Locksmith frequently asked questions - Page 2

First check the obvious: a window or terrace door left unlocked, or whether a relative has a copy and is nearby. If there is no option, do not waste time trying to open with cards or wires, because you usually end up damaging the cylinder and making the repair more expensive. When you call, have three pieces of information to hand that greatly speed up the intervention: whether the door is slammed shut or locked with turns of the key, whether it is a security door or a normal one, and whether there is someone inside, especially children or elderly people.

Yes, any call-out with a person trapped inside takes precedence over the rest. Indicate it as soon as you call, because it completely changes the management of the emergency locksmith service and also the techniques we prepare. If there is also fire, gas or a medical risk, call 112 first: the fire brigade are the ones who should intervene in that scenario. For the rest of the situations, a locksmith usually resolves it faster and with far less damage to the door than a forced emergency opening.

The security door is a wooden door to which an interior steel plate has been added; it keeps the original frame and its security depends greatly on the lock. The armoured door is a complete steel structure, frame included, with perimeter bolts and a resistance to forcing and levering that is far higher. In practice, armour-plating is usually the reasonable improvement for an already built home, while the armoured door pays off in new builds or in homes that stand empty for long periods.

An annual check is enough for most homes, and in coastal areas such as Cabo Cervera or Aguamarina it is directly advisable because of the salt. The check includes lubricating the cylinder, verifying that the bolts enter the frame cleanly and checking that the door has not dropped over time. Most serious faults give warning months in advance with minor symptoms. Attending to them in time turns a twenty-minute problem into something that never becomes a night-time emergency.

It depends on the system. Security keys with a current patent can only be duplicated by presenting the property card provided by the manufacturer, and the order is processed through an authorised locksmith. That is precisely what makes them secure: nobody can copy them without your consent. If you have lost that card, there are still solutions, although they usually involve replacing the cylinder. For conventional keys the duplicate is immediate, but remember that that convenience also plays into the hands of anyone who should not have access.

First of all, check the basics: batteries in the remote, power in the control panel and whether any object is blocking the track. On many automatic doors there is a manual release, normally operated with a triangular key or a red handle, which allows it to be opened by hand. If that does not work either, it is usually a problem with the motor, springs or tracks, and forcing it can throw it completely out of alignment. In residents' associations of urbanisations in El Chaparral or San Luis, this type of call-out falls within the emergency service because it leaves many residents without access.

Changing a cylinder is not complicated, but there are two details where almost everyone who tries it fails. The first is the size: the cylinder must fit the thickness of the door and protrude as little as possible, because a cylinder that sticks out is the point through which it is broken most easily. The second is the real quality of the product, which rarely matches what the packaging promises. If the cylinder you install does not fit well, you will have spent money and lowered the security of your door.

Yes, and the sooner the better. You do not know how many copies exist or in whose hands they are: former owners, previous tenants, cleaning companies, some neighbour. In most cases you do not need to replace the whole lock, a cylinder change is enough, which is faster and cheaper. It is also the ideal moment to move up a level and install an anti-bumping cylinder. It is worth doing it on the same day as the handover of keys, together with the rest of the moving arrangements.

Yes. In premises in Torrevieja it is one of the most frequent incidents, especially in roller shutters that get stuck halfway or become jammed when closing the business. We work on the floor lock, the guides, the springs and the motor when it is automatic. A shop with a jammed closure cannot open and every hour counts, so these call-outs are attended with the same priority as a home. We also install locks specific to shutters and closures.

There are fairly reliable signs. A serious professional gives you a fixed quote before intervening, identifies themselves, invoices the work and does not pressure you to change the whole lock when the cylinder is enough. Be wary of anyone who advertises strikingly low prices by telephone, of anyone who does not give a physical address or company, and of anyone who demands payment only in cash without a receipt. In a sector with many intermediaries who subcontract to third parties, knowing who is going to enter your home is the first guarantee.

It is a system that organises several locks into a hierarchy. Each user has a key that opens only their own, while a master key opens the whole set. It is the usual solution in residents' associations, where the administrator needs access to the communal entrance, garage, storerooms and technical rooms without carrying an endless bunch. It also works very well in businesses with several rooms and in large homes. It can be set up on existing locks or when installing new ones, and it allows a specific key to be cancelled if it is lost.

It is one of the most frequent situations and also one of the most annoying, because the inside key blocks the cylinder from the other side. With many conventional cylinders there is a technique to displace that key and open without damage. On the other hand, if the cylinder is a clutch or double-security type, sometimes there is no choice but to replace it. A useful note: cylinders with an emergency function, which allow opening from outside even when there is a key in, prevent this problem at the root and are not expensive.

As a tenant you can request an opening by proving the rental contract, because you have the right to access the home. The lock change is different: legally it is a modification of the property and the prudent thing is to have the owner's consent, except in situations of risk, such as a theft of keys or a conflictive separation. Our practical recommendation is to communicate it in writing and keep the old lock to reinstate it at the end of the contract. That way you avoid problems with the deposit.

Most policies cover the opening and the replacement of the lock after a break-in or the loss of the keys, although the conditions vary greatly between companies and there is usually an annual limit. What almost none cover is a fault due to wear or leaving keys inside the house. Two tips: always ask for a detailed invoice, because without it the insurer does not process the reimbursement, and check your policy before assuming that it does not cover it; many policyholders do not know that they have it included.

It is a metal piece that is mounted over the cylinder to protect it from drilling, extraction and the sharp blow. And yes, it works a lot, because the point through which a door is forced most frequently is precisely the cylinder. A quality escutcheon, magnetic or with a rotating trim, forces the intruder to invest time and to make noise, which is exactly what they want to avoid. Combined with an anti-bumping cylinder, it is the most effective security improvement you can make without changing the door.

Almost always, and it is best not to let it drag on. A door that rubs or that has to be pushed for the bolt to enter is forcing the lock on every closure, and that effort ends up breaking the mechanism. The cause is usually in the hinges dropped by the weight, in the humidity that has swollen the wood or in a settling of the frame. The door repair involves readjusting hinges, correcting the closure or easing the point of rubbing. It is a simple intervention that avoids a much larger fault.

Yes, both duplicates and completely lost keys. With the vehicle's documentation the physical key can be made and the transponder programmed so that the car recognises it. Remote controls are also coded, and on many models the lost key can be cancelled so that it stops working, something especially advisable if it was stolen. The time and the cost depend greatly on the make and the year of the vehicle, so it is best to consult us with the specific details of the car.

We work on the locksmithing part of the access: the electric lock of the communal entrance, the latch, the adjustment of the door and the installation of door closers. The most common fault is not the intercom but the electric lock, which wears out with continuous use and ends up not releasing the bolt even though the bell rings fine. If the fault is in the electronic installation or in the video entry system, we point it out to you so that a telecommunications installer can look at it and you do not pay for an intervention that does not apply.

In most cases, yes. The invisible lock is mounted on the inside of the door and is operated with a remote control, without a cylinder or keyhole visible from outside, so it offers no point to manipulate or drill. It is compatible with wooden, security and many armoured doors, and it is installed as an additional reinforcement without removing the existing lock. It is especially interesting in homes that stand empty for long periods, something very common in the urbanisations of the area.

Yes. In Torrevieja and the coastal urbanisations a good part of the residents are foreigners, and an emergency is resolved much worse if there is no understanding by telephone. We provide service in several languages so as to take the details properly, explain the quote before travelling out and clarify what is going to be done at the door. If you prefer to write rather than talk, you can also send us a message with a photo of the lock: in many cases it allows the case to be assessed before arriving.