Emergency lock repair when a door won't secure

What counts as an emergency repair

• Broken key in the lock. The broken piece is extracted from the keyway, and a new key is cut from the pieces or from the lock if needed.
• Break-in or attempted break-in. Pried strikes, bent bolts and damaged cylinders are repaired or replaced so the door can be locked again. If the police are involved, let them finish first.
• A deadbolt that will not throw or retract. Usually misalignment between the bolt and the strike, or a worn cylinder tailpiece.
• A door that will not latch. Common after a settling frame, a worn latch, or seasonal swelling.
• A lock that turns but does nothing. A broken cam or spindle inside the lock — the key spins freely and the bolt stays put.

Repair, rekey or replace?

The aim of an emergency visit is to leave the door secure. Often that means repairing what is there. Sometimes a damaged lock cannot be trusted any more, and the honest answer is a replacement — ask for the options and prices before anything is installed. If a replacement part is not available that night, a door can often be secured with temporary hardware until the permanent fix.

After a break-in, it is also worth thinking about the rest of the entry points. A reinforced strike plate and longer screws into the door frame do more against a forced entry than an expensive cylinder on its own.

Cold-weather failures

Illinois winters cause their own emergencies. Keys snap more easily in cold, stiff cylinders, especially worn or cheap duplicate keys. Exterior locks collect moisture that freezes after a thaw. Road salt tracked onto steps and thresholds corrodes strikes and latches over a few seasons. If a lock is getting harder to turn as the weather cools, have it looked at before it fails on the coldest night of the year.