Ultimate Guide to House Keys: Everything You Need to Know

At first glance, they are just pieces of metal. You know they are important because you count on them to help you enter and secure assets. What you might not realize about the common house key is it has a profound effect on your day-to-day life. With that in mind, we here at Honolulu Locksmith think there is value in educating you about the house key and its purposes.
We are here to inform you. That is the purpose of this ultimate guide to regular and custom keys for your home. We are going to cover everything from key cutting or key copying to what you should do if you ever go through the experience of locked keys in the house.
Why House Keys Are Essential for Home Security
It's important to start this educational process by focusing on why you need a house key in the first place.
Long gone are the days when folks could go out for dinner and not worry about locking their doors. That's not the world we live in anymore. We now live in a world where bad people covet what we have, and we have to do what's necessary to protect ourselves, our family, and our home/personal assets. The only way to do that is with reliable security features like locks, keys, and electronic security systems.
If you need locks, you need a way to lock and unlock them. Enter the house key. It's just a little piece of metal, but that little piece of metal makes it possible to limit access to your home.
Types of House/Condo Keys: What You Need to Know
While we don't wish to complicate things, keys for the house can come in a multitude of shapes and sizes based on the type of house key. Here are the most popular types of keys that exist today:

- Mechanical Cut Key - machine cut key with indentions on one side that match a lock's tumblers
- Double or Four-Sided Key - more lines of teeth make it difficult to pick particular locks
- Dimple Key - instead of a cut edge, this type of key has dimples that match protruding pins inside of the locking mechanism
- Abloy Key - this type of key is used to lock/unlock disc (no pins) locking mechanisms
- Primary Key - used mostly to open all locks in a master lock scheme
- Skeleton Key - also called passkeys, they're used to open warded locks only
- Magnetic Key - a magnetic force will cause lockig pins to move and align for locking and unlocking
Common Problems with House Keys
Unfortunately, keys for the home are never made to last a lifetime. They can create problems. At some point, you will probably encounter a problem related to your house key. Here are some of the common issues you might encounter:
- Key metal (the cut edge) will wear down over long periods
- If you apply too much pressure trying to unlock a door, a house key can break
- Try as you may, you could lose or misplace (locked keys in the house) your key or have a key stolen
- Keys can get mixed up if you have too many different kinds of locks
Choosing the Right House Key for Your Home
As mentioned above, there a many types of keys for the home. It's up to you to decide what kind of locks and keys you want to use to protect your home and family. The type of lock or locks you choose will guide you to the right key. Here are some things to consider when choosing the right home locks and keys:

- The level of security you require for your home
- Whether it's an external or internal lock
- Your ability to access and keep track of your keys
- If you live in a high crime area, more complicated locks and keys would be recommended
- How easy it would be to lock and unlock a door
- The number of household members who will need certain keys
How to Protect Your House Key and Enhance Security
At this point, you should know how vital keys for the house are when it comes to convenience and keeping your family and home safe. With that in mind, you need to find ways to protect your house key. Here are some suggestions:
- Alternate using two keys to avoid wear and tear
- Use graphite-based oils on locks to make key insertion and extraction easier
- Don't force keys if you have a problem locking or onlocking a door
- Consider installing a master locking system to reduce the number of keys you need
- Keep a spare key securely hidden outside the home
- Replace your keys periodically, maybe once every two years
What to Do If You’re Locked Out of Your Home
If you do get locked out of your home there is a right way and wrong way to handle the situation. Let this be your guide to the right way:
- See if you can gain entry through an unlocked window or attached garage
- Call a family member with a key to come to the rescue
- If tools area vailable, try to remove the door knob
- When all else fails, call a residential locksmith like Honolulu Locksmith
If you call us to come unlock a house door, you can count on us to be there in less than 30 minutes. When our technician arrives, they'll have the resources to unlock your house door without collateral damage in 30 minutes or less.
Why Choose a 24 Hour Locksmith for House Key Services
The right time to contact a residential locksmith like Honolulu Locksmith is when you don't feel comfortable dealing with a lock or key issue on your own. Remember, a reliable emergency locksmith can be there in a hurry to save the day.
At Honolulu Locksmith, we are proud to serve as a 24 hour locksmith for the people of Honolulu. Our response times and affordable prices make us the right locksmith solution.
When you need us, just call us. We'll be there.
Keep Your House Secure with the Right Keys
Indeed, you are going to need reliable locks and keys to keep your home secure. With that being the case, it makes sense that you will want to invest time, effort, and money in looking for the right options. We are here to tell you the right house key option is the one that provides convenience while keeping you, your family, and your assets safe from intruders.