My Blog

Affordable Locksmith in Glasgow

12/03/2011 12:36:00

Steve Neary Affordable Locksmith in Glasgow and surrounding area providing a lock fitting, lock repair and lock opening service to both domestic and commercial clients. We specialise in UPVC locks and systems and can repair mechanisms so that you don't have to spend a fortune on the cost of a new door.

Affordable Door Lock Repair

11/16/2011 11:21:00

Write your post here.

You're being ripped off

03/16/2011 12:12:00

Insights into UPVC Locking and Call Centre Locksmith companies

I recently went to a client who had contacted a locksmithing site off the internet and had quoted £80 per lock to change on a patio door set.Now firstly £80 per lock is more than expensive. I'd call that down right scandalous. i'd charge £70 for the two. That's a massive £90 difference.Secondly they had quoted without even seeing what the problem was in the first place. It turned out that both mechanisms were broken and needed changing. Now if this company was going to charge £180 just to change the cylinders then who knows what the overall cost would of been to do the job properly.With that in mind it makes me shake my head in distgust that companies like that are charging those kind of prices and more frustrating clients are paying them. what's more there are guys like me out there offering to do the job at a far more affordable price, can guarantee the work and have the experience to do the job correctly.ere.

Forget cheap locks

01/09/2011 12:24:00

Forget cheap locks. In my experience cheap locks don't last or are very easy to bypass or destroy and in the long run don't last the distance. Good quality locks don't have to break the bank.

Key4lock only fit quality locks as standard and all our locking products come with a years guarantee. That means that if there is a problem with any locks or mechanisms that we fit we'll return and fix or replace them at no additional cost to yourselves.

We can say this because our products are quality assured and we have a conscientious approach to our workmanship. We take pride in what we do and that counts.

Glasgow Locksmith Door Lock Fiitting and UPVC

11/22/2010 20:55:00

Lock Fitting and Replacement

If you are locked out, have lost your keys, had the misfortune to be burgled, or simply need to replace your existing locks to British Standard BS3621:2004 in order to meet your insurance requirements. Affordable Locksmith can help.

The fitting of door locks, window locks and other forms of additional security will help to keep burglars out. In 20% of burglaries thieves gain entry through open doors and windows, so not only do you want the fitting of good, strong locks but you should make sure your doors and windows remain closed and locked.

Affordable Locksmith provide a professional installation, door opening, lock repair, fitting and replacement service for all types of doors and windows, including garages, domestic roller-shutters and fire escapes.

Damaged or Faulty Locks

Damaged and faulty locks can be opened, repaired or replaced on site. As professional locksmiths we look to repair your lock where possible rather than replace, keeping any potentially costly damage to the surrounding door to a minimum.

Cylinder Rim Locks (Yale Locks)

If you have a damaged or faulty cylinder rim lock (Yale lock) our Locksmiths can repair or replace your lock. We aim to repair rather than replace your lock to keep the cost to a minimum where we can. If your lock is damaged beyond repair we will replace the barrel of the lock which is less expensive than replacing the whole lock unit including the lock casing.

Mortice Locks

If you have a damaged or faulty mortice lock our locksmiths can repair your lock. Mortice locks usually fail due to vandalism such as a vandal putting super glue in the lock or some other foreign body in the lock. In some instances the bolt may be bent or damaged usually following an attempted burglary where they have tried to kick the door in.

UPVC Locks

If you have a damaged or faulty UPVC door lock it is important to try the doors locking mechanism when the door is in the open position; if the doors bolts slide into the locked position when the door is open the door may just need re-aligning. If the mechanism, sometimes known as a multi point lock or MPL, fails the door will need to be opened by a Locksmith and in most cases the mechanism will have to be replaced.

Door Locks

Two in three burglars gain access through a door. The following descriptions may help in understanding the difference between the most common domestic door locks and help identify the most suitable locks for your property.

Mortice Locks

The Home Office recommends fitting five-lever mortise deadlocks (British Standard BS3621:2004) to all external doors. Many insurance companies require this as a minimum standard.

Mortice locks are embedded into the door itself and can only be opened with the key. They are commonly found on back doors and are often fitted to front doors in addition to a cylinder rim lock (Yale lock).

Mortice locks can often be described as a deadlock or sash lock. A deadlock is a mortice lock which has just a key hole and a bolt. A sash lock has a bolt and a latch and a pair of handles.

Mortice locks have several lever variations: a 2, 3, 5 or 7 lever mechanism. 5 lever and above can be British Standard or non British Standard. The higher the number of "levers" the more difficult the lock is to "pick" and the more secure it will be, the higher the lever the lock the more key variations there are eliminating duplicate keys.

Affordable Locksmith recommend all locks should be upgraded and replaced with 5-lever locks, tested to BS3621:2004, which can be identified by the British Standard Kite mark symbol. This is usually a minimum insurance requirement.

Mortice locks require a key to be turned to activate the deadlock. The major advantage of a mortice lock is that burglars can not smash an adjacent window, reach inside and unlock the door. The deadlocks on a mortice lock also mean that if a burglar breaks in through a window they can not escape through the door, providing you have not left the key in the lock on the inside.

Cylinder Rim Locks (Yale Locks)

Most front door locks and internal door locks are cylinder locks, commonly known as ‘Yale’ locks, after one of the leading brands. If your front door locks automatically when you shut it and you need a key to open the door from the outside, but it opens without a key from the inside, then you have a cylinder rim lock (Yale lock).

Affordable Locksmith will replace cylinders with lock cylinders of at least like-for-like quality, preferring to upgrade to a more secure high quality lock where necessary. In instances where keys have been lost or stolen, we would only change the cylinder of the lock.

Cylinder rim locks are fitted to the surface of the door and are mounted on the surface of the inside of the door with a connecting cylinder, which is fitted into the door with the keyhole on the outside.

Affordable Locksmith recommended the fitting of mortice locks to supplement cylinder rim locks, particularly on front doors.

Additional Door Security

Affordable Locksmith can also fit additional security such as door chains or bars.

Window Locks

One in three burglaries is through a window. Consider fitting high visibility window locks, so if a burglar breaks the glass the window locks will mean they still cannot open the window and risk injury climbing in through broken glass.

Window locks should be fitted to easily accessible windows such as those downstairs and next to flat roofs and drain pipes. Remember not to leave the keys on show in the window locks.

Affordable Locksmith can help with everything from simply opening the door to your house to upgrading and replacement your current locks to conform to British Standard.

Key4Lock Locksmith On The Job

11/11/2010 20:16:00

I was recently called out to a lockout in Clydebank. A gentleman was locked out of his house, but he had the key to get himself back in. He had a UPVC door. The mechanism was of the type that locked without turning the key.

You locked the door by lifting the handles engaging the mechanism and deadlocking the lock. The handles could not then be depressed. To open the door you needed the key. This disengaged the mechanism allowing the handles to be depressed and opening the door.

On arrival I had him back into the comfort of his home within twenty minutes. The gentleman was surprised as he explained that the last locksmith he had called out for the same problem had taken well over an hour and had been seen with a crowbar trying to lever down the handles.

Inspecting the handles it was obvious that his story was true, as the handles lay at a limp angle of 45 degrees. Denoting that some damage may have taken place.

I asked if he had considered changing the mechanism so that the problem would not happen again and he explained that the previous locksmith had told him that it couldn’t be done and that they would probably need a new door.

That is rubbish .A new door would cost between £400 and £800 and is an unnecessary burden in today’s financial climate. I explained in detail what I could do as a Locksmith specialising in UPVC mechanism lock repair and or upgrade.

I explained that I could fully upgrade or replace any door mechanism for a fraction of the price it would cost for a new door. Furthermore I could fit new quality handles, anti-snap, anti-bump barrel locks for a price that is affordable.

You Don't Need To Buy A New Door To Feel Secure

10/31/2010 21:59:00

Finding a replacement upvc door lock can be hard work if you don't know where to look. You won't find them at the local diy store and more often than not, the lock may be obsolete or requiring an upgrade from latch only to latch and deadbolt. I.E. Ferco 2 wedgebolts, latch only upgraded to Ferco 2 wedge bolts latch and deadbolt.

Most people simply give in and just buy a new door (costing on average £700). But you don't have to.

Call us right away on 0141 280 1999 and we'll have a much better chance of fixing the problem on the spot.For uPVC door lock repair, we don't charge hourly rates and will always try to repair the lock before replacing it - leaving you with more money in your pocket.

Do You Have a UPVC Door Lock Problem?

10/23/2010 11:30:00

YOU DON'T NEED A NEW DOOR!!

If your Multipoint Locking Mechanism has failed, it does not mean you need a new door!!I can open jammed doors and get your stiff UPVC Door Lock working like new.As a Locksmiths in Glasgow I carry a large selection of UPVC Door Lock parts which often enables me to carry out a first time fix for your lock problem, thus getting your door working quickly, and at an affordable price.

UPVC Door Lock Problem?

Affordable Locksmiths specialise in all manner of Upvc door lock problems and Multipoint Locking Mechanism problems. Whether you need new keys, to open a jammed door or wish to upgrade your security, give me a call and I will be happy to discuss the options with you.

Multipoint Locking Mechanism

Upvc and composite doors are usually secured by a Multipoint Locking Mechanism. This consists of several locking points, either hooks, bolts or rollers, which lock into points on the door frame.The UPVC Door Lock is usually operated by the handles and the whole thing locked by means of a key.Because of their nature, the slightest misalignment of the door or the receivers in the frame, can cause the Multipoint Locking Mechanism to become stiff, which leads to extra wear and tear and possibly failure.I can also upgrade older, lower security Multipoint Locking Mechanisms, to newer higher, security versions at the fraction of the cost of a new door.

Save You Money

Affordable Locksmiths can save you money. By getting your badly locking door looked at now I could save you the cost and inconvenience of UPVC door repairs at a later date.So if you need a local, affordable Locksmiths in Glasgow.Call Affordable Locksmiths now on:-0141 280 1999 or 07754152157. No Call Out Charge, Quotes and Estimates are FREE!

UPVC Door Lock Problems

10/15/2010 19:46:00

Today I would like to talk about your home security, or more particularly, double glazing door or upvc or composit door security. A very common job of Reliable Locksmiths is to adjust, open or replace a broken upvc door lock for a customer. Many people don't (or won't) touch these, as they can seem very confusing for the average DIYer.

This means that some "locksmiths" can charge way over the odds to fix. I've even heard of some people being charged more for a new pvc door mechanism than they originally did for the door!!! But don't worry, as we can fit you a new upvc door lock mechanism or euro lock and will do so at a very reasonable price.

The first thing to mention is that, if you are having difficulty locking your pvc door lock, phone us straight away. We can usually adjust the door or lock and prevent any more damage being done to your door mechanism. This obviously prevents you from having to buy a new one and so saves you money. If you leave it and the problem isn't rectified, you may well break the gearbox on your door mechanism, resulting in you needing it replaced. If your double glazing door or double glazing door lock is already broken it is usually one of two things. Either the mechanism is faulty or your euro cylinder is faulty. You can tell which it is quite easily. If the problem seems to be with the key turning incorrectly, then it is most likely a broken euro lock (cylinder).

If however, the problem seems to be with the handle, then it is most likely a broken door mechanism. This is the bigger of the two jobs. In either case, if you call us, we can normally diagnose the problem and quote for you over the phone. If it's a problem with the cylinder, we will be able to fix the problem straight away, in one visit. If it's a problem with your pvc door lock mechanism, we will have to get it open for you and replace it. We can usually have a new mechanism on your door and working within two hours of arriving at your house.

The other thing worth mentioning about double glazing door security, is the extra security which can be fitted. You have the option of changing your euro cylinder for anti snap, bump resistant cylinders. You can replace your handles for more secure, anti snap upvc door handles. You can also fit sash jammers. These are essentially door bolts for pvc doors.