Key snapped off, cylinder spinning, or lock frozen solid
A key that broke in the lock, a cylinder that spins without opening, a bolt that will not retract, a lock frozen after a night of freezing rain. Most of these are repairs, not replacements, and we say so before we start. Extraction and repair on the first visit in most cases.
$25 service call
residential · $0 for a business address
Fair price
quoted before any work, no surprises
15-20 min
arrival, anywhere we serve
Warranty
on labour and parts
What not to do
Do not push the broken piece further in with another key, and do not try glue on the key stub: glue in a cylinder means a cylinder replacement. Do not heat a key with a lighter to melt ice; hot metal in a cold brass cylinder can crack it, and a hot key with a plastic transponder head ruins the chip. Lock de-icer, patience and a key warmed in your hand are the safe versions. If the door is open when the lock fails, leave it open and put something in front of it rather than forcing it shut.
Before you call, and where to stop
A spinning cylinder is often a snapped tailpiece or a loose set screw: cheap parts, but reaching them means opening the lock from the inside. If you are inside and comfortable, you can remove the interior plate and look. If you are outside, stop. A lock half disassembled from outside is how doors get damaged.
Does this sound like you?
Tick what matches. Two or more and you are almost certainly in the right place.
Sounds like you?
Call and describe it in sixty seconds. The dispatcher confirms the price and sends the technician.
What's included
$25 service call, then a fair price for the work, quoted before anything is touched. Here is what each service includes.
Rekey, 2-4 cylinders keyed alike
Fair price, quoted before work
New pins in your existing locks so the old keys stop working. Priced per cylinder; a typical house has two to four doors keyed to one key.
- Cylinder disassembly and a new pin set
- All doors keyed alike where the brands allow
- Two new keys cut on site
- Old keys handed back or destroyed in front of you
Broken key extraction, lock repair and door reinforcement
Fair price, quoted before work
Extracting a snapped key, fixing a cylinder that spins, a bolt that jams, a lock frozen solid, or a frame split by a kick, up to a reinforced strike and a wrap-around plate after a break-in.
- Extraction tools first, drilling last
- Tailpiece, spring and set-screw replacement
- Reinforced strike and door-edge plate where needed
- Photos for your insurance claim on request
Fair questions
Can you get the broken piece out without replacing the lock?
Usually yes, with extractor tools, in minutes. The lock is then rekeyed, or a new key is cut from the two halves. We replace the cylinder only when the break damaged the pins.
Why does my lock freeze?
Moisture inside the cylinder, often a summer of dust followed by a wet autumn. A graphite or PTFE lubricant in the fall prevents most of it. We do it during the visit; it takes thirty seconds.
The lock works but it is stiff. Is that worth a call?
It is worth a spray of dry lubricant first. If it is still stiff, worn pins or door alignment are the cause, and fixing that now is cheaper than the extraction when the key finally snaps.
How long does a repair take?
Extraction and rekey: about 20-40 minutes. A full mechanism repair or a replacement cylinder: under an hour in most cases.
Not quite your situation?
You could be back inside in half an hour
One call, one dispatcher, one van on its way in 15-20 minutes. $25 service call, warranty on labour and parts.
(514) 981-5527Typical arrival 15-20 minOpen 24/7. A person answers