Locksmith frequently asked questions

In most cases, yes. If the door has slammed shut, the opening is usually resolved in minutes with non-destructive techniques and the lock remains intact. If it is locked with several turns of the key, the difficulty increases but it is still possible on many models. Where damage cannot always be avoided is when there is a prior fault, the cylinder is broken or someone has tried to force it: there, a cylinder change is usually needed. Our emergency locksmiths assess each case before intervening and explain to you which option is feasible.

In the town centre of Torrevieja and nearby areas such as La Siesta or Los Balcones, the journey is usually between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the traffic and the time. In more remote urbanisations or in Orihuela Costa the time may take somewhat longer. As it is an on-call locksmith service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, there is always a technician on duty, including in the early hours. When you call we will give you a realistic estimate of the arrival time, not a figure impossible to keep to.

The first thing is to get into the house, and that is resolved with an emergency door opening. But losing all the keys has an important second part: if you lost them in the street or they were stolen along with something that identifies your address, it is advisable to replace the lock or at least the cylinder. Recovering the key afterwards is of no use if someone could have copied it. We recommend making the most of the intervention to install an anti-bumping cylinder. It is a small expense compared with the peace of mind of knowing that nobody has a copy.

Do not try to pull it out with pliers or push it inwards: it is the quickest way to damage the mechanism and turn a simple repair into a complete lock change. Nor should you force the part that remains outside. With extraction tools, a locksmith usually removes the fragment without dismantling anything and the lock keeps working. That said, a key that snaps is almost never a coincidence: it usually indicates wear of the cylinder or a key copied many times. It is worth checking to avoid it happening again.

The price varies according to the type of lock, the time and whether the door is slammed shut or locked with turns of the key. A simple opening in daytime hours usually falls within an indicative range of between 60 and 120 euros, while an armoured door or an intervention in the early hours is higher. The important thing: we give you a fixed quote by telephone or before starting, with an invoice and a guarantee. Always be wary of anyone who gives you a very low price by telephone and then multiplies it on arrival.

Yes, as with any emergency service, interventions at night, at the weekend or on a public holiday carry a surcharge compared with normal hours. What we do not do is hide it: the amount is communicated to you before we travel out, not when the technician is already at your door. We work 365 days a year because locks do not choose the moment, and in tourist areas such as Punta Prima or Playa Flamenca a good part of the call-outs arrive precisely in August and in the early hours.

There are fairly clear signs. If the key is hard to insert or you have to move it looking for the exact point, if the lock turns stiffly, if you notice play when turning or if the key comes out with metal residue, the cylinder is asking to be replaced. It is also advisable to replace it after a house move, a break-in or the loss of keys. A preventive cylinder change costs a fraction of what an emergency opening costs at three in the morning with the lock already jammed.

Bumping is an opening technique that uses a modified key and some sharp taps to align the pins of the cylinder. It is fast, silent and leaves no obvious trace, which makes it especially attractive for home burglary. An anti-bumping cylinder incorporates counter-pins and elements that prevent that alignment, and it is usually combined with anti-pick and anti-drill protection. In a home with a security or armoured door, it is the most cost-effective security improvement there is: the cost is moderate and the leap in protection considerable.

It is one of the most common situations on the coast. You arrive after months away, the lock has been unused all winter and the key will not turn, or you simply left it in your country. As we work with emergency locksmiths available 24 hours, we attend these call-outs also in the early hours and on public holidays, in Cabo Roig, La Zenia, Ciudad Quesada or Mil Palmeras. A tip: if the home is left closed for months, lubricate the cylinder with graphite before you leave. It avoids half of these lock-outs.

Because of the salt and the humidity. In homes near the sea, in La Mata, Aguamarina or Cabo Cervera, the sea breeze gradually rusts the internal components of the cylinder and the metal parts of the door. The result is a key that turns more and more stiffly until one day it does not turn. Maintenance makes the difference: a specific graphite lubricant once or twice a year, never oil or WD-40, which attract dust and worsen the problem. When the wear is already internal, the lock repair or the replacement of the cylinder is the only way out.

Before opening any home we ask for proof that you have the right to access it. A DNI with the address, a rental contract, a deed, a bill in your name or even a neighbour identifying you will do. If you cannot prove it at the time, it can be resolved with the presence of the Local Police. It is a measure that protects everyone, including you: a locksmith who opens doors without asking anything is not an advantage, it is a risk to your own home.

It depends on the model and the condition of the cylinder. On many armoured doors with the cylinder in good condition, non-destructive opening is possible, although it requires more time and specific tools than a normal door. When the lock is faulty, the cylinder is broken or it is a high-security system with anti-manipulation protections, it is usually necessary to replace the cylinder. In that case we warn you before starting, with a fixed quote, and we take the opportunity to install a cylinder of equal or higher level than the one you had.

Always. Each intervention is delivered with a detailed invoice, with the breakdown of labour and material, and the material installed comes with its corresponding guarantee. It is something basic, but it is worth saying because in emergency locksmithing there are many intermediaries who work without an invoice and disappear if something fails. If you need the invoice for the home insurance or to claim from the residents' association, tell us when requesting the service and we issue it with the details you require.

Almost always yes, even if at first glance everything works. An attempted forcing leaves the cylinder with internal parts damaged or misaligned that end up failing weeks later, usually at the worst moment. In addition, if they used bumping or a pick, the mechanism has already been compromised. The reasonable thing is a review and, depending on the condition, a lock repair or a cylinder change for one with anti-bumping and anti-drill protection. It is also advisable to check the fittings and the frame, which usually take part of the blow.

It is a mechanical fault: the cylinder turns but does not drive the mechanism, or the bolts have got stuck. Do not insist on turning with force, because you may snap the key and complicate the intervention. Try to push or pull the door gently while you turn, in case there is pressure on the frame. If it does not give, it is time to call a locksmith. In most cases it is resolved with a lock repair, replacing the damaged part without needing to change the complete lock.

Changing the cylinder after each guest is not realistic, but it is very advisable in two cases: when a tenant does not return all the keys and when there has been a long stay. For holiday rental homes in Villamartín, Punta Prima or Los Altos, the most practical solution is usually a master-keying system or restricted-key locks, whose duplicate cannot be made in just any hardware shop. It reduces the risk of uncontrolled copies without forcing you into a constant lock change.

Yes, it is an important part of our activity in urbanisation areas. We attend communal entrances, garage doors, storerooms, meter rooms and pool access points. The most common are master-key systems, which allow the president or the administrator to have general access while each resident only opens their own. We also cover urgent incidents: a garage door jammed on a Sunday leaves dozens of residents without their car, and there the on-call locksmith service makes the difference.

It depends on where the weak point is. If your door is solid wood and in good condition, with a sturdy frame, it is often enough to improve the cylinder and add a protective escutcheon: it is the intervention with the best relationship between cost and security. Armour-plating makes sense when the leaf is flimsy or the frame gives way easily, because an excellent lock is of no use on a door that can be kicked open. We assess it on site and tell you frankly what you need and what you do not.

Yes, although it is a different job from that of a door. With the model and the documentation of the safe, in many cases access can be recovered by means of manipulation or reprogramming, without damage. If it is an old model, with the mechanism jammed or without documentation, a destructive opening and its subsequent repair may be necessary. As with homes, we ask for proof of ownership of the safe. We give you a prior assessment so that you can decide before we start.

It is the stage before you get locked out of your home, so it is worth acting now. Apply a powdered graphite lubricant or a product specific to locks, never oil or multi-purpose lubricant: they form a paste with the dust and speed up the jamming. Insert and remove the key several times to distribute it. If after this it is still hard, the wear is internal and it is time to replace the cylinder. In coastal homes, as in Mar Azul or La Veleta, this maintenance should be done at least once a year.