Locksmith in Charlotte

Rekey, in almost every case. It changes the pins so every old key stops working, and the lock stays on the door. Replacing only makes sense if the hardware is worn out, is a grade nobody should rely on, or you want something different — a smart lock, or a finish that matches a new door.

Doing all the exterior doors at once to a single key is the version worth paying for: one key for the front, back and garage entry.

The whole point of a locksmith over a crowbar is that nothing gets damaged. Most residential locks open non-destructively, and the door and the frame are untouched.

There are exceptions — a high-security cylinder, or a lock that has already failed internally — and in those cases we will tell you before we start that the cylinder may need replacing.

Something that ties you to the address: a driver's license, a lease, a utility bill, or a piece of mail with your name on it. If your ID is inside the house, which it often is, a neighbor who can vouch for you usually settles it.

We do ask every time. It is what stops a locksmith being a way into someone else's house.

That is usually the latch or the strike rather than the lock. Doors move with the seasons, and when a door drops slightly the bolt binds against the strike plate instead of sliding past it.

The fix is normally adjusting the strike or the hinges, not new hardware. It is worth dealing with, because forcing a binding bolt is what eventually breaks the lock.

They are convenient, and the good ones are as mechanically sound as a normal deadbolt because underneath they are one. The convenience is real: codes for guests and contractors that you can delete afterwards, and no key under the mat.

The things to think about are batteries and the physical key override. We will fit one you have bought or advise on what suits the door, and we will tell you if a particular door is a bad candidate.

Yes, as long as the locks are compatible — that is keying alike, and it is one of the most satisfying things to have done. Front, back, garage entry and a storm door all on one key.

If one of them is a brand that will not key to the others, replacing that single cylinder is usually cheaper than you would expect.

For most residential locks that is still straightforward: the cylinder can be decoded and a working key cut from it, without replacing the lock.

Charlotte plus Concord, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill, Indian Trail, Kannapolis, Gastonia and Rock Hill.