Best Qualities to Look for in A Great Locksmith

When you’re searching online for locksmiths near you, you’ll probably be flooded with many different listings to help you with your specific needs. Maybe you’re locked out of your car on a cold and rainy night, or perhaps you just need the locks changed on your rental property. No matter the situation, your goal is to find someone fast, dependable, and reputable.

But how can you know who you’re calling will be the best locksmith for the job? There’s a school of thought that any locksmith will do, but the reality is that there’s a significant difference between every locksmith you contact. Some locksmiths may only handle automobiles, while others may be full-service and perform residential and commercial work. Depending on your unique needs, it can be challenging to make the right choice.

But fear not! We’ve compiled a list of the top four most important things to consider when choosing a locksmith. While there’s not one quality or attribute that’s necessarily more important than another, if you find yourself in the presence of all four, you’re likely in great hands.

 

The Top 4 Qualities of a Good Locksmith

Quality #1 – 24/7 Service Availability

Except for preplanned projects like new locks or rekeys, it’s too often that we find ourselves in need of a locksmith at the worst possible times. Believe it or not, it’s not uncommon for an automobile key to be lost in the snow at night, or you’ve driven home from working the second shift only to realize that your house key is still at work. When these unfortunate events happen, getting service from a locksmith that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week is essential.

 

Quality #2 – Fast Service

In the above example about losing a car or truck key in the snow, the last thing anyone wants is to be waiting for hours on end for a locksmith to come; even worse, having to wait until the next day. Hanging on the coattails of 24/7 availability is a locksmith that also offers a prompt response time. While not instantaneous, a good locksmith knows that the longer customers have to wait, the more upset they might become, especially after such a frustrating event as a lockout. Most locksmiths can perform service within an hour or less, and some offer swift response times. An exception might be on a hectic holiday weekend or during extremely inclement weather, but even then, they do what needs to be done to service the customer.

 

Quality #3 – A Solid and Verifiable Reputation

Consumers are very quick to speak out about bad service, but it’s not often enough that they’ll take the time to leave a positive review. However, always check to see what sort of reviews the locksmith has. While there may not be thousands of reviews, the quality of the reviews is often much more important than the quantity. This is especially true when searching online via major search engines as legitimate locksmith businesses are often grouped together with scammer locksmith (link to scammer locksmith post, delete this after) listings.

 

Quality #4 – Multiple Services

This one is a bit tricky to describe. If a locksmith only offers one service, such as automobile lockouts, it doesn’t mean that they won’t do an excellent job of satisfying your needs. However, you should always try to find a locksmith that offers multiple services, from automobiles to residential and commercial work. By building a successful relationship with a locksmith with numerous services available, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that you’ve found a locksmith that you can rely on for years to come.

 

At WFX, We Know Locks

Whether you need a locksmith service today or you’re just building out your service contact lists, we’re always available to answer any questions that you may have about locks, keys, or anything else locksmith-related. We offer a full suite of other products and services, including gun safes, fire safety equipment, and home security products.

 

Contact us today to see how we can help take care of you and your loved ones.

 

3 Common Door Lock Questions and Their Solutions

One of the most underappreciated pieces of hardware in our homes is the door lock. From the front door of our homes to individual bedrooms, this little piece of security helps to keep us safe or ensures that the room’s contents can be secured inside.

There are many different types of door locks, including the newest hot seller, smart locks. These tech-driven devices offer unprecedented levels of control through wifi and smartphone apps while still performing as a door lock should.

But no matter if a lock is smart or “dumb,” each one is prone to issues at some point or another, no matter the cost. Most of these issues can be resolved without calling a locksmith. However, in the case of a seized lock or a busted tumbler, the lock will likely need servicing or replacement.

 After all of our years of experience in the locksmith business, we’ve decided to list out the top three most common door lock issues and the most common solutions for a quick and easy fix.

 

How Do I Fix A Door Lock That Doesn’t Latch?

A door lock that doesn’t latch properly is usually caused by a misaligned strike plate. The strike plate is the small metal cover that is affixed to the door frame and has a precut hole in the shape of the door latch. As most residential door frames are made of wood, a naturally occurring shrinkage can happen that causes the strike plate to become misaligned from its original install position.

To diagnose this problem, look at the strike plate and see if there are any scarring marks where the latch is hitting. Next, use a screwdriver to loosen the screws in the strike plate and make small adjustments to the strike plate’s positioning. Once this has been adjusted, try to close the door and make note of where the latch lands. If the alignment adjustment fixes the issue, great! If not, the strike plate may need to be replaced. It’s possible to replace the standard strike plate with an adjustable version that slides on a small track.

 

How Do I Remove A Key That’s Broken Off In A Lock?

This one is an unfortunate but quick repair in most cases — in some cases, however, you may need to refer to a locksmith. If your key has broken off in your door’s lock and part of it is still visible, take a pair of needle-nose pliers and try to grab the end of the broken key. If you’re able to make a secure connection with the broken key, keep a tight grip on the pliers and slowly pull outward. Hopefully, this is the only thing you need to do to remove the key.

If the key is still stuck after using pliers or if there’s not enough key to grab, you can try to remove the cylinder. Once the cylinder is removed, a thin but stiff wire can sometimes be inserted into the cam slot to force the key out. If this fails, it’s usually best to take it to a locksmith.

 

How Do I Fix A Spinning Lock Cylinder?

When a lock cylinder is spinning, it usually means that the setscrews that maintain their position are loose or broken. In the case of a mortise lock, start by removing the faceplate if applicable at the edge of the door and locate the setscrews. In order to work properly, they need to be positioned in line with the cylinder’s center point. Begin tightening the setscrews by turning them clockwise. Once the correct vertical position had been achieved, replace the faceplate.

For a surface-mount rim lock, remove the cover’s screws. You should then see the setscrews which simply need a bit of tightening.

 

 

Need more advanced help? Our expert locksmiths can help with any of your lock troubles. Give us a call and schedule a lock repair today!