What goes wrong
A car, house or business lock can fail in ways that look dramatic but are straightforward to fix. We get calls for snapped keys stuck in the plug, cylinders that won’t turn because of corrosion or a broken tailpiece, deadbolts with long throws that bind on a warped jamb, and electronic keypads that lose power or lock up. In Willow Grove we also see metal doors with reinforced strikes that have shifted and no longer align. We describe what has failed and what needs replacing so you understand the work.
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What the job involves
When we arrive we drive out from Havertown with the tools and spares that match the hardware you have. We inspect the cylinder, the bolt, the strike plate and the door edge to decide whether to extract and repair, rekey the existing cylinder, or replace it. Extraction involves pinning and pulling the broken key without damaging the plug; replacement means fitting a new cylinder or a keyed deadbolt and cutting or programming new keys. For electronic locks we check battery contacts and connector pins before opening the unit.
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Good to know
While we’re on the way, stay safe and keep the scene clear. If you’re locked out of a house or office, lock any other accessible entrance and wait inside a nearby car or with a neighbor if that’s more secure. Have photo ID and some proof that you live or work at the address ready for us to check, and clear a few feet around the door so we can set up tools if needed. If power is involved, make sure any exterior outlet we might use is accessible and not switched off.
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Worth knowing
Have what we’ll need close at hand: the existing keys, any spare keys, the make and model of the lock if you know it, and the door’s condition, whether the frame is solid wood, metal, or hollow core and whether the strike is reinforced or standard. For vehicles bring registration or the key code if you have it. If you’re in Upper Moreland Township or nearby and we’ve been there before, telling us what type of hardware is on the door helps us bring the right cylinder or keypad parts from our van. In Willow Grove we work to get you back through the same door with new or repaired hardware that functions correctly.
