Locksmith frequently asked questions

Where the door is (town and address), what is happening, the type of door and, if possible, photos of the door, the cylinder and the door edge. With that we can understand the case and give you the price before starting.

Yes. We are available by phone and WhatsApp 24 hours a day, every day. On WhatsApp you can also send photos of the door and the lock.

One of the whole door from the outside, another of the front of the cylinder or lock, where the brand is usually visible, and, with the door open, another of the door edge. Don’t send detailed photos of your keys, codes or documents, and make sure no personal details are visible.

You don’t need to know: with photos of the cylinder and the door edge we can work out the type of part. The final identification is made when the door is checked.

What is happening and since when, whether the door is open or closed at the moment and whether it belongs to a home, business premises or a communal area. It also helps to mention any access details, such as a building entrance that opens with a key.

Yes. If any product has been sprayed in, the key has been forced or a part has been taken apart, say so even if it didn’t work: it changes what may be found when the door is checked and avoids unnecessary steps.

Yes. Knowing what was replaced or adjusted, and when, helps us understand the current fault and avoids repeating checks that have already been done.

Which doors they are, what is wrong with each one and whether they share a key. That way we can see whether there is a common cause, such as a worn key, or whether each door has its own fault.

The cylinder is the part the key goes into; the lock is the mechanism housed in the door that moves the latch and the locking points. If the fault or the reason for the change lies in the cylinder, replacing it is enough; if the mechanism fails, the lock has to be repaired or replaced. This is confirmed when the door is checked.

If it has closed on the latch, the door is usually held only by the latch; if it is locked with the key turned, the locking points are thrown. Opening is different in each case and can affect the price, which is why we ask you when you call.

No. It depends on the type of door, how it is locked and the condition of the cylinder and the lock. Sometimes the cylinder or another part has to be replaced; we explain this before starting, but opening without damage cannot be guaranteed in advance.

Before opening we check that the person requesting it has the right of access to the property. We explain what is needed in each case when you call.

Yes, when the damaged part can be fixed or a spare is available and the rest of the mechanism is in good condition. If the wear is general or there are no parts, it is better to replace it. This is decided after checking it.

When it happens (always, only when locking or with one particular key), whether it also happens with the door open and since when, and a photo of the cylinder from the outside. Don’t force the key or use tools: if it breaks inside, the fault becomes more complicated.

If you are locked out, opening the door comes first. Then, if the keys could be in someone else’s hands or were with something that identifies the property, it is worth considering a cylinder replacement. If not, we explain the options and you decide.

The lock is the mechanism, inside or on the door, that moves the latch and the locking points. The cylinder is the part the key goes into and that operates the lock. The escutcheon is the outer part that surrounds and protects the cylinder. The additional bolt is an extra lock, independent of the main lock.

Don’t force it or use tools to turn it, and avoid spraying in products unless you know which ones are suitable. Check whether it happens with all the copies and get in touch before it gets worse: a key that is hard to turn can end up breaking inside.

It can happen. A badly cut copy or a very worn key can be hard to turn even if the cylinder is fine. If the original key works and the copy doesn’t, mention it when you get in touch; if they all fail, the problem points more to the cylinder or the lock.

That the spring that returns it to its position has weakened or that the backplate or rose has come loose. Sometimes the fault is in the lock itself. Don’t force it and tell us whether it happens on one side of the door or both.

There may be dirt or an object inside the cylinder, or the key may be bent or not be the one for that cylinder. Don’t push it in hard; tell us when you get in touch and say whether the same thing happens with another copy.

It usually points to the screw holding it to the lock having come loose or the escutcheon no longer holding it properly. It is worth getting it checked soon, because a loose cylinder works less well and is more exposed.

A door opening solves the fact that you can’t get in; a repair deals with a mechanism that works badly even though it still lets you open the door. Sometimes one leads to the other: after opening it may become clear that the lock needs checking.

Replacing means fitting a new part instead of one that fails or is no longer worth keeping. Upgrading security starts from a door that works and aims to reinforce its weakest point, which may be the cylinder, the escutcheon, the strike plate or the frame.

No. We need to check the type of cylinder, its length on each side of the door, that it fits the lock and that it is compatible with the escutcheon. That is why we ask for photos and confirm the size before fitting.

The escutcheon surrounds and protects the cylinder on the outside of the door to make it harder to attack. It helps, but it doesn’t make the door invulnerable: how effective it is also depends on the cylinder, the lock and the door itself.

Not always. The cylinder is kept if it fits the escutcheon, doesn’t stick out too far and is in good condition; if not, it is best to replace it at the same time.

Yes, when the door and the frame accept compatible components, such as a cylinder, escutcheon or strike plate. The whole door is checked to see what is worth upgrading; if the door can’t take them, we tell you.

We can’t guarantee it for every model. The brand pages help identify the hardware and do not certify any link with the manufacturer; whether we can carry out the work is confirmed with the specific reference number of your cylinder or lock.

No. We work on doors: door opening, cylinder replacement, lock repair, security upgrades and escutcheon installation. We don’t work on safes, electronic locks, lockers or letterboxes.

Its fixings have come loose or are damaged. While it turns it protects the cylinder less and may even rub against the key, so mention it when you get in touch and send a photo from the front.

Because it determines the length of the cylinder, how an escutcheon is fixed and the space for a lock or an additional bolt. That is why the door leaf is measured before deciding what to fit.

The frame holds the strike plate and receives the locking points; if it is cracked, soft or out of line, any part on the door leaf works less well. That is why it is checked before proposing changes to the lock or the locking.

Because some locks, latches and fittings only work in one direction. Knowing whether it opens inwards or outwards, and whether the hinges are on the right or the left, helps assess what will fit.

Outside Torrevieja a travel supplement is added depending on the town, which we let you know before you accept the price.

With clear photos we can give you the price before starting. If, when the door is checked, the case turns out to be different from what could be seen and the price changes, we explain why and don’t carry on without your agreement.

We explain what we have found and the new price before doing anything else. We only carry on if you give your agreement.

How the door is locked, the type of door and lock, the condition of the parts, whether any need replacing, the town and when you request the service. The more closely your description matches what is happening, the more closely the quote will match the case; if something different turns up when the door is checked, it is explained before carrying on.

Yes. Ask to be shown the part or the area of the door where the problem is and to have it explained why it changes what was planned. Seeing it helps you decide whether to give your agreement.

Say so there and then, even if it seems unimportant, such as an earlier knock or a key that was already failing. It may change what is worth checking on the door.

We cover Torrevieja and 17 other towns in the Vega Baja del Segura, which you can see on the towns page. If yours isn’t listed, ask us anyway.

We are available 24 hours a day, every day. We don’t publish arrival times.

Mention it when you call or on WhatsApp and we will arrange the visit with you. The price also depends on when the service takes place.

Once we have finished, we check with you that the door opens and locks properly with its keys.

Open and close the door several times from outside and inside, try each key you are going to use and make sure nothing rubs and no parts move. If anything doesn’t seem right, say so there and then so it can be checked.

Which part has been replaced and why, how many keys there are if the cylinder has been replaced, and whether there is anything to bear in mind when using it. Having that information to hand makes any later enquiry easier.

Call or message us on WhatsApp and describe what has changed: since when, whether it happens all the time or only sometimes, and whether anything happened beforehand, such as a knock or a sudden change in temperature. If the fault comes and goes, recording a short video helps to explain it.

A key that starts to get stiff, a latch that is slow to spring back, a handle that works loose or a door that starts to rub against the frame. Asking about them early means the case can be assessed before the door stops opening or closing.

Close the door without turning the key and check that it stays shut without pushing it, and that the latch retracts fully when you press the handle down. Do this from outside and from inside.

What exactly has been adjusted, for example the strike plate or the hinges, and what sign would show that the adjustment has been lost. That way you will know what to look out for over the following days.