Lock changes - When you might need a locksmith

Changing locks - some tips and when to call a locksmith
We are accustomed to customers being surprised at the fact that their lock has stopped working . It's been reliable till now and they never really noticed it so why now? Well we could say the same for anything, fridges, cars, phones and everything on this planet has an end date. Consider this as well, your lock is probably one of the most used objects in your life without you even noticing. In fact it's a challenge to think of getting through a single day without using some form of latch or lock. They're on your bedroom , toilet, office, car and most obvious of all your front door . If you don't use tools and don't have basic knowledge of mechanical products then its best you call a professional.

Front door wont latch properly
We have many calls like this, our front door isn't latching properly when we shut the door so we have to slam it. Some even slam it for months till the point where it just won't shut at all. Looking at a mortice lock for example sometimes this will happen and the lock will not match up to the keep . At this point it's not only very inconvenient but a security risk as well, you can't shut the door.
In some cases should you have some experience with woodwork you could potentially move the keep yourself. If you don't have carpentry experience then its definitely time to call a professional.

Door lock moves slowly
It's just rained heavily and it's clearing up nicely but when you turn your key it feels heavy, not convenient as you want to go out and enjoy the sun. This could be many things depending on the type of lock that you have on your front door. If you have a basic latch lock this could be due to warping, a cracked part in the lock or simply because something has come loose. If you have a mortice lock then it could be down to the door warping again, or it could be down to the curtain inside the lock becoming loose, a gear is jammed up slightly or the lock is genuinely failing . If you have a door where you need to lift the handle to lock it ( UPVC mostly) then it could either be down to the Euro cylinder being old or to a serious problem with the mechanism . If it's all the above or just one of the above, best to call a professional local locksmith.

The lock simply won't work/ jammed
Sometimes you go to turn the key in the lock and it just won't budge. Whether you usually have to give it a wiggle or not this isn't a good sign and can be very worrying. Just got home from work and the last thing you need is to not be able to get into your house. Alternatively you have had a heavy night out clubbing or down at the pub quiz you get home, put the key in at it just doesn't turn . Sometimes, if you have the same brand of lock on your door for both locks they may use different keys so just double check and make sure it is the correct key for the correct lock, sounds nuts, but everyone has been there. Once you're sure it's the correct key for the lock just call a locksmith , no need to worry as the professionals will advise on exactly what is wrong.

Key doesn't go into lock
This can often make you feel like you're going a bit crazy. Just in case it's just stress, double check and make sure it is in fact the correct key. Different locks have different key-ways, that means that most keys won't fit in locks unless it's the correct key. Provided the key is still not going in the lock check and make sure someone hasn't jammed something inside your lock or that a piece of broken key is not jammed inside there. if you still can't see anything check around the entrance of the keyhole and make sure there is no super glue , it would be clear and look like a droplet. If this is the case then you definitely need to call a locksmith near me .

Broken key
This can happen to anyone. You turn your key in the lock and feel it snap, the feeling of dread flows over you and you realise you are now the proud owner of a broken key . Don't stress, don't poke it, take a minute and take a breath. Once you have taken a breath inspect the damage, inspect the broken key half in your hand and the broken piece in the door. Should enough of it hang out just use a pair of pliers or tweezers and you should be bale to pull it out yourself. If it's deep and you cant touch it at all, or even if you can touch it but can't grip it with anything, don't touch it! Poking it and prodding it will just push it further in and can push it beyond the point of no return. If it goes behind a pin it will be much harder for the locksmith to remove and you may be charge more as he may eventually have to drill the lock or take it apart to remove the broken piece.

Key keeps turning
This happens mostly with UPVC type doors . This isn't to mean that it only happens to those, but the locks normally installed in UPVC doors are Euro cylinders and these are the most susceptible. Should this be the case then you could change out the euro cylinder yourself, it shouldn't be too much of a hassle but finding the correct size may be. If you have time to research your size of lock and the available options then you can save some money by doing this yourself, otherwise just call a local locksmith near you and he will have options.

Door repair/ Boarding up
We hope that this situation never happens to anyone, but sadly it happens often in London. Burglars decide to bypass all your doors security and just smash your door in. Should this have happened it is definitely best to call a professional. This will require carpentry knowledge to put the door back together and board it up, and will require locksmith skills to either install new locks or adjust the old ones should they not be damaged.
For all the above issues we are happy to help, just call us, you local locksmith company !