Before and After: Replace Old Mortise Lock on Front Door

This part of our "Before and After" series, showcasing the installations done by our locksmiths.

Problem: Replacing broken antique mortise lock on an extra thick door.

This door is 2 1/4” thick. Standard door locks fit up to 1 3/4” thick doors. The existing lock is about 100 years old and no parts are available to repair it.

Solution: In this case the best answer is to install another mortise lock, special ordered to fit the 2 1/4” thick door.

The customer chose the Morgan style mortise lock by Emtek (emtek.com). The inside and outside trim were large enough to cover all the holes and scarring from the old lock. The medium bronze finish was dark, similar to the old lock and other hardware on the door.

The special order for the thick door took two weeks to come in, but it was worth the wait. The customer was very happy to have the same type of lock and a design that complimented his front door so well.

Before and After: Replacing Antique Bathroom Lock

This is the first in our "Before and After" series, showcasing the installations done by our locksmiths.

Problem: The bathroom lock was an old mortise style lock. It was probably 90-100 years old and the latch was broken.

Current similar replacements for this lock are very poor quality and usually don't last very long with normal usage.

A modern lock could be installed using plates to cover all the cut-outs from the old lock. But this was not the look the customer wanted.

Solution: Replace with a quality lock that looks similar to the old lock and looks like it belongs.

Our locksmith created a custom metal plate for the edge of the door. This would hold the new latch and bolt in place while covering the gap left by the old lock. With this edge plate the customer was able to choose from the Emtek line of sideplate thumbturn Privacy locks. (emtek.com)

The final picture is of the Emtek oval beaded plates with beaded egg knobs in a French Antique finish.

The lock works great and looks great!

Smart Home, Security Target

Smart thermostats, locks controlled with your phone, remote monitoring of security cameras.  All modern day conveniences that can be used over the internet.  But are you sure you're the only one that has access to the systems in your house?

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2014/031714-without-proper-security-measures-smart-279791.html

As mentioned in the above article, all these devices connecting to the internet could allow an attacker access to your network.  Be careful, and follow the security practices listed.  At the very least:

  • set passwords on the devices
  • don't use simple or the same passwords for different things/accounts
  • ask about the security of the device before you buy it

Tips for finding a REAL locksmith (from Angie's List)

This is an excellent article from Angie's List on the continuing difficulty consumers are experiencing avoiding scammers poising as locksmiths. Finding a local locksmith before you need one remains the #1 recommendation.

http://www.angieslist.com/articles/7-tips-avoid-locksmith-scams.htm

In an emergency I would suggest:

  1. Write down who you called and the phone number.
  2. When calling, ask for an estimate that includes ALL THE CHARGES.
  3. When the technician arrives, get the technician's name.
  4. Confirm the price you were told on the phone.
  5. Ask if that is the total price and be clear on exactly what's included.

Do this before you let him touch your lock or door.  You don't want to be left without a lock on you door if you suspect it's a scam.

If you think you are being scammed call the police.

Secure Your Air Conditioner

Do you have an air conditioner sitting unprotected in your yard? With the cost of metals at all time highs, those copper coil and brass fittings are tempting to thieves just for the scrap value.

After worrying for years, but unable to figure out a way to lock ours down, I found the Gorilla.

It is an impressive deterrent with a solid installation in concrete. Although the price was a little more than I expected, it is a Heavy Duty Cage that can easily be removed for service. Ours was a special size that had to be custom made and they still had it installed in two days.  This is one product and contractor that I can highly recommend. gorilla-cage.com

Now I can stop running out back every time the dog barks.