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To make sure your business, employees, and customers are safe and secure, you need all of your locks to be working properly. And commercial door lock repair may be your best choice for accomplishing this task. But it is good to know a little more than that before you get to work.
Before proceeding with commercial door lock repair, consider the following:
If you are only interested in the answer to, “How do I find the best commercial door lock repair near me?” look no further than United Locksmith. We have all the tools and knowledge to get the locks on your commercial building back in tip-top shape. If you still have more questions, please keep reading!
The most common cause of a broken commercial door lock is wear from everyday use. In rare instances, you will need to rebuild office security after a break-in. But it is more likely that the standard opening, closing, locking, and unlocking grinds components together until they weaken or reshape.
The price of commercial door lock repair is based on the price of replacement parts and labor. In terms of labor, locksmith prices for commercial door lock repair start at $35 (with a $15 service fee). And in many instances, the labor prices can be similar to replacement costs.
Most people feel most comfortable buying a lock at Home Depot for convenience and price. However, it is better to either buy commercial locks from the manufacturer or a partnered seller, as the hardware you need is rarely viable for big-box retailers to stock due to its price and being considered a specialty item (not something most people are looking for).
A commercial locksmith is going to be the most professional and well-equipped resource you can call on for commercial door lock repair. As long as you contact a mobile locksmith service, they can come directly to your building and repair locks on-site.
In many cases, it will be preferable to replace rather than repair commercial locks. This will save time and ensure no more issues arise from another part breaking. The main exception is with mortise locks, which are modular enough that broken parts should be easy to replace to repair the lock.
Before you can get started with any aspect of commercial door lock repair, the door needs to be opened. If the damage to the lock has created an issue where the door won’t close, then this problem is solved. But if the broken commercial lock has resulted in a business lockout, this will become more complicated.
For example, a broken lock cannot necessarily be opened with the key. That means you cannot even if you knew how to pick an office door lock, the keyway exploit will almost certainly not work. You will have to look into viable methods to open a stuck door.
Different types of commercial locks can be opened with bypasses that avoid having to interact with broken keyways. If the lock is too secure and catastrophically broken, you may need to drill the lock open, which usually results in replacement rather than repair.
A locksmith will be able to get the door open for further servicing. With professional insight into this process, you can capitalize on getting the best commercial door lock repair. A locksmith may also be able to use destructive entry without damaging the lock enough that it needs to be fully replaced.
Key Takeaways:
Commercial door lock repair relies on an accurate diagnosis of the problem, or there will be nothing meaningful to do about it. This can be very difficult to do yourself if you are unfamiliar with basic lock mechanics, let alone the specific mechanics of your commercial lock.
Commercial door locks can get quite complex, especially when you start dealing with electronic locks. As soon as electrical systems get involved, it behooves you to seek out a professional rather than try to troubleshoot the issue yourself.
For something like fingerprint door locks, the scanners and touch screens can become uncalibrated. There may also be software complications or energy interruptions that are entirely separate from the standard mechanical breaks that plague the average broken lock.
It could also have nothing to do with the lock if you only need to adjust a door strike plate. And there is also the risk of operator error. So if you are trying to figure out what is going wrong, you may find out that this is not an issue with the lock.
Key Takeaways:
What do we mean when we say commercial door lock repair? It is a process of moving an existing lock from a state of not working to full functionality without purchasing a brand new lock. This could be as simple as using a door lock lubricant or changing out several internal components.
With a bit of lubrication, debris or rust causing tighter tolerances can be flushed out. You should still clean the lock to fully eliminate whatever created the need for commercial door lock repair. To change out small broken parts, you just need access to the replacement components.
You can almost always avoid something like mortise lock replacement because this style of commercial lock is built to be repaired more easily. Due to the modular nature of the lock, you can just replace the cylinder, swap latches, change springs, etc.
One of the biggest factors for deciding to repair a lock rather than replace it is cost and convenience. If your business uses high-security door locks, replacement may cost hundreds of dollars and require master key services (which also has a cost and creates inconvenience).
Key Takeaways:
If we were to use the Roman ship analogy, when does partial replacement snowball into full commercial door lock replacement? Enough door lock maintenance over time might equal replacement eventually, but unless you are doing it all at once to solve a given problem, it is considered repair.
On the other hand, commercial lock replacement is when you decide to change the entire lock in one go. The process is relatively straightforward. You start off by removing the existing lock (requiring the door to be open first). Then you need commercial lock installation.
The new lock must be properly installed to make sure that it will not only work, but that it is also not violating building codes, or undermining your security. For example, the choice between fail secure locks vs fail safe locks affects whether or not a door can be used as an emergency exit.
If you want to change out a broken lock for the same style and brand, this takes out any guesswork or need for consideration. With this assurance, you are getting some peace of mind, but you are giving up the opportunity to upgrade your security. But if you are happy with your level of security and physical access control, it is a fine trade-off.
Key Takeaways:
Your office security hinges on the quality of your locks and their reliable functionality. And rather than getting a new lock when what you have breaks, you can undergo commercial door lock repair. You will just need to get your door open and diagnose the problem before repair begins.
When you are making your choice between replacement and commercial door lock repair, consider the level of investment in terms of time as well as money. And to save on both of those, see if United Locksmith is in your area. But if we aren’t in your neighborhood yet, reach out in the comments with your thoughts, questions, and experience with commercial door lock repair.
Category: Commercial, Safety & Security
