According to the California Budget & Policy Center, California's property crime rate was 2,273 per 100,000 residents in 2023. As for the violent crime rate, it was 511 per 100,000. Both figures show a considerable decrease from historical highs; for instance, in 1980, the property crime rate was 6,881, while in 1992, the violent crime rate was 1,104.
As a California resident, you should take those figures as good news and a reminder to stay vigilant and review your home's security. Doing so is even more crucial if your home has outdated locks. If it does, consider investing in keyless entry systems.
In this guide, the locksmith experts at Silva Security Solutions will share insights into innovative keyless door locks. Read on to discover how these digital access control systems can help minimize your risks of becoming a property crime victim.
As the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) points out, wood, steel, or fiberglass exterior doors can last up to 100+ years. However, their hardware, including door knobs, locks, and hinges, doesn't last as long and will need replacement after a few years.
Old, rusty, and faulty doorknobs and locks can contribute to a shortened door lifespan if not replaced. One way this can happen is if occupants of a home develop the habit of shaking or jiggling the knob or leaning heavily into the door to try and get it to open. They may even get so frustrated that they might use their body weight to slam into the door and force it open.
Burglars and thieves can do the same. They can use deteriorated doorknobs and locks to gain unauthorized access to your home.
Replacing your aged and defective doorknobs and locks with wireless entry solutions can help deter burglary and minimize security risks. Silva Security Solutions offers several innovative keyless access control options for homes and businesses, including the following.
Keypads requiring PIN codes are simple keyless entry systems for homes and businesses. They replace metal keys with an access code that unlocks the door. They are more secure and convenient than traditional locks, which are prone to getting lost.
Smartphone-based keyless entry systems are access control technologies that replace physical keys with smartphone technology. They use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or mobile data to send digital or electronic codes that engage or disengage the lock.
A smartphone-based keyless entry system can make your home more secure than a traditional door lock.
For one, you can use your smartphone's security features to make it more secure. Chances are, you've already done this. According to the Pew Research Center, 83% of American smartphone owners safeguard their smartphones using their mobile devices' security features, such as requiring a passcode or biometric authentication (e.g., fingerprint or face recognition).
Say you've already integrated your mobile device with your new smartphone-based keyless entry system. With your smartphone's security features engaged, you must unlock it first before it can communicate with your keyless entry system. Only after the two have established a connection will your door unlock and give you access.
Biometric access systems eliminate the need for traditional metal keys by replacing them with technology that uses a person's unique biological characteristics for authentication. It works like your smartphone's fingerprint or facial recognition. The primary difference is that the biometric authentication technology is within the keyless entry system.
Biometric access systems also offer more biological markers as authentication options. Aside from fingerprints and face, they can confirm a person's identity through their:
Using biometrics is an excellent security strategy because, as ABI Research explains, these markers are unique to each individual. As such, they are difficult for criminals to mimic.
With a biometric access system, only people you've pre-authorized can unlock the door (e.g., each household member). The system then scans and saves their biometrics. The next time someone is at the door, the system checks that individual's physical traits against pre-enrolled biometric information.
The door will not unlock if someone trying to enter doesn't have their biological markers saved in the system.
According to a KVIA.com article, a survey found that keys are Americans' second-most commonly lost item, while wallets rank sixth.
Misplacing keys and wallets in the house is more of a nuisance, but when you lose or drop both outside, it can become a security risk. If they fall into the wrong hands, the person who picks them up can sift through your wallet, check for IDs with your home address, and use it as a crime opportunity. They may go to your home and use your dropped keys to gain unauthorized access and steal your precious belongings.
So, before that happens, consider upgrading your door locks to a keyless entry system.
Another way that keyless entry systems can help minimize risks is by integrating them with other security technologies.
For example, the expert team at Silva Security Solutions can install and integrate your preferred keyless entry system with CCTV cameras and 24/7 professional monitoring. With CCTV cameras, you will always see who's at the door. If it's someone you know and trust, you can conveniently grant them access by disengaging the lock with just a few taps of your smartphone.
Keyless entry systems can increase your property's overall security and minimize threats more likely to occur if you rely on outdated physical doorknobs and locks. So, why not consider investing in these innovative technologies as early as today?
Silva Security Solutions's team of trustworthy locksmith experts can help. All our technicians undergo continuous training and learning to provide our clients from Anaheim to Garden Grove with the best security equipment and top-of-the-line services at fair prices. We're highly confident in our work and offer a one-year warranty on labor and parts.
Contact us today to request a free quote or schedule the installation of your access control and security system!
