Garage door locks

July 19th, 2011

There seems to be more & more calls for garage door locks lately, if you have lost your key or need the security upgraded on your garage then call us as we carry a wide range of locks & handles so the chances are we have the one you need.
If you feel that the security you currently have needs upgrading then we have the answer, there are many different ways to make your garage more secure, perhaps it could be a security post or garage defender fitted that would be most suitable, whatever your requirements give us a call & we will be happy to help & advise you.

jammed upvc door

November 11th, 2010

Once the weather starts changing to either hot or cold (frosts etc ) this is when people start having problems with their upvc doors .

It’s quite common for a door to drop or go out of alignment, if this is not rectified then over time this will put excessive strain on the locking mechanism & eventually the part will fail leading to a situation where you can’t lock your door or if the door is locked you may be able to turn the key but the handle will be stuck solid or will only move partially & therefore your door is unable to be opened.

So what are the symptoms of a door that is out of alignment

no 1   The door may be catching on the frame itself

no 2   When you lift the handle to lock the door you feel a clunking sensation ( as apposed to a smooth action )

no 3   When you turn the key it feels like more force is required than you would expect

no 4  You may find it necessary to either push or pull the door in order to get it to lock

These are the more common symptoms & can vary from door to door as to how severe they are, ie you may only have to push the door slightly as apposed to a hard shove in order to lock you door etc.

If you feel your door is out of alignment then give us a call & we can get it rectified before the problem becomes more serious.

If your door is locked & can’t be opened at all due to the handle being stuck don’t worry, again give us a call as we have the latest tools & training to get you door working correctly again in no time

jammed upvc windows

July 20th, 2010

This seems to be a more & more common problem, in most cases but by no means all it tends to be bathroom windows , this is generally because of all the windows in the home the bathroom window is normally opened & closed year round, that coupled with the damp environment this often leads to a small build up of corrosion at the end of the shoot bolts ( the parts that lock the window into the frame ) which in turn makes it almost impossible to operate, if too much force is used trying to move the handle you risk breaking the window mechanism, If you have a window that you are finding difficult to lock or you find it is jammed shut, give us a call & we will be able get your window working correctly again in no time

5 lever British Standard locks ( BS3621 )

July 14th, 2010

So what does it actually mean when your insurance company asks you if you have a 5 lever British Standard mortice lock lock fitted ( commonly referred to as a Chubb lock )

Well to start with the faceplate of the lock will carry a BS3621 kitemark, the lock itself has instead of 2 or 3 levers ( more common with older mortice locks ) has 5 levers
Now for the British Standard part.
The lock case must have an anti drill hard plate fitted, the lock itself must have a curtain to stop people putting wires inside to try to pick the lock, the levers will also have additional security features like anti pick notches etc

the bolt length ( the part that comes out of the lock & goes into the door frame ) has been increased to 20mm & must go into metal box keep ( this makes it much more resistant to someone trying to jemmy open the door with a crowbar or similar tool.

These are the most obvious changes to older 5 lever locks that may have been fitted in the past.

It may be worth checking with your insurance company as to there specific requirements as there could be nothing worse than them not paying out a claim over something so easily overlooked , also you may find some insurance companies offer a discount to those who have such a lock fitted.

if you are in doubt as to what sort of lock you have fitted or need some advice then feel free to call or email
me

Welcome

July 14th, 2010

Firstly let me say hello
I am a locksmith based in Warminster Wiltshire
the aim of this blog is to give people a better idea of the company, keep everyone updated with what’s going on in the world of locksmithing & to generally offer advice & help with peoples security questions