Cincinnati Locksmith FAQ & Safety Guide – Eagle’s Locksmith

Security is the top priority here. If your keys are lost and could be linked to your address, you should rekey your locks immediately. This renders the lost key useless, so even if someone finds it, they cannot enter your home.

Yes. Please do not try to dig it out with glue or pliers, as this can permanently damage the lock mechanism. Our mobile technicians in Cincinnati carry specialized broken key extraction tools to remove the broken piece safely and cut you a new key on the spot.

Not necessarily. Hard-to-open doors are often caused by worn-out wheels rather than a bad door frame. We specialize in sliding glass door repair and can perform a professional roller replacement to make your door glide smoothly again, saving you the cost of a full installation.

Yes. Even keyless smart locks have mechanical bypass methods. We can unlock the door using the backup keyway or external jump terminals. Once you are inside, we can help you replace the batteries and reset the code if necessary.

Legally and ethically, yes. To protect yourself from liability and ensure your new tenant’s safety, you must ensure the previous tenant’s keys no longer work. We offer volume discounts for property managers who need multiple units rekeyed.

Yes. A damaged or corroded track can ruin your rollers and compromise your home’s security. We offer track replacement and stainless steel capping services to restore the alignment of your patio door, preventing drafts and locking issues.

Standard deadbolts (like those from big-box stores) can often be picked or bumped. High-Security locks (like Mul-T-Lock or Medeco) feature drill-resistant plates, restricted keyways that cannot be copied without permission, and pick-proof cylinders for maximum home protection.

Yes. We can install fresh locks on interior doors for privacy or to secure a home office. We can install a standard knob lock or a deadbolt, depending on the level of security you need for that specific room.

Absolutely. A broken handle or latch leaves your home vulnerable. We provide comprehensive patio door repair, including replacing broken handles and installing high-security auxiliary locks to ensure your sliding door is secure against forced entry.

Yes, Eagle’s Locksmith Cincinnati operates as an emergency service provider. We know that lockouts don’t strictly happen during business hours. You can call us at 513-202-4240 for assistance on weekends and most holidays.

An Interchangeable Core (IC) allows you to swap out the lock cylinder instantly using a special “Control Key,” without disassembling the door hardware. This is perfect for Cincinnati businesses with high employee turnover, as you can rekey a door in seconds without calling a locksmith every single time.

Yes. We can install an Exit Alarm Device (often called a Detex bar). If someone pushes the bar to leave, a loud siren triggers immediately. This keeps your building code-compliant for safety while preventing theft or unauthorized use of the back door.

Residential locks (Grade 3) are not designed for the heavy traffic of a business. Commercial locks are rated ANSI Grade 1, meaning they are tested to withstand millions of cycles and violent force. Using residential locks on a business often violates fire codes and insurance policies.

Usually, this is an issue with the Pivot Hinge or the door closer, not the lock itself. However, if the door is sagging, the lock bolt won’t line up with the hole, making it impossible to secure. We repair commercial pivots and align the door so the lock works smoothly again.

Yes. We install electronic keypad locks, card readers, and fob systems. These allow you to grant or revoke access to specific employees immediately without cutting new physical keys. It provides an audit trail so you can see exactly who entered your building and when.

Yes. We work with many property management companies, real estate agencies, and local businesses in Cincinnati. We can set up a commercial account with Net-30 billing terms for repeat clients, simplifying your invoicing process for ongoing maintenance and emergency calls.

For commercial lockouts, security is strict. We require proof of authority to enter the premises. This typically includes a photo ID along with a business card, lease agreement, or the ability to verify employment with a building manager. We cannot unlock a business without verifying you are authorized to be there.

Yes. If your cash management safe, drop box, or floor safe is malfunctioning, our safe technicians can diagnose the issue. We use advanced manipulation or drilling techniques to open the safe with minimal damage, allowing you to retrieve your assets and often repairing the safe for continued use.

Yes. Panic bars (push bars) often loosen due to heavy daily use. We can re-secure the mounting hardware, adjust the latch tension, and fix the alarm battery or trigger mechanism. Repairing the existing bar is often much more cost-effective than buying a brand new exit device.

Yes. For modern offices with frameless glass doors, traditional deadbolts often won’t work. We install Electromagnetic Locks (Maglocks) at the top of the door frame. These provide strong security and integrate seamlessly with your keypad or card reader access system.

Yes. We are a locally based company that covers the entire Greater Cincinnati metro area. This includes crossing the river into Northern Kentucky to serve Newport, Covington, Florence, and surrounding communities without excessive travel fees.

Absolutely. Cincinnati is famous for its historic architecture. Our technicians are trained to repair and retrofit antique Mortise locks found in older neighborhoods like Hyde Park, North Avondale, and Clifton, preserving the vintage look while upgrading the security.

Ohio winters can be harsh. If your lock is frozen, do not pour hot water on it (it can refreeze and crack the mechanism). Call Eagle’s Locksmith. We use specialized de-icing agents and lubrication tools to safely open your vehicle without damaging the seals or paint.

Yes, we frequently assist students near the University of Cincinnati and Xavier. For student safety, we require proof of residency or ID. Parents can also call us remotely to arrange payment and help their student get back into their apartment safely.

We know Cincinnati traffic can be unpredictable. We dispatch our mobile vans from strategic locations across the city to minimize delays. If there is heavy congestion on I-75 or I-71, our dispatcher will give you an honest, real-time ETA so you aren’t left waiting.

For urban areas like OTR or Downtown, we recommend High-Security Deadbolts (like Mul-T-Lock) that are pick-resistant and drill-resistant. We also suggest installing a peep-hole or a smart video doorbell so you can verify visitors before unlocking your door.

We are proudly locally owned and operated since 2004. When you call us, you are speaking to a local team, not a distant call center. We are members of the Cincinnati community and care about our local reputation.

Yes. Cincinnati has great estate sales, and we often help residents open locked safes they have purchased or inherited. We can manipulate the dial or drill the safe professionally to recover the contents and often repair it for future use.

Yes, we service the entire northern corridor including West Chester, Mason, Blue Ash, and Liberty Township. Our mobile units are fully equipped to handle residential and commercial jobs in these areas every day.

Yes, we can meet you at your vehicle in the parking lots near Paycor Stadium or Great American Ball Park. Please try to have your exact parking row or a landmark ready so our driver can find you quickly in the crowd.

Yes. Biometric technology has improved significantly. We can install fingerprint deadbolts (like the Lockly Secure or Samsung digital locks) that allow you to unlock your door with a simple touch. These are excellent for families with children who often lose physical keys.

Yes, but it requires care. Fiberglass can crack or shatter if drilled incorrectly. Our technicians use specialized hole saws and proper pilot drilling techniques to install deadbolts on fiberglass or composite doors without damaging the expensive finish or the door’s structural core.

Yes. If you want smart technology but want to keep the classic look of your existing hardware, we can install retrofit smart locks. These devices sit inside the door (like the Level Bolt) or over the thumbturn (like August), adding Wi-Fi capability while keeping the outside keyhole exactly the same.

An interconnected lock connects the deadbolt and the handle lever together. When you turn the inside handle, it unlocks the deadbolt automatically (single-motion egress). These are often required by fire code for apartments and multi-family units in Cincinnati, and we are fully certified to install them.

Yes. Jimmy-proof locks (often called “Segal locks”) mount on the surface of the door and have vertical bolts that drop into the strike plate hinges. They are incredibly resistant to being pried open (“jimmying”) and are a popular high-security choice for older apartments and rear entry doors.

This is our #1 question. Rekeying means we keep your existing hardware but change the internal pins so old keys no longer work. Changing a lock means we remove the old hardware entirely and install a brand new deadbolt or knob. We recommend changing the lock if your current hardware is old, rusty, or broken.

Yes, immediately. If the employee had a key, your business is vulnerable. We can come to your Cincinnati office and either rekey the cylinders (cheaper) or install new commercial locks with “Restricted Keys” that cannot be copied without your permission in the future.

Likely, yes. A sticky lock is a sign of internal wear or a misaligned bolt. If lubricating it (with WD-40 or graphite) doesn’t help, the internal springs may be failing. It is better to change the lock now before it breaks completely and leaves you locked out.

Yes. This is called “Keying Alike.” When we change your locks, we can ensure the front door, back door, and garage door all open with the exact same key. This eliminates the need to carry a heavy keychain.

Our mobile vans are fully stocked “locksmith shops on wheels.” We carry a wide variety of residential and commercial locks (Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, etc.) in different finishes. You do not need to buy anything beforehand; we bring everything to your door.

This is a common issue often caused by a broken tailpiece or a disconnected cam inside the cylinder. In many cases, we can disassemble the lock and replace just the broken part, saving you the cost of buying a completely new deadbolt.

If the lock is a high-quality brand (like Baldwin or a commercial mortise lock), repairing it is often cheaper and better than replacing it with a cheap store-bought lock. However, if your current lock is a low-cost residential knob that is failing, we will likely recommend replacing it for better security.

Yes. We specialize in repairing vintage hardware found in neighborhoods like Hyde Park and North Avondale. We can often fix old Mortise lock boxes, replace worn-out springs, and restore the mechanism so you can keep the original historic look of your door.

Yes. A sagging handle usually means the internal springs are worn out or the set screws have loosened over time. We can service the lock, tighten the mounting hardware, and replace internal springs to make the handle firm and level again.

A sticky latch is often due to a lack of lubrication or a misalignment between the door and the frame (strike plate). We can adjust the strike plate and lubricate the mechanism. If the latch bolt itself is physically damaged or bent, we can replace just that part.

Yes. We repair Adams Rite locks, pivot hinges, and door closers common on glass aluminum storefronts. If your business door is slamming shut or not locking properly at the end of the day, call us immediately to secure your property.

It might just need cleaning! Dirt and pocket lint can build up inside the keyway. We can professionally clean and lubricate the cylinder. **Note:** Please do not use cooking oil or grease, as this attracts more dirt and ruins the lock eventually.

A jammed deadbolt is often caused by the door swelling from humidity or the house settling. We can realign the bolt and the strike plate so they line up perfectly. We will ensuring the deadbolt throws smoothly without you having to push or pull on the door.

Not necessarily. Once we extract the broken key piece, the lock cylinder is often still in good condition. We can test it immediately after extraction. If the internal pins were damaged during the break, we can re-pin the cylinder instead of replacing the whole hardware.

Yes, we stand behind our work. If we repair a lock and the same issue persists within our warranty period, we will return to fix it. However, if a lock is too old or damaged to be reliably repaired, our technician will honestly advise you to replace it to avoid future failure.

Yes, we specialize in whole-home hardware updates. If you are updating your home’s style, we can replace outdated polished brass knobs with modern Matte Black, Satin Nickel, or Oil-Rubbed Bronze levers and handle sets to match your new decor.

If your locks are from different manufacturers (e.g., a Kwikset on the front door and a Schlage on the back), their keyways are physically different. You cannot slide a key from one into the other. In this case, we must replace one of the locks so that the brands match, allowing you to use a single key for both.

Yes. Fire codes in Cincinnati often require commercial exit doors to have “single-motion egress” hardware. We can remove non-compliant knob locks and replace them with Push Bars (Panic Devices) or commercial levers that meet current ADA and fire safety regulations.

Yes. We stock replacement cam locks and plunger locks for office furniture. If you lost the key to a filing cabinet or the lock is jammed, we can drill out the old core and replace it with a new one so you can access your documents again.

For smart home integration, we often recommend replacing standard deadbolts with the Schlage Encode or Yale Assure. These locks connect directly to Wi-Fi, allowing you to lock/unlock your door via voice command or smartphone app without needing a separate hub.

The issue is likely your Hydraulic Door Closer, not the lock itself. If the Closer is leaking oil or slamming, it usually needs to be replaced. We stock heavy-duty closers (LCN, Norton) on our trucks and can replace them to ensure your door closes safely and gently.

In many cases, yes. We can perform a “Safe Lock Retrofit.” We remove the old spinning dial mechanism and replace it with a modern electronic keypad. This allows you to open your safe faster and change your own combination easily.

Yes. Eagle’s Locksmith offers security assessments for homes and businesses. We check for common vulnerabilities like weak strike plates, non-functioning deadlatches, or outdated hardware. We will give you an honest list of what needs to be replaced for safety versus what is still in good condition.

Yes, it requires replacing the lock cylinder. We can install a “Restricted Keyway” system. These keys are patented and cannot be duplicated at hardware stores or kiosks. Only authorized individuals (like you) can order copies directly through us.

If rust has penetrated the internal springs and pins, the lock becomes unreliable and could seize up, trapping you inside or outside. In cases of severe corrosion (common on Cincinnati doors exposed to rain), we strongly recommend replacing the hardware with a new weather-resistant lock rather than trying to clean it.

Yes, provided it is a “rekeyable” padlock. We sell and service high-quality padlocks (like the Master Lock Pro Series or Abus) that accept standard cylinders. This allows you to open your backyard shed, gate, and front door all with a single key.

It is very fast. An experienced technician can rekey a cylinder in about 10 to 15 minutes. For an average Cincinnati home with 4 to 6 locks, the entire process—including cutting new keys and testing—usually takes about an hour.

We generally advise against DIY kits found at hardware stores. They often use plastic followers and inferior pins that can jam the lock permanently if a mistake is made. Hiring a professional ensures the lock is lubricated, the springs are checked, and the new key works smoothly without catching.

It depends on how the entry occurred. If the intruder picked the lock or used a stolen key, rekeying is perfect—it stops the old key from working. However, if they kicked the door in or damaged the cylinder with a screwdriver, the hardware is physically compromised and must be replaced entirely.

Yes, but we require authorization from the landlord or property manager. Most leases prohibit tenants from changing locks without permission because the landlord needs emergency access. If you have written approval, we are happy to perform the service for you.