Cylinder replacement in Torrevieja

Lost keys or new occupants

If you have lost a key, had one stolen or are moving into a home or business premises where previous occupants had keys, replacing the cylinder means those copies no longer open the door. Tell us how many keys you need.

Worn cylinder or erratic operation

If the key is hard to get in, only turns partway or has to be jiggled to work, the cylinder may be worn. If the key turns fine but the door won’t open or close, the problem is usually in the lock or in how the door sits in its frame; in that case, see lock repair.

Choosing a new cylinder

We explain the cylinder options that fit your door and how they differ. We only mention certifications or protection features that appear in the manufacturer’s documentation for the model chosen.

Sizes and compatibility

The cylinder’s length on each side of the door and how it fits with the lock and the escutcheon determine which models can be fitted.

Cylinder and keys

The type of cylinder, its features and the number of keys change the price. If you need more copies, say so when you get in touch.

Fitting and travel

If the escutcheon or the lock also has to be adjusted or replaced, the price changes and we tell you before doing it. Outside Torrevieja a travel supplement is added.

1. Tell us about your situation

Send a photo of the cylinder from the outside and, with the door open, another of the door edge showing the cylinder and its fixing screw. If you know the brand or the size, mention it.

2. Go over the options and conditions

We suggest a cylinder that suits the size, lock and escutcheon of your door and give you the price before we start, with VAT on top.

3. Agree the work and check it together

Once the price has been accepted, we arrange the replacement. When we finish, we check with you that the new cylinder works with all its keys, and payment is made then.

What to check after the cylinder has been replaced

• That each key handed over locks and unlocks from the outside, and from the inside too if the cylinder is keyed on both sides.
• That the cylinder is held firmly, doesn’t move in its hole and doesn’t stick out more than necessary.
• How many keys you receive and, if the cylinder comes with one, the card for ordering copies; keep it separate from the keys.
• How to look after it: don’t force the key, and ask which product to use if at some point it becomes hard to turn.

Everyday use after the job

• Push the key all the way in before turning it and only take it out once it has returned to its insertion position.
• Don’t hang heavy keyrings on the key you use in the door, because their weight pulls on the cylinder every time it is left in the lock.
• Only hand out the new keys to the people who need them and make a note of who has each one.
• If one of the new keys starts behaving differently from the others, put it aside and tell us before having copies made from it.

Before calling to replace a cylinder

With the door open you can gather almost everything needed to assess the replacement.

• How many keys you have now, how many you need and whether other people still have copies.
• How many cylinders there are in the door (main lock, additional bolt) and which ones you want to replace.
• Whether you would like several cylinders to open with the same key, so you can mention it when you get in touch.
• Whether a card for ordering key copies came with the current cylinder.
• Whether the cylinder sticks out from the door or the escutcheon, seen from the outside.

Cylinder warning signs worth describing

These point towards the cylinder, although some also appear when the lock is failing or the door is out of adjustment.

• The key is stiff going in or has to be moved up and down before it turns: the cylinder or the key may be worn.
• Only one of the copies works: it may be a faulty copy rather than a faulty cylinder.
• The key catches when you pull it out or gets stuck in a particular position.
• The cylinder moves in its hole or sticks out more than before: the fixing screw may have come loose.
• The door can’t be opened from the inside when there is a key in the lock on the outside: this depends on the type of cylinder and is worth mentioning if you want to avoid it.

When it’s best to stop trying

When the key stops halfway round inside the cylinder, forcing it harder or using pliers usually ends with the key bent or snapped inside the cylinder. If you feel the key starting to give or bend, take it out carefully and stop using it. A cylinder that has already shown warning signs doesn’t get better with repeated attempts, and keeping the key in one piece makes it easier to assess the replacement.

Situations worth explaining when you get in touch

Some cylinder symptoms are easier to understand with a bit of context. Tell us what you notice in each case; the cause is confirmed when we check it.

• The key unlocks but won’t deadlock, or the other way round: tell us in which direction it stops and whether it happens with the door open or only with the door closed.
• The outer face of the cylinder has new scratches or the keyway looks deformed: explain whether the key still goes in as it did before and since when those marks have been there.
• Someone has put glue, paint or dirt in the keyway: don’t try to clean it by poking at it, and tell us whether the key goes in, even partly.
• The key you use every day has a cracked head or is slightly bent: mention it, because it could snap inside and it helps to know whether you have another copy in good condition.