A spare key can save you in a pinch, but leaving it in an easy-to-find location can compromise your home’s security. Burglars know the common places people hide spare keys, and finding one can give them easy access to your home. This guide will help you learn how to store your spare key safely, ensuring it’s both secure and accessible during emergencies.
Don’t Use Traditional Hiding Spots for Your Spare Key
When hiding a spare key, it’s essential to avoid the most common and obvious spots, as burglars are familiar with them. Places like under doormats, inside mailboxes, or beneath flowerpots are convenient but easily targeted. Instead, get creative with your hiding spots. Choose locations that are unexpected but still easily accessible to you or a trusted individual. The goal is to outsmart burglars by avoiding predictable hiding spots.
Protect Your Spare Key with a Secure Key Lockbox
When it comes to securely storing spare keys, a key lockbox is one of the best solutions. These weatherproof boxes feature either a combination lock or digital keypad, which can be mounted discreetly on your property. By sharing the code only with trusted individuals, you ensure the key stays secure. Many modern key lockboxes are designed to resist tampering and offer features like remote code management, allowing you to change codes or monitor access via an app. For enhanced security, a key lockbox is essential.
Keep Your Spare Key with a Trusted Neighbor or Friend
Rather than hiding your spare key, entrust it to someone you know well, such as a reliable neighbor, friend, or family member. This prevents burglars from finding the key and gaining access to your home. Be sure to select someone dependable who lives close enough to respond quickly in case of an emergency. This method enhances home security and ensures fast access if needed.
Improve Access Control with Smart Locks
Why deal with spare keys when smart locks can offer a more secure solution? These locks use digital codes, smartphone apps, or biometric data to unlock your doors. The advantages are clear: you can assign unique codes to family members, guests, or service providers, issue temporary codes that can be revoked, and even remotely lock or unlock doors through a mobile app. While there’s an upfront cost, the added convenience and enhanced security make smart locks a worthwhile investment, reducing the risk of losing a spare key.
Discover Unique Hiding Places for Your Spare Key
If hiding a spare key is still your preferred option, think beyond the usual spots with these creative ideas:
Bury it: Store the key in a waterproof container and bury it in your garden, using a unique marker like a special rock to remember the spot.
Fake objects: Use a fake rock, garden gnome, or other decoy objects specifically designed to hide spare keys, available at most home improvement stores.
Vents or drain pipes: Attach the key to a magnet or string and hide it inside a vent or drain pipe. Ensure the location is discreet yet easy for you to retrieve.
These creative hiding places offer better security, making it more difficult for intruders to find your spare key while keeping it accessible when needed.
Regularly Rotate Your Spare Key’s Hiding Spot
If your spare key is hidden outdoors, avoid leaving it in the same place for a long time. The more often it’s retrieved from the same spot, the more likely it is to be noticed. By rotating the location of your spare key, you can reduce the risk of someone finding and exploiting it.
Mark Your Keys to Prevent Mixing Them Up
To prevent security issues, avoid labeling your spare keys with personal information such as your address or phone number. While it might help avoid confusion, it also increases the risk of the key being used maliciously. Use neutral keychains or labels to identify your keys without revealing private details.
Enhance Key Security Using a Bluetooth Key Tracker
If you often misplace your keys, a Bluetooth key tracker can save you time and frustration. These compact devices clip to your keyring and sync with an app, allowing you to track your keys using a map or sound alert. While it doesn’t improve the security of your keys, it makes it easy to find them if they’re lost. When used with other security strategies, it’s a helpful way to manage your spare keys.
Stay Organized by Maintaining a Key Inventory
By maintaining an inventory of your spare keys and their access points, you can stay organized and secure. Regularly update this list to ensure you know where every key is and who has access to them, reducing the risk of forgotten or lost keys falling into unauthorized hands.
Use a Layered Approach to Security by Combining Multiple Measures
The most reliable approach to securing spare keys is by using a combination of methods. For example, store the main spare key in a lockbox and have a backup with a trusted neighbor. Upgrading to smart locks can further enhance your security by decreasing your dependence on physical keys.
Securing your spare keys is vital to protecting your home and ensuring peace of mind. Avoid typical hiding spots, utilize tools like lockboxes, and consider advanced solutions like smart locks to strike the perfect balance between convenience and security.
Implementing these precautions not only protects your home but also provides peace of mind that your property is safe from unauthorized access. Spare keys should offer convenience without putting security at risk. Secure your home and family today by investing in trusted storage solutions.