksmith specialist on staff at Dunwoody GA Locksmith, someone who will be eminently qualified to help you choose exactly the right panic bars for all your building’s evacuation doors.

Article source here: THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF PANIC BARS AT YOUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

Dunwoody GA Locksmith: The Benefits of a Keyless Entry System

These days, many businesses and homeowners are reaping the benefits of the newest keyless entry systems. As security technologies continue to evolve, keyless security has become something that’s widely available and much more affordable. Many of these will grant you access to a property using a special swipe card or electronic fob, instead of your standard keys. Of course, not all of these systems are created equal, and some of them will diverge greatly in pricing and sophistication. But there are numerous options to choose from these days: from coded systems right up to fingerprint scanners and CCTV-controlled monitoring.

As with any security innovation, a keyless entry system comes with many benefits. Here are just some of the things that have made these a popular choice for property owners all over the world:

No more keys! 

We’ll start with the obvious point first. With a keyless entry system, you won’t need to stress over losing your keys, having them fall into the wrong hands, or having to constantly fumble around to find the right key for your lock. You may have heard the sage advice of always rekeying your locks when you move into a new home – with a keyless system, all you need to do is set up a new code. Easy as that!

Higher deterrence 

Petty thieves are looking for a quick haul. They want to get into a property, get their loot, and get out. A keyless system makes this much harder for them – if they were wanting access to a property, they would need to learn how to hack your security mechanisms. Even a tech-savvy criminal knows this would take up much valuable time – and that they would likely be caught in the act doing so (remember what we said about CCTV footage?). In short, breaking into a keyless entry system is too much of a hassle to your average burglar, and that is enough of a deterrent on its own.

Easy to install and use 

Keyless technologies are designed to be quite intuitive. Once you have installed one of these systems into your home or business building, all you need to do is set up your combination and get monitoring. If you have a high influx of people coming in and out of your property, or you would like to have a separate code that someone else can use, that is pretty easy to do as well. In fact, one of the great advantages of a keyless system – especially for businesses – is that you can add or delete people’s access to it as you wish.

Provides real-time monitoring 

Not only through camera surveillance, but through live logging of which keys or codes have been used and when. That way, you will know who has entered and exited your home or commercial property at any given day or time. If anything goes amiss, all you have to do is go back through your records to identify who might be responsible for your troubles.

Gives you more control over property access 

One of main issues with lost keys is that you will likely need to rekey your locks in order to be sure no one is able to enter the property without your knowledge. Likewise, keys can be easily copied and given away – to your neighbor, employees who shouldn’t have access to specific areas and so on. Especially in latter case, a keyless system makes it easier to impose restrictions – you can have a master code for managers, and access cards for personnel confined to their designated work areas. Some systems even allow a master user to provide people with remote access to their property – so if someone loses their code, or needs access outside business hours, this can be done without much effort.

 

As you can see, there are so many benefits that come with state of the art keyless technologies. Think this is the best choice for you? Then make sure to read our final recommendations

How can I get one of these systems for myself?

Simple! Whether you are wanting to upgrade your residential or commercial security, a qualified locksmith will help you find the best keyless system for your property. They will be able to tell you the pros and cons of each option available, and will install these for you effortlessly. What’s more, if you need help setting up your code and monitoring your systems, they will gladly explain how everything works.

If you need a few pointers about selecting a good locksmith, here’s what you need to do:

• Be sure that you are hiring a local professional with a fully verifiable address. Locksmiths outside your area will charge extra for mileage and some scammers will list fake addresses to trick people into digging deep into their pockets. Never hire a business you can’t trace a physical address back to, as this is a huge red flag.
• Get a few recommendations from family, neighbors, friends, or anyone else you know and trust. Referrals are the best way to glean a business’s reputation. Jot down a couple of business names and call each one of them to ask about the options they have available.

• On that note: check whether your chosen locksmith business actually offers the services you are looking for. Some lock and key operations may only focus on residential assistance, others just automotive, and a handful may provide you with a fully-inclusive set of solutions. Make sure to clarify this first before going any further.
• Other things to ask the person you are talking to on the phone: information about licensing and insurance, client references in the area, how long the business has been in operation, and a full cost breakdown of the options you have selected.

Are you a homeowner or business owner in Dunwoody, GA? Consider discussing some of the options our licensed and insured professionals can deliver. Dunwoody GA Locksmith is a local operation that ticks all the right boxes – be it credentials or access to some of the latest keyless technologies.

No matter where you live, or what type of property you own, a keyless system is always a great investment. As you can see, these can bring a great deal of peace of mind over all aspects of security – from controlling who can access your property to the simplicity that comes from no longer needing to rely on multiple keys. We hope we have helped you get thinking about your next security upgrade!

Article source here: Dunwoody GA Locksmith: The Benefits of a Keyless Entry System