When there’s an emergency, it can be incredibly stressful. Especially if the emergency is that you’ve loved yourself out of your home, at night. If this happens, most people would be all too happy for an emergency locksmith to come riding to the rescue. In fact, they can be so desperate that they don’t even check who they’re calling – just the first result that comes up. And that could be a costly mistake.
You see, not all locksmiths have the same level of training or expertise. And many don’t have the right skills to get you back into your home without damaging your lock or door. Worse, some rogue locksmiths will deliberately damage the door, making as much work for themselves as possible so that they can charge them more.
How do you avoid it? Ask any locksmith you’re talking to about non-destructive emergency entry.
What’s Non-Destructive Emergency Entry?
Any good locksmith will make as many attempts as possible to get you back into your home without damaging your lock or door. The first thing they should do when they arrive is assess the lock and door, and look for ways to get you back inside with no damage. Your locksmith will need to have been specially trained in these techniques, since they vary depending on the type of lock. A few of the common techniques include:
Manual lockpicking: Using tools like picks and tension wrenches, locksmiths can manipulate the lock’s internal components and open it easily.
Bypassing: Locksmiths with specialised tools or knowledge can bypass a lock’s mechanism entirely, without needing to directly manipulate it.
Bump keys: These are specifically designed keys that can ‘bump’ the pins inside the lock into alignment. This allows it to open, and the locksmith can examine the root cause of the issue once you’re inside.
Shimming: This is a thin tool (also known as a shim) that bypasses the latch mechanism of the lock and lets you open it.
Decoding: By reading the lock’s key code or using specific tools, locksmiths can understand the internal configuration and recreate the key.
It’s not surprising that non-destructive entry is the preferred method for locksmiths, since it leaves the lock intact and functional. The more experienced the locksmith is, the better they’re likely to be at non-destructive entry techniques. Can you guess how good our team at My Lock Locksmiths is, with over 2 decades of experience?
Of course, how easy non-destructive entry is largely depends on the type of lock you have. For example:
Basic locks: Things like pin tumbler or wafer locks. These are the simplest locks on the market and are used in most homes and offices. Most locksmiths, even if they’re a bit green, can handle them.
High Security Locks: These locks have been designed to resist picking. So a locksmith needing to open one would need advanced skills or specialised tools. Not all locksmiths are trained or equipped to handle these types of locks.
Electronic & Smart Locks: Of course, electronic and smart locks don’t have any manual parts to pick, so a lot of traditional techniques won’t work on these. Instead, the locksmith will need to use other techniques, like bypassing the electronics. Not many locksmiths can do this,
So What’s Destructive Entry?
Simple. It gets you into your property, but it causes damage at the same time. This is usually done as a last resort, but sometimes rogue traders will use it as the first option if they want to charge more or are just too lazy to use the proper techniques. There are a few different ways a locksmith can get into your property using destructive entry, including:
Drilling: The simplest and most common way to open locks and safes. Drilling damages the pins and mechanisms. It literally drills a hole through it all, and then you can replace it with a new lock.
Lock Pullers: Tools used to remove the lock cylinder and the surrounding mechanisms by pulling them out completely. These usually mean the complete destruction of the lock.
Cylinder Snappers: These tools are designed to snap the lock cylinder, breaking it in half and giving the locksmith access to the lock mechanism.
Other Methods: There are a few other methods too. These use specialised tools to break or remove parts of the lock, door or surrounding structure to gain entry.
All of these methods will cause some damage to your property. Sometimes, enough damage that you’ll need a whole new door. That’s why these methods aren’t advised unless all other methods have failed.
Of course, there will be occasions when even the best locksmith will recommend drilling out a lock. Usually, when the lock is so damaged that it will need to be replaced anyway. Then the goal goes from getting you in with minimal damage to just getting you in quickly so that the replacement can be done. This is usually done if the old lock isn’t very secure, is already damaged beyond repair, or you’ve lost your keys and are worried they’ve fallen into the wrong hands. But if a locksmith suggests it right away without a VERY good reason, you might want to call someone else.
At My Lock Locksmiths, we’re not big fans of drilling out locks. We’d prefer to get you into your home by more traditional methods. Ones that will leave you happy to be at home and confident that your lock is still secure. If you’d like to know more, all you need to do is call one of our team today.