What we repair and fit
- Sticking or stiff locks and keys that turn hard
- Deadbolts that will not throw all the way
- Doors that no longer latch or line up
- Loose knobs, levers and handlesets
- Strike plates moved and reinforced
- Peephole (door viewer) installation
- Garage entry and side door locks
- Decorative handlesets and entry sets
Usually it is the door, not the lock
Houses settle, wood swells in the damp months and shrinks in the dry ones, and hinges sag. A quarter of an inch is enough to make a bolt drag on the strike, and a dragging bolt feels exactly like a failing lock. We check the door and the frame first, move or file the strike, tighten or shim the hinges, and only then decide whether the lock needs replacing. We work on the brands you actually find on local doors: Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, Baldwin and Weiser at home, and Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Arrow and Von Duprin on high-security and commercial doors.
Where we repair locks
Hillside houses in Stevenson Ranch, Studio City and Woodland Hills, where frames move with the ground; older homes in Newhall, Burbank and La Crescenta with original hardware worth keeping; and tract homes everywhere in the Santa Clarita Valley whose builder locks are reaching their age. On the Westside we work by appointment.
Lock repair in 81 cities
Santa Clarita Valley: Canyon Country, Santa Clarita, Valencia, Stevenson Ranch, Newhall, Saugus, Castaic, Val Verde, Acton, Agua Dulce
San Fernando Valley: San Fernando Valley, Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Studio City, North Hollywood, Valley Village, Burbank, Glendale, Tarzana, Northridge, Reseda, Winnetka, Panorama City, Sun Valley, Lake Balboa, Valley Glen, Toluca Lake, Universal City
West Valley: Woodland Hills, Chatsworth, West Hills, Canoga Park
North Valley: Granada Hills, Sylmar, Pacoima, Mission Hills, San Fernando, Arleta, North Hills, Porter Ranch, Lake View Terrace, Shadow Hills
Crescenta Valley: La Crescenta, La Cañada Flintridge, Sunland, Tujunga, Montrose
Northeast LA: Eagle Rock, Atwater Village
Central LA: Hollywood, West Hollywood, Los Feliz
Las Virgenes: Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Hidden Hills
Santa Monica Mountains: Topanga
Conejo Valley: Westlake Village, Oak Park, Thousand Oaks
East Ventura County: Simi Valley, Moorpark
Heritage Valley: Fillmore, Piru, Santa Paula
Antelope Valley: Lancaster, Palmdale, Quartz Hill, Littlerock, Leona Valley
Westside, by appointment: Brentwood, West Los Angeles, Culver City, Mar Vista, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, Venice, Santa Monica, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Westwood
Lock repair questions
My deadbolt only locks if I push or pull the door. Is the lock broken?
Almost never. The bolt is hitting the edge of the strike because the door has dropped or the frame has moved. Adjusting the strike or the hinges fixes it, usually in minutes, and the lock goes on working for years.
Should I oil a stiff lock?
Not with oil or WD-40, which collect dust and make it worse. A dry lubricant made for locks is the right thing, and if a clean, lubricated lock still turns hard, the pins or the cam are worn and the cylinder needs attention.
Can you keep my old hardware?
Often, yes. Older handlesets and mortise locks can usually be serviced and rekeyed, and where a part has failed we source the part rather than replace the whole set.
Do you also install new locks?
Yes, when that is the right answer. Deadbolts, smart locks and high-security locks each have their own page, and we fit any of them keyed to match your other doors.
Lock sticking or door not latching?
Text a short video of the door closing and the lock turning; it often tells us the fix before we arrive.