All articles about 'Cost information' Attend a home with a jammed lock or where the customer is locked out Locked yourself out of the house or got a jammed lock? While it can be tempting to try to pick or fix a lock yourself, locksmith Paul Flanagan from AHL Locksmiths in Isleworth, Middlesex strongly advises against it. “Trying to pick or fix a lock yourself, or asking a well-meaning friend to help, usually causes further damage to the door, frame or lock,” says Paul. “Most often, you won’t succeed in getting back into the house or fixing the lock, and you’ll be lumbered with the extra expense of further repairs.” How can I make it cheaper? Call a qualified and recommended professional, such as a locksmith from Which? You can fix a price and be sure you won’t be overcharged. “Crooked locksmiths offering emergency services often give vulnerable customers a cheap quote and then charge more once they complete the job,” says Paul. Never attempt to open a lock using a credit card as you will damage your card and fail to open the lock.

This only works in the movies! Change a uPVC door lock unit, handle or cylinder “uPVC doors (plastic doors that are often double-glazed) have locks, handles and cylinders that look similar,” explains locksmith Paul, “but they’re actually all different sizes. Plus, some units are obsolete.” Don’t try to buy and change these parts yourself, as you may damage the door. Hire a trusted local locksmith to change the faulty uPVC door parts. “Avoid using a double glazing company,” says Paul, “as some will insist on changing the whole door rather than the faulty part or mechanism.” Retailers will sell gladly sell you a uPVC door lock unit, handle or cylinder but may not refund your money if you unsuccessfully attempt to fit the part yourself. Change locks at a new property The biggest risk and expense is failing to change the locks when you move into a new property. If you get burgled and there is no sign of damage, your insurance company may refuse to pay because you neglected to secure your home. 

“This is a locksmithing job you can’t afford to neglect,” says Paul. If you have just moved in to a new home, consider installing a safe for valuable documents and items. “Avoid a costly burglary by changing at least one lock on external doors,” says Paul. A good locksmith will give you advice about what type of lock is most appropriate. Ask them to fit a lock that meets British Standard ‘BS 3261’. Windows ought to be secured with key-operated locks in order to satisfy insurers. Read more about locks for different types of windows. Before , ask your insurer what ‘grade’ of lock they require. If the wrong lock is fitted, your insurance company could use it as a reason not to pay out in the event of a claim. Fix a jammed antique cabinet lock which will not lock or unlock “Often, I visit customers who have attempted to force the lock with a pair of pliers or a screwdriver,” says Paul. “This can cause extra damage to the lock.” Also, if the furniture becomes scratched or dented, there is the added expense of a cabinet maker to repair the damage.

“A good locksmith can pick the lock very easily, without causing further damage to your antique cabinet,” says Paul. Call three locksmiths from Which? Trusted Traders and ask for a fixed price quote. Check the keys for all of the locks in your home, particularly antique keys. A damaged key will jam your lock, resulting in an unnecessary visit from a locksmith.” Fix a multi-point locking mechanism on uPVC doors or windows “Sometimes a multi-point lock can become hard to double lock by lifting up the handle,” says Paul. french door refrigerator 27 inches deep“If you carry on forcing the lock, it is likely to jam in the shut position. garage door remote circuit diagramRepairing this usually means the purchase and installation of a complete lock unit which is very expensive.”buy hollow core internal doors

“Hire a reputable locksmith to realign the locks and frame points. This is a specialist job which can only be undertaken by a locksmith, but isn’t expensive,” says Paul. “Once complete, the lock will be easy to use, with no risk of a jam locking you out.” His final tip is "Worn handles on uPVC windows and doors with multi-point locks should be replaced straight away because when they break, you won’t be able to open or close the door." Find a locksmith in your local area.sliding screen door handle home depotRecently, people have been replacing their traditional wooden doors with UPVC ones both for their domestic and commercial properties. garage door repair eagle idThis has happened for a number of reasons, including the fact that double glazed UPVC doors are a lot more durable, secure and cost-saving in the long run than the wooden ones. old windows for sale winnipeg

Another significant benefit of the UPVC doors is that, once installed, they sound-proof the indoors up to a certain extent. If UPVC doors are a lot more secure and popular, so are the UPVC door locks. Keys4U offer UPVC door lock installation and change services at unbeatable prices. Our local 24/7 locksmith provides expert UPVC Doors installation and UPVC door lock change on a 24-hour basis. We have a wide experience in working with many highly secure UPVC door locks and we will cater for your UPVC door lock needs promptly and effectively whenever you need us. We can also offer you free estimates and advice regarding the most suitable type of UPVC door lock for your needs. All our UPVC door locks are highly secure and fully insured for your own piece of mind. Currently, Multipoint Door Locks are the most popular and also among the safest to have installed on your UPVC door. That is because this particular type of lock system operate on multiple points along the UPVC door, not just where the lock or cylinder is.

That is also what makes the UPVC Multipoint Door Locks a lot more secure and harder to be fraudulently open by burglars. Depending on your door type, there is a large array of such locks. Whenever you are looking for a UPVC Multipoint Door Lock installation or change service, we will come over and choose the one that matches your type of door. Most UPVC doors come with the Multipoint Door Lock system already fitted in and you get the keys to the lock as well. However, should you wish to replace or change the UPVC door lock system, you will need the assistance of a local locksmith, as it is a complex process. The Keys4U local locksmith will turn up to your door and he will do an A measurement (from the centre of the strap to the centre of the round part of the lock) and a B measurement (from the centre of the spindle to the centre of the round part of the lock) in order to identify the particular type of door lock system on your door. Afterwards, the local locksmith will also identify the type of locking system on your door depending on the number of latches (usually one), rollers and hooks.

He also needs to identify the type of multipoint mechanism on the door depending on the number of latches, rollers and deadlocks. For UPVC door lock change, most of the times the locksmith only needs to change the Euro-cylinder that commonly comes with this type of door. For this operation, your local locksmith will use a cross-headed screwdriver to unscrew the securing screw while the door is in the open position. The securing screw is parallel with the bottom of the cylinder. Once this is taken out, the locksmith can also slide out the cylinder by introducing the key into it and rotating it to a 20 degrees angle. Once the cylinder is out, the Keys4U local locksmith will measure it from the centre hole to both edges to find out the exact type of cylinder it needs to be changed with. For the new cylinder installation, the local locksmith will again introduce the key into the cylinder, rotate it to a 20 degrees angle and simply slide it in, then screw in the securing screw. UPVC door lock installation or changing is not as easy as it might seem and it can get quite tricky if you do not have the required experience for this process.