Locksmith frequently asked questions - Page 4

It depends on the type of access. In premises with a rolling metal closure the usual thing is floor locks or lateral deadbolts, which it is advisable to duplicate to spread the effort. If the entrance is glass with framing, an embedded lock with a protected cylinder is fitted. In any case, there are two criteria that take precedence over the rest: that the closing point is not accessible from outside and that the business can be opened quickly in the morning. A very secure but slow lock ends up being left unlocked, and then it protects nothing.

Evacuation exits must be able to be opened from the inside immediately and without a key, with a simple push. For that, panic bars are installed, compulsory in premises of public gathering according to the fire protection regulations. What cannot be done, and yet is often seen, is to block that door with padlocks or chains to prevent theft: besides being punishable, it is a serious risk. There are bars with an alarm and exterior access control that resolve both concerns at once.

On the door of your home, yes: it is a private element and you can reinforce it as you wish, provided you do not alter the common appearance of the landing in a striking way or affect the frame if it is structural. What you cannot do on your own is modify locks of communal elements, such as the communal entrance or the garage: that requires agreement of the community. If you live in an urbanisation with strict aesthetic rules, it is advisable to consult the statutes before installing a visible deadbolt or a rim lock.

The embedded one is housed inside the edge of the door and is the one that almost all modern doors come with from the factory: it stays hidden and is the main one. The rim lock is screwed onto the inner face of the leaf, in view, and works as an additional reinforcement. It is used a lot on old wooden doors, in storerooms and in secondary access points. It does not replace a good main lock, but added to it, it multiplies the time someone would need to force the door, which is what it is all about.

Yes, and it is usually worth it. Old lever locks, with that big bit key, offer very limited protection against current techniques and finding spare parts is increasingly difficult. It can be replaced with a modern lock while respecting the door, and even keeping the original appearance if it is a piece with aesthetic value, by fitting the new mechanism and keeping the fittings in view. In inherited homes it is also essential to change the cylinder: you never know how many copies are circulating.

Yes. In units and warehouses we work on pedestrian doors, sectional gates, metal closures and staff access points. The needs are different from those of a home: what matters is access control by zones, master-keyed systems to differentiate offices from the warehouse, and locks that withstand intensive use without wearing out in months. We also attend the emergencies, which in an industrial environment can bring activity to a standstill. A gate jammed first thing prevents loading and unloading, and there every hour has a direct cost.

It is a system that replaces keys with cards, codes, fingerprint or mobile, and that records who enters, where and when. In a business with several employees it resolves the classic problem of copies: if someone leaves the company, their card is deactivated in a second, without changing any lock. It also allows hours and zones to be restricted. It pays off from a certain number of users or when there is staff turnover; for a small premises with two workers, a good mechanical lock is usually enough.

They are the most neglected points and among the most visited. In storerooms, the conventional padlock is cut in seconds: a protected-shackle padlock is advisable or, better still, a rim lock screwed from the inside. In individual garages, the weak point is usually the up-and-over door, which gives way to levering; it is reinforced with lateral deadbolts or an additional lock on the side opposite the factory one. And a basic tip: do not keep valuable items there that are visible from outside when the door is open.

Sometimes yes, although it is not always obvious. The typical signs are fine scratches around the keyhole, marks of blows on the cylinder, metal residue when removing the key or a turn that has suddenly become irregular. Bumping, on the other hand, leaves hardly any visible trace, and that is precisely its appeal for whoever uses it. If you notice any change in the behaviour of the lock without apparent reason, it is advisable to check it. There are also cylinders with a tamper indicator that warn of a prior attempt.

Three things greatly speed up the intervention. First, the precise description of the problem: whether the door is slammed shut or with turns, whether the key has broken, whether there is someone inside. Second, the type of door: wood, security, armoured, aluminium. And third, the documentation that proves your right to access the home, which will be asked of you before opening. If you can, send a photo of the lock by message: it allows us to bring the right material and avoids a second visit.

It is a key protected by a patent whose profile is not available on the open market, so that no hardware shop can duplicate it. Each set is delivered with a property card, and only by presenting it to an authorised locksmith can a copy be requested. It resolves the problem that no lock on its own solves: not knowing how many keys to your home exist. It is especially useful in rental homes, communities and businesses with staff, and its cost is only somewhat higher than that of a quality conventional cylinder.

If it is recoverable with a magnetic tool, sometimes it is resolved on the spot. But the important thing is the other issue: a key lost on the public highway is a key that can end up in the wrong hands, especially if it was on a keyring with something that identifies your address, such as the garage remote or a card. The recommendation is clear: change the cylinder. Recovering the key days later does not eliminate the risk, because you cannot know whether someone had it for long enough to copy it.

It is the most favourable case and most of the time yes. When the door is only held by the latch, without turns of the key, it can be released with specific tools without touching the cylinder. However, it is not always so simple: if the door has very tight weather seals, if the frame is out of square or if the model incorporates an anti-crowbar latch, the opening becomes more complicated. In those cases the least invasive route is sought equally, but it is best not to assume it will be instantaneous.

As a complement, yes. A digital viewer with a screen makes it much easier to identify who is calling, especially for people with poor sight or short stature, and some models record an image when they detect movement. It is useful as a deterrent and as evidence if there is an incident. What it does not do is protect the door: the real security still lies in the cylinder, the escutcheon and the frame. Think of it as an added layer, never as a substitute for a proper lock.

Yes, because in a ground-floor flat the door is rarely the weakest point. The windows, the terrace and the patio are usually more convenient access points for anyone who wants to get in. It is advisable to check the window closures, install locks on the terrace sliding doors and consider grilles or security bars on the accessible openings. In urbanisations with a garden, the exterior gate also deserves a serious closure. Reinforcing only the entrance door on a ground floor leaves the easy part untouched.

We accept both forms of payment, and this is not a minor detail. A locksmith who demands cash without giving a receipt is usually a sign of work without an invoice, and that leaves you without a guarantee and without a document for the insurance. Our invoicing is always complete, with a breakdown of labour, travel and material. If you need the invoice in the name of a company, of the residents' association or with specific details to process a claim, indicate it when requesting the service.

A key that bends is a key that is making an effort it should not. It almost always indicates that the cylinder is worn inside, although sometimes the culprit is a poorly cut copy that forces the pins. If it is hard to remove, do not pull at an angle: pull it out straight and gently, or it will end up snapping inside. Stop using that key and try another one from the set. If the problem persists with all of them, the cylinder is asking to be replaced and it is a matter of days before it leaves you locked out.

Yes, always with the corresponding judicial documentation and in the presence of the judicial commission or the designated agents. It is a job that demands documentary rigour: we do not intervene in a lock change of a home occupied by third parties without the ruling that supports it, however much urgency is claimed. If you are the owner and have a proceeding under way, contact us with the documentation and we coordinate the action with your lawyer or court representative for the appointed day and time.

It varies above all according to the cylinder you choose, which is where most of the amount lies. A standard basic-range cylinder means a modest outlay, while an anti-bumping model with anti-drill protection and a restricted key is considerably higher. To that is added the labour, which in a simple change is small because the intervention takes little time. We give you the price of the whole in advance and explain to you what real difference there is between the options, so that you decide with judgement.

By telephone is always the quickest route, because it allows the case to be assessed, the fixed quote to be given to you and the nearest technician to be sent at that very moment. You can also write to us by message attaching a photo of the lock, something especially useful if you prefer to communicate in writing or in another language. As it is an on-call locksmith service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, there is someone attending also in the early hours, at the weekend and on public holidays, all year round.