Lock Repair

Most locks that stop working properly do not need replacing. They need diagnosing. A lock is a mechanism sitting in a door that moves with the weather, in a frame that settles, and the fault is often not in the lock at all.

Symptoms and what they usually mean

• Key turns but the bolt does not move — the tailpiece or cam has failed inside the lock
• Key will not go fully in — debris in the keyway, or a worn key rather than a worn lock
• You have to lift or push the door to lock it — the door has dropped, or the frame has moved; the lock is fine
• Deadbolt catches on the strike — misalignment, usually seasonal
• Knob or lever is loose and turns without effect — the spindle or set screws
• Key turns hard and stiffly — dry or corroded pins, often after winter
• Latch does not retract when you turn the handle — the spring inside the latch has gone

The third and fourth on that list are the ones people replace locks over unnecessarily. If the door has to be lifted to throw the bolt, a new lock will behave exactly the same way, because the problem is the geometry of the opening.

What we repair

• Realigning doors, hinges and strike plates so the bolt meets the hole squarely
• Replacing worn cylinders while keeping the existing handle set
• Latch and spring replacement
• Mortise lock rebuilds — the case comes apart and the failed part is replaced
• Multipoint lock linkage on patio and French doors
• Sliding door and window lock repair
• Broken key extraction from the cylinder
• Door closers that slam, drift, or no longer latch
• Frames and jambs damaged by a forced entry

Why a stiff lock is worth attending to

A lock that is becoming difficult is telling you it is close to failing, and locks tend to fail at the least convenient moment — with a key snapped off in the cylinder, or with the door shut. Dealing with a sticking lock while it still works is a small job. Dealing with it afterwards is a lockout and an extraction.

One practical note: do not put oil or WD-40 in a lock cylinder. It attracts dust, which turns into a paste, and it is a common reason a merely stiff lock becomes a seized one. A dry graphite or PTFE lubricant is what the mechanism actually wants.

Is repairing a lock cheaper than replacing it?

Usually, because you keep the hardware and pay for the work and any small parts. Where the lock is old, low-grade or badly damaged, replacement often works out more economical over its life, and we will say which applies.

My key broke off in the lock. Is the lock ruined?

Rarely. The broken section is normally extracted and the lock keeps working. If the key snapped because the cylinder is worn, that wear is the thing to address next.

Can you fix a door that will not latch?

Yes, and it is one of the most common calls we get. It is normally alignment between the latch and the strike rather than a lock fault at all.