Lock and key questions, answered

Check other doors and windows you can safely reach, then call a locksmith rather than forcing a door or window. Forcing entry often damages the frame, the lock or the glass, and that repair usually costs more than the lockout itself.

It's best not to. Poking at the broken piece with a pin, knife or screwdriver tends to push it deeper or jam the pins. A locksmith uses extractor tools to remove the piece and can tell you whether the cylinder needs replacing.

If there's any chance the keys can be linked to your address, yes. Rekeying is usually the simplest answer: the lock stays on the door, but the old key no longer works.

Rekeying changes the small pins inside the cylinder so a new key operates it and old keys stop working. Replacing swaps out the whole lock. Rekeying makes sense when the hardware is in good shape; replacing makes sense when it's worn, damaged or you want an upgrade.

Common times are after moving into a home, after a tenant or employee leaves, after losing keys, or when you want one key to open all your doors.

Most standard pin-tumbler locks can. Some very cheap locks, damaged cylinders and certain electronic locks can't be rekeyed in the usual way and are better replaced.

A single-cylinder deadbolt has a key outside and a thumb turn inside. A double-cylinder deadbolt needs a key on both sides, which can stop someone reaching through glass to unlock it, but it also means you need a key to get out. Check local fire and building codes before choosing one for a door used as an exit.

Usually the door is out of alignment and the bolt is rubbing on the strike plate. The motor can't push past that friction the way a hand can. Adjusting the strike or the door often fixes it, along with fresh batteries.

A deadbolt is only as strong as what it locks into. A short-screw strike plate in a soft door frame can give way under a kick even if the lock itself holds, which is why the strike and frame matter as much as the lock you choose.

A master key system sets up a building's locks so each key opens only certain doors, while a master key opens all of them. It lets a business give staff access to the rooms they need without handing out keys to everything.

A panic bar, or exit device, is the horizontal push bar on a commercial door. Pushing anywhere along it releases the latch, so people can leave quickly without working a knob or key.

If that person had keys and they can't be accounted for, rekeying the affected locks is the usual step. Restricted high-security keys help reduce the problem because they can't be copied freely.

Many vehicles use keys with a transponder chip that the car must recognize before it will start. A replacement key has to be cut to fit the lock and programmed to the vehicle. Remote fobs need programming too.

It may be a worn key, a worn ignition cylinder or both. Keys wear down over years of use, and so do the wafers inside the ignition. Catching it early can prevent a key breaking off or the ignition locking up.

We are based at 2108 Austell Rd SW in Marietta and serve Smyrna, Kennesaw, Roswell, Alpharetta, Decatur and surrounding communities.

Call (678) 824-6578 or email info@peachlocksmithllc.com. We dispatch from Marietta and serve the Marietta area.

Yes. We offer emergency lockout service for homes, businesses and vehicles. Call us directly at (678) 824-6578 for urgent situations.