Domestic locksmith services
Most calls to a locksmith come from homes. Here is what a domestic locksmith does, and what to expect from each kind of job.
Lockouts
A skilled locksmith can open most domestic doors without damage, using picking, bypass tools or a letterbox tool on uPVC doors with a lever handle. Drilling should be the last resort, not the first. If the door was only on the latch, the job is usually quick.
Changing and upgrading locks
After a move, a lost key or a break-in, the usual job is replacing the euro cylinder on uPVC and composite doors, or the sash lock or nightlatch on timber doors. It's the ideal time to fit anti-snap cylinders (TS007 3 star) and, on timber doors, a BS 3621 mortice deadlock, which many insurers require.
uPVC door and window repairs
uPVC doors use a multi-point locking strip operated by a gearbox in the door. When a door drops on its hinges, the hooks and rollers no longer line up with the keeps, and the handle becomes stiff. Left alone, the gearbox eventually fails. A locksmith can realign the door or replace the gearbox or the full mechanism. Window handles and hinges are common repairs too.
Security surveys
Many locksmiths will walk round a home and suggest practical upgrades: door chains and viewers, window locks, sash jammers, letterbox guards, and better locks on side gates and sheds.