Locksmith frequently asked questions - Page 3

Under normal conditions, between ten and fifteen years, although use matters more than age. A single-family home door that is opened four times a day does not age like that of a premises that receives fifty openings a day. On the coast you have to deduct years: the humidity and salt of areas such as La Mata or Punta Prima accelerate the internal wear. The reliable sign is not the calendar but the feel: when the key starts to need a knack to enter or turn, the clock is already running.

The first thing is not to touch anything and to call the Police, because the inspection can be rendered useless if the door and lock are handled. Once the report has been taken, notify the insurance and request the replacement of the lock, which is usually covered. Changing the cylinder is essential even if you do not see it damaged: if they entered with a pick or bumping, the mechanism has been compromised. It is also the moment to consider a real reinforcement, with a protective escutcheon and an anti-bumping cylinder, so that it is not repeated by the same route.

Yes, and they usually make an enormous difference in everyday life. There are cylinders with a key with a larger grip and a smooth turn, which reduce the force needed; lever handles instead of round knobs, much easier to operate with little mobility; and opening systems with a remote control or fingerprint, which eliminate the problem of handling the key. An emergency cylinder can also be installed that allows opening from outside even if the key has been left in on the inside, something especially useful if they live alone.

Yes, both in installation and in the incidents they generate. They provide obvious convenience, especially in holiday rentals, where they allow temporary codes to be given to each guest without handing over physical keys. But it is best to choose with judgement: we always recommend models that keep a mechanical cylinder as a backup, because a dead battery or a system failure cannot leave you locked out of your home. If you already have one installed and it has stopped responding, we can open the door and assess whether the problem is with the power supply, the mechanism or the programming.

Yes, and it is a very frequent type of call-out in the urbanisations of the area. The locks of exterior doors, whether aluminium or gate, suffer much more than interior ones: direct sun, rain and salt degrade them in a few years. The usual thing is for the cylinder to seize up or for the bolt to stop fitting due to expansion of the profile. It is resolved with a lock repair or by replacing the cylinder with one made of weather-resistant material, which holds up considerably better in the conditions of the coast.

The European standard classifies cylinders according to their resistance to different attacks: picking, bumping, drilling, extraction and breakage. The higher the grade, the more protections it incorporates and the more time someone takes to defeat it. It is a useful piece of data because it allows products to be compared with judgement instead of trusting the packaging's advertising. For an ordinary home, a high-grade cylinder with a protective escutcheon amply covers the real needs. Investing in the maximum level only makes sense if the rest of the door is up to it.

It is the classic situation of second homes on the coast. Before you leave, lubricate the cylinder with graphite and check that the door closes without forcing. Install a protective escutcheon if you do not have one and avoid signs of absence: a full letterbox, blinds always down or lights off for weeks on end. A cheap timer for a lamp helps more than it seems. And leave a copy of keys with someone trustworthy in the area: it resolves inspections after a storm and avoids many emergency openings on your return.

It is a delicate situation and it is best to separate the practical from the legal. If the home is jointly owned or the other spouse appears on the contract, changing the lock without their consent can lead to problems, unless there is a court ruling attributing the use to one of the parties. If that ruling exists, or if the home is exclusively yours, the cylinder change is fully legitimate and advisable. When in doubt, consult it with your lawyer before the intervention: we will need to see the documentation.

It depends on which part has failed. If the problem is in the cylinder, only that part is replaced, which is the most common and also the most economical. If what has given way is the internal mechanism, the bolts or the lock case, the repair can pay off when it is a specific part, but on very old locks or with general wear it usually works out better to change it. We tell you frankly which option is best, because a repair that lasts three months is of no use to anyone.

What is not normal is the opposite: that they give you a very low price by telephone and on arrival supplements appear that multiply the figure. That is the usual pattern of the call centres that capture call-outs and subcontract to third parties. A serious quote is adjusted to what you have described, it is fixed, it includes travel and labour, and it only varies if on arrival something different from what was described appears, warning you beforehand. If something does not add up for you, you have every right not to authorise the work.

The traditional serrated key has the cuts on the edge and is easy to copy in any hardware shop. The dimple key incorporates perforations of different depths on the flat surface, which multiplies the possible combinations and greatly complicates picking. In addition, most of these systems are reversible, so it goes into the lock in any position, something that is appreciated at night. If your home still has a serrated key, moving to a dimple cylinder is a notable leap in security for a moderate cost.

Yes, they are common and fairly simple interventions. Communal letterboxes, lockers, cabinets and filing cabinets have low-complexity locks that are usually opened without damage, and afterwards the cylinder can be replaced to give you new keys. In blocks of flats it is advisable to notify the administrator if the letterbox is for communal use. We also make duplicates of letterbox keys, which are almost always lost precisely because they are small and are kept loose in a drawer.

It depends greatly on the case. A door slammed shut is usually resolved in a few minutes. If it is locked with several turns of the key, the work takes longer and can range from twenty minutes to a little over half an hour. On armoured doors or with high-security locks the time increases, because more care is taken not to damage the cylinder. Be wary of anyone who promises to open any door in five minutes: it usually means they are going to break the lock and charge you for the new one too.

In the Vega Baja the problem is not usually ice but intense rain and wind with sand, which push humidity and particles inside the cylinder. Do not force the key: if you feel resistance, leave the door and dry the keyhole before insisting. Apply a graphite lubricant and move the key gently several times. If the mechanism is already rusted inside, no lubricant will save it and it is time to replace the cylinder. After a DANA or a strong storm, it is advisable to check all the exterior locks.

Yes, although they require a different approach from the conventional security door. Aluminium and PVC doors, very common in apartments and terrace access points of the area, fit locks embedded in the profile, normally multi-point, which distribute the closure along the leaf. Only the cylinder can be replaced, or the complete bar if the mechanism has given way. It is important to respect the exact size of the profile: a poorly sized cylinder on this type of door leaves the weakest point right in view.

First of all check that it is the correct key and that you insert it fully, because sometimes a poorly cut copy goes in but does not manage to align the pins. If the key is the right one and does not turn, the blockage may be in the cylinder, in the internal mechanism or in a bolt that has got stuck due to pressure from the door. Try to push the leaf gently while you turn. If it still does not give, do not insist with force: the next step is usually the key snapped inside.

Yes, and it is an important part of our work in the urbanisations of the coast. We can handle the maintenance of communal entrances, garages, storerooms, meter rooms and pool access points of several properties, with master-keying systems that greatly simplify the management of keys. We work with a prior written quote and a detailed invoice per community, which makes it easier to justify to the residents' committee. And for the incidents that cannot wait, the emergency service equally covers the communal elements.

It is an act of vandalism more frequent than it seems, especially in communal entrances and premises. Do not try to insert the key: if the adhesive has set, the key will get stuck inside and will complicate the extraction. Nor should you use solvents on your own, because they damage the internal parts and the seals. A locksmith can extract the material and, depending on the condition of the cylinder, clean it or replace it. It is advisable to report it if it is repeated, and to consider an escutcheon with a sliding cover that prevents anything being inserted through the keyhole.

Yes, it is one of the most common requests and it is resolved with a keyed-alike or master-keying system. The cylinders are replaced with others combined with the same key, so that you carry a single one in your pocket. It is very convenient in urbanisation homes, where you end up carrying four or five different keys. The downside is obvious: if you lose that key, you lose access to everything, so it is advisable to set it up on a restricted-key system that cannot be duplicated without your authorisation.

Yes. In addition to the town centre and the urbanisations of the municipality, we regularly cover Orihuela Costa, Ciudad Quesada, Rojales, Guardamar del Segura, Pilar de la Horadada, San Miguel de Salinas and a good part of the Vega Baja. The arrival time varies according to the distance and the time, and we indicate it to you realistically when receiving the call-out, without promising times we cannot keep. If your locality does not appear in the website's listing, ask us anyway: in many cases we also reach it.