Where to Store a Spare House Key
It’s happened to all of us at some point. We turn the lock and head out the door, only to discover our keys are locked inside or we arrive home only to discover we don’t have our keys. It’s really nice to have a spare house key stashed somewhere so we can get in if this happens. But is that safe?
Under Your Car
One option is to store a spare house key underneath your car. Because the vast majority of burglaries occur when homes are unoccupied, it’s unlikely that will your car will be there if your home is ever targeted. Just pick up a magnetized key box from your local home improvement store, place your spare key inside, and find a secure area underneath your car to attach it. However, ONLY do this is you always park in your garage — otherwise, you’ve just given a burglar an easy way into your home.
Inside the Dog House
If you are among the millions of proud U.S. dog owners, you can store a spare house key inside your dog house. Criminals avoid dogs for obvious reasons. As such, storing a spare house key inside or under your dog house can be an excellent way to ensure it’s safe and sound. If you don’t have a doghouse, you can hide a key in the same area where your dog hangs out, such as in a fenced in area or under the dog’s water dish. If anyone other than you or a family member approaches it, your dog will probably bark loudly, scaring away potential intruders.
At Least 15′ Away from the Door
Burglars want quick, fast access so they’ll look for keys in all of the obvious places, which are usually within 15′ of the door. If you hide your front door key in your backyard, for example, especially if it’s fenced, it will make it harder to find. Burglars aren’t likely to spend several minutes looking for a key and will give up and move to the next target.
Combination Padlock Safe in Garage or Shed
A third option is store your spare house key in a combination padlock safe inside your garage or storage shed. Now you can retrieve the spare key simply by entering the correct combination. Burglars and other individuals will not be able to access it, even if they locate the safe. With that said, it’s still a good idea to hide the padlock safe in a discreet area of your garage or shed. You can even cover it with old blankets or a rug to keep it hidden.
Where NOT to Hide a Spare Key
- Under the doormat (arguably the worst area for storing a spare house key)
- Above the door frame
- Under a flower pot
- Under a rock, especially a fake rock
- Anywhere within 15′ of the door
Eliminate the Need for a Key with a Keypad
If you’ve ever rented a vacation home or condo, you may have seen a numeric keypad on the door instead of traditional key lock. The owner provides you with the access code so you don’t need a key to lock or unlock the door.
Many homeowners are opting to replace their traditional keys with a keypad for the same reason — no keys to keep track of so no need to hide a spare key.
These can be especially helpful if you have college-aged or adult children who need access to your home but might not always have a key. You can also give the code to housekeepers or dog walkers so there is never a risk of having them make a copy of your key. You’ll just need to change the keypad access code periodically.
At Cultris Security Systems, we can assist you with all of your home security needs. We’ve been helping home and business owners protect their properties and assets for more than 10 years!
We’re here to help — call us at 281-506-8466 or visit us online!
Image attribution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kueckfamily/
