FAQs
What kind of locksmith services do you provide?
Many people will contact us when they find themselves in an emergency situation: locked out of a house or a car and in need a new car key, etc. But the list of services that we provide is much greater than that. We can assist you with rekeying or changing your locks, extracting a (broken) key from a lock, maintenance & repair, install locks & deadbolts, lock picking, key cutting & duplication, and much more.
How long does it take to copy a key?
- Usually less than five minutes. If you have an unusual key which will take longer to copy, we will let you know before we begin cutting the duplicate.
What is a "Master Key System"?
A master key system allows locks to be operated by completely different keys: an individual key that only operates one lock (or the locks on only one door) and a master key that works multiple locks. Master key systems are common in businesses or schools where an employee needs a key that works only his or her door and a manager or custodian needs a key that opens many doors.
We purchased a new house, should we get new keys?
Yes: if you don’t know who else owns a key of your home you are potentially at risk. Think about it, a previous housekeeper, babysitter or a family member of the previous owner may still own a duplicate key to your home. In case you are not 100% sure, we advise to either rekey the existing locks, which can be done relatively cheaply in most cases, or to completely replace the existing locks. Call us for a free advise on the best scenario for your specific situation.
Have I got the right locks for my insurance policy?
Different insurance companies ask for different locks on your doors and windows so you need to clarify with them what they want you to have as they are insuring you. Insurance companies will call your front door your final exit door and this can be a wooden door, PVCU door, Aluminium door or composite door.
For a wooden front door, most insurance companies ask for you to have a 5 lever British Standard deadlock conforming to BS3621, everyone refers to this lock as a Chubb lock but Chubb is a named brand, and this lock needs to be locked at all times when the property is empty.
For a PVCU front door and a composite front door you will normally have to lift the handles up and turn the key to fully lock the door. This type of lock is referred by insurance companies as a multi-point locking system. This means it locks in more than one place. Remember you must lift the handles up and turn the key so the handles will not come down to fully lock this type of door.
Aluminium front doors are a very old type of door and are sometimes fitted with a similar type of lock as a PVCU and composite door, a multi-point locking system but some aluminium doors do not have the required lock fitted and need a 5 lever BS3621 British standard deadlock fitted.