Locksmith York & Surrounding Areas
Emergency 24/7 Service
No Call Out Fees

• Should I put WD40 on or in my Locks?

  The answer is an empathic big fat NO!

  Most, if not all locks are manufactured with their own oil or grease included. The addition of WD40 typically just clogs them up and does the opposite of what is intended.  This makes them perform worse or in some instances stop them from working altogether.

  Some locks do require regular lubricants and manufactures stipulate this when you buy the locks. So, either don’t put any lubricants in locks or follow the manufacturers guidelines for those locks that do require it.

  Locksmiths will normally apply the correct lubricants when they service your locks.

• What should I do if I break a key in a lock?

  The first thing to remember is to NOT attempt to remove the key.

  Without the right tools, you are more likely to make it more difficult for the key to be extracted without damaging the lock.

  Get professional help by calling a locksmith.

• My lock is jammed, what should I do?

  Locks can get jammed for lots of reasons, let’s look at a couple of them.

  A) You have a uPVC or composite door, and when you lift the handle up to engage the multi-point locks, they don’t seem to come out of the casing the whole way as they would normally do.

  The likely problem is the lock gearbox has failed. In these circumstances you will need to get professional help by calling a qualified locksmith to either repair the gearbox or install a replacement.

  B) You have a uPVC or composite door, and you have lifted the handle up to lock it but now the key in the cylinder (barrel) won’t turn all the way around to complete the locking process.

  Once again this could be a gearbox failure or in some instances such as an ERA gearbox, typically a piece of the gearbox casing breaks off and works its way down the inside of the gearbox and prevents the cylinder from turning.

  C) You have a mortice lock (typically in wooden doors) and the key is simply spinning around and around without locking or unlocking the door.

  This happens where the snib on the lock bolt thrower has broken off. We appreciate this is a little technical, but that has what has happened.

  The solution here is to replace the bolt thrower inside the lock or replace the lock, either way it’s a job from a professional locksmith.

• Why won’t the handle lift up far enough when I try to lock the door?

  This can occur when the door is not fitting properly within the door frame.  The door may have dropped or is simply mis-aligned and is not engaging into the locks keeps properly.

  If you keep trying to lock the door when it is in this condition you may jam it shut which means you maybe either locked out or locked in.

  To ensure the door functions correctly and doesn’t do further damage to the lock, you will need to get the door re-aligned by a professional.

• My door handles are drooping, loose or just spinning around, why?

  In the case of the handles just being loose, the first step is to tighten up all the screws without causing the screw heads to be damaged.

  If the handles are drooping or spinning around the likely problem is the door multi-point locking mechanism is not functioning properly.

  Simply replacing the door handles will not solve the issue. The door mechanism will need repairing or the gearbox changing. 

• I can’t pull my key out of the lock, what should I do?

  The probable cause of this problem is an inverted lock cam.  This means that when the door is in the locked or unlocked position, the cam is in the wrong position for the key to be extracted.

  The typical cause of this is when someone attempts to put a key into the cylinder (lock) while there is a key already in the other side of the lock. You will need to have a locksmith fix this for you or replace the lock.

• How much do your professional locksmith callouts cost?

  When you choose Towergate Locksmiths you can trust that you’ll receive a value for money service.  If you are stuck in an emergency, we understand that this is never easy, with this in mind we want to help. So, if you’re worried about expensive locksmith services, don’t, we don’t charge a call out fee.

   

  Rather we will access the lock issue and provide you with a quote before we commence any work, that way you have choices about what service you want and how much it will cost, up front. 

• Do I need to change the locks if I lose my keys?

  Absolutely. Although it is unlikely for someone to find the keys and know where you live, (unless you have personal information on the keys) it is always worth having your locks changed.

   

  t’s best to be safe than sorry, so call us and our professional team will replace your locks for you. 

   

  Remember, if someone gains access to your home with keys, your insurance may not pay out. 

Our Locksmith Guarantee

Whatever your lock problem, you can be assured of a prompt response, a full explanation of the issue and a successful resolution.

We always stand behind the quality of our work with a full 12 month warranty on parts and labour.

Prices & Call Out Fees

24/7 Service for Emergency Lockouts and No Call-Out Fee.
No fee either for a scheduled appointment which will always be arranged to suit you.
We’re a trusted, local, independent locksmith, no hidden charges.
Just honest pricing and expert service you can always count on.
We think we have some of the best locksmith prices in Yorkshire.
Call for a no obligation quote and compare our cost to local and national competitors