Lock Installs and Replacements Across Columbus
When a lock is worn out, was forced, or just isn’t the one you want, we fit a new one that suits the door. That covers deadbolts, keypad and smart locks, knobs and levers, exit devices and master key systems.
A new lock is only as good as its fit. The bolt has to meet its strike squarely, the latch has to catch without a slam, and the lock has to suit the door it’s on, whether that’s a solid wood front door, a steel side door or a sliding patio door. Before you replace anything, it’s worth checking whether the old lock could simply be repaired instead of replaced.
| Job | Where it is used | Lock types involved | What to decide beforehand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadbolt | Front, back and side doors | Single or double cylinder | Finish, and whether it should share a key with your other locks |
| Knob or lever set | Entry and inside doors | Entry, privacy and passage sets | Knob or lever, and which doors need a key |
| Keypad or smart lock | Main entry doors, rental properties | Keypad deadbolts, smart deadbolts, keypad levers | Code only or app too, and who gets a code |
| Patio or sliding door lock | Sliding glass and patio doors | Hook latches, keyed handles, foot bolts | Whether you want a key on the outside |
| Storm or screen door hardware | Storm and screen doors | Handle sets, latches, keyed handles | Keyed or not, and the finish |
| Mailbox or cabinet lock | Mailboxes, desks, cabinets | Cam locks | Which locks should share a key |
| Exit device | Shops and offices | Panic bars, exit bars with outside trim | Whether the door opens from outside, and with what |
| Master key system | Small offices, rental properties | Cylinders set to a key plan | Who opens which doors |
Before You Request an Install
A few details make the visit go smoothly.
- The door type and material: wood, steel, fiberglass, glass or aluminum
- How many doors you want done
- The brand of the lock you have now, if you know it
- Whether you want the locks keyed alike, so one key opens them all
- Who needs keys or codes: family, tenants, staff, a dog walker
The Right Lock for Each Door
Rekeying After a Move
When you move into a house or a rental, you can’t know how many keys are still out there with former owners, neighbors or contractors. Rekeying changes the pins in each cylinder so the old keys stop working, and the locks stay on the doors. Count every outside door, including the side door into the garage, so none gets missed. If the locks are worn or not what you want, that’s the moment to replace them instead.
Deadbolts
A deadbolt is the main lock on most outside doors. The bolt should throw its full length into a solid strike, and long screws through the strike plate into the framing make the door much harder to force. A single cylinder deadbolt has a key outside and a thumb turn inside. A double cylinder takes a key on both sides, which helps near glass but can slow you down getting out in a hurry.
Entry Handles and Knob Sets
Knobs and levers come as entry sets with a key, privacy sets with a push button for bedrooms and baths, and passage sets that only latch. Levers are easier for small hands, full arms and stiff fingers. A replacement usually fits the holes already in the door, which keeps the job neat.
Patio and Sliding Door Locks
Most sliding doors close with a hook latch that grabs a keeper in the frame. When the hook wears or the keeper drifts, the door can rattle, or even be lifted and pried. A new latch, a keyed handle, or a second lock at the foot of the door makes a sliding door much harder to open from outside.
Garage and Side-Door Locks
Side doors, and the door between the garage and the house, tend to keep whatever lock came with the house. They deserve a proper deadbolt too. Keying them alike with the front door means one less key on the ring.
Mailbox and Cabinet Locks
Mailbox, desk and cabinet locks are usually small cam locks: the key turns a flat cam behind the door. A replacement has to match the cylinder length and the cam, so it helps to have the door open and the old lock in reach.
Storm and Screen Door Hardware
A storm door handle set takes a beating from wind and slams. Replacement sets come keyed or unkeyed, and the latch has to line up with the strike on the frame, which is often where an older storm door goes wrong.
Exit Devices and Master Keys
A panic bar lets people leave with one push while the door stays locked from outside. A master key system lets an owner or a property manager carry one key while each tenant or employee opens only their own doors. Both are commercial lock work, and both start with a plain list of who opens what.
Choosing a New Lock
What do lock grades mean?
Many locks are graded under a standard written by the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) and approved by ANSI. Grade 1 is the toughest and is common on busy commercial doors. Grade 2 suits most home entry doors. Grade 3 is the basic residential level, fine for light use.
The grade is one part of the picture. A Grade 1 deadbolt in a split frame won’t hold the way a Grade 2 will in a sound door.
Should I rekey or replace my locks?
Rekey when the locks are in good shape and you only need the old keys to stop working, as after a move or a lost key. Replace when a lock is worn out, damaged, or not the kind you want, such as when you’d like a keypad or a stronger deadbolt. Plenty of people do a bit of both.
What does keyed alike mean?
Keyed alike means several locks open with the same key, so the front door, back door and garage side door share one. New locks can be set up keyed alike, and existing locks that take the same blank can often be rekeyed to match. At a business, a master key system usually works better, because different people need different doors.
Will a new lock fit the holes in my door?
Usually. Most modern doors are drilled to a standard size, and most replacement deadbolts and knob sets are made to fit them. Older doors, and doors with mortise locks, may need the holes adjusted or a plate to cover the old ones.
Thinking about new locks? We’ll help you choose them and fit them right.