Fire doors and wood doors

Doors do break and when they do its hard to repair.  At Abba's locksmith we pride ourselves on repairing before replacing.  Repairing always saves our clients money and time.  On Tuesday I went to a building in Forest Hills Queens to take a look at a door that the fire department broke into because there was smoke coming out the apartment.  Unfortunately the damage was too great to fix so I measured the door to be replaced. In Queens and in all of New York City 98% of the apartment doors are fire rated 90 minutes. This means that the door will not be compromised for 90 minutes in a fire. Known as a Kalamein door the fire rated door is a steel clad door that is metal on the outside but solid wood inside.  Usually equipped with a mortise lock and a jimmy proof drop bolt I recommend this door for all apartment entry door. I also recommend this door when you want to protect your apartment from a break in.  The Kalamein door can with stand damage from a craw bar and usually it stands strong for a very long time. 
For residential homes we recommend solid 2" thick hard wood doors.  The reason you should have a 2" thick door is because it is less prone to being craw barred opened.  A thick hardwood door also withstands weathering better than a thin soft wood door.  The best is oak, because it is still affordable and it looks very nice.  The most standard is from either home depot which is usually made from cider or pine.  I personally have installed oak doors and let me tell you they are very hard, trying to put a deadbolt on it took me nearly half an hour to cut a hole into it.  We here at abba's locksmith we provide all choice of hardwood and other doors, including iron, wood, steel, and aluminum.


Kalamein door into brick



Red metal door with panels

  

Lockout service

Just like everything else we use day to day locks require maintenance. Countless times I have. Gone to locations in Queens where the person has their keys but the lock doesn't turn. So on the scene the first thing I do is spray WD40 lubricant and 90% of the time the key starts to turn and I open the door.  The first question that the client comes out with is so what happened? And I tell them well your lock dried up and the pins froze up so you couldn't turn the key and when the sprayed the lubricant it freed up the pins and bingo the key turned.  Usually if there is construction happeneimg in the apartment on the floor the dust can cause the cylinder pins to Hamm up.  So it's very important to spray WD40 into the key way and any moving part of the lock.  Some people use grafiet by I don't recoomen it because it's basically fine powder and it could jam up the cylinder.  If your lock on your apartment door is starting to turn hard or it doesn't have that clear snap sound chances are it needs lubrication don't delay lubricate it before it breaks and locks you out.  Abbaslocksmith.com provides free service call for maintenance and upgrading.  We service Flushing, Corona, Rego Park, Astoria, First Hills, Elmhurst, Woodhaven and many other Queens neighborhoods.  Specialized in doors, locks, lockout service safes, and much more.

How to get locksmith service discounts

Locksmith services can be expensive especially in an emergency situation.  One way to avoid paying too much for locksmith service is to hire local and licensed locksmiths.  If you are locked out of your apartment always do a local google search such as emergency locksmith in (your location) and then search.  Most of the time the first three or four companies that come up are usually paid ads so if you click on them make sure you are speaking with a locksmith and not a dispatcher.  Now I would suggest that you go down to the organic search section and hire one of those guys. Just make sure that they have a physical location and they are licensed.  Also when placing your call please ask the person on the phone how much the service is going to cost you at least for the most part.  So now the locksmith arrives make sure he/she is licensed.  Before he/she starts to do the job get the job priced. 
Ok so you have located the best locksmith and are going to hire him/her to do your job, now what do you do to either decrease your cost for the service or get it done for free. Number one go on all social media to locate the company that you have hired, 9 out of 10 times companies offer discounts via their social media outlets. So go ahead and search them on facebook, Twiter, Google+ and instagram.  You would be surprised what companies offer, my company abba's locksmith offers free service call from 9-5 during the day.  I know companies such as Abco Master Lock and Key that offer 15% off for repeat customers.  So always do some research before hiring a locksmith it will pay to do so.  Abba's locksmith offers free estimates to first time home owners, veterans, teachers, crime victims, and newly married couples.  In Queens Abba's locksmith also does 15% senior citizen discount.  I have discovered that the referral service Thumbtack is an excellent place to look for very affordable locksmith service. Thumbtack.com will help you get the most competitive quote out there for locksmith service.  Use Thumbtack.com to receive great service and discounted prices.

What is the difference

People get locked out all the time.  The question is how do you get in what are the different ways locksmiths can open you door.  Well to start off with I think everyone should have a trust worthy neighbor with whom you can leave your keys with so incase you loose your keys and are locked out you just go next door and get in with your own keys.  Ok lets say you don't have a neighbor who you leave keys with and one day you walk out of your apartment and bang the door closes behind you. You are locked out, first off don't panic.  Some times there is a very easy way to get back into your apartment.  So you look at your door and you see that there is a very big space between the door jam and the door, it looks like you can slide something between and get the door open. I suggest you try your credit card, there is a big chance you will  be able to get the door opened by sliding the credit card between the lock and the door jam.  Now if you get the door open hooray you did it.  Now lets say you weren't able to open your door.  What do you do next?  My suggestion you try calling the super, most of the time the superintendent of the building either has your key for the bottom lock or he/she knows how to open the door.  So the super comes over and tries to shim open the door just like you were trying and as luck would have it he/she also can not open the door. Now what?
Lucky enough you got locked out with your smart phone in your hand.  So go ahead and do a google search for local locksmith.  In Queens I would search for emergency locksmith (neighborhood) Queens.  So for example if you are locked out in Rego Park you would do emergency locksmith Rego Park Queens and press search.  Doing this type of search will narrow down your options of locksmiths to your local area not a general area.  So now you look on the first page of the search and there are at least thirteen listings.  So try at least one of the first paid ads, chances are they will quote you a minimum svc charge and then a price for the opening depending on what type of lock they open.  Under the paid ads there are organic search ads, normally the local locksmiths would be found in the first three or four listings.  Once you call one of the locksmith listing let them know your situation and then ask how much.  99% of the time it should not be more then $100. 
So now the locksmith arrives at your location, he/she looks at the lock and tells you that he/she will try to shim your lock, pick it or have to drill it.  You start to wonder well what is the difference?  The difference between the opening procedure depends on the type of lock you have.  Lets just say you have the average apartment lock in the New York City apartment buildings. To shim it is to slide something like a credit card or maybe something like a venetian blind between the lock and the door jam and shim the door open.  The locksmith usually uses a tool called a shim to open the door lock. Lets say the locksmith was not able to shim the door lock.  The next step is to pick it open. The locksmith would use a pick set to try to pick open the cylinder, usually this is possible if you have a regular security cylinder lock.  If in case you have a high security cylinder such as a mul-t-lock or a Medeco then the locksmith would have to drill it.  In any case if the locksmith shims open your lock you can still use the lock once your in, if he picks it you can also still use the lock, but if he drills the cylinder then you have to get a new cylinder afterwards.


Mortise lock for apartment



inside of a cylinder



tools for rekeying locks



Pick set

Digital

Digital locks are the up and coming security options.  Digital locks allow you to eleminate looking for keys in your bag to open your house.  The convinience of using your finger, your phone or your eyes to open your house lock is very useful.  There are times you go on vacation and loose your house keys in another country.  You arrive back home and can't get in so you call a locksmith who drills out your lock and replaces it to give you new keys.  Usually it costs about $250 , but with the advent of the digital lock you don't have to worry about loosing your keys.  Emergency Locksmith service is expensive. 

Locks and Locks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U6rdI_uG2c

Locksmith work in Queens, Corona, Flushing, Forest Hills, Astoria, Elmhurst, Ridgewood, Bayside, always use a licensed locksmith, I am one call for free advise 5163621459 anytime, anywhere.

The doors

Today was a  day of work in Forest Hills Queens, I worked on a seagal 900 Series lock, a thumb press mortise lock in the Gardens and Also a door closer on Austin street. So the 900 series lock was made back in the 60's and 70's and was installed on apartment doors as the primary lock.  Today it has been replaced by mortise locks, so unfortunately there are no parts to repair the lock.  If you have a 900 series seagal lock on your door and its broken, it has to be removed the door outfitted to take an entry door knob.  The thumb press lock is still available so we are able to repair and replace it anytime. Marks USA makes it, Baldwin and Amtek also makes it.


Mortise lock thumb press



900 seagal lock

Forest Hills Gardens



cylinders in shop

I did it all today

Wow I even empressed myself today.  I went to our locksmith shop in Forest Hills Queens, which I do everyday. Today was different because I didn't see my boss behind the counter.  So I opened the shop and immediately people were coming in to cut keys, buy locks and order services.  The first customer had me cut five Mul-t-Lock keys and four medeco keys.  Another customer had me cut twenty five keys and buy a mortise cylinder.  My third customer came and told me that a neighbor was trying to help replace her lock but couldn't and wanted me to that she needed for her security storm door. So when my customer left I locked up and went over to 136 street in Flushing. I installed a Marks 22 AC mortise lock.  After installing the lock I rushed back to the shop and as you would know it people were waiting to have their keys cut.  I served about ten people and then this old lady comes in and says that she is locked out.  So I locked up and drove her to her apartment on 68th avenue off of Yellowstone Blvd in Forest Hills.  I drilled opened her bottom lock cylinder and replaced it.  I rushed back to the shop and immediately people came in to cut keys.  One of the people had a lock in his hand.  He asked me if I can repair it. So I took it out of the bag, it turned out to be a sargent thumb press mortise lock.  I took it apart, replace springs and brackets and then out it back together.  I charged him for the repair he was so happy that he gave me a tip.  He told me that he had tried to have other places to get it fixed but no one would try.  So my day progressed with more keys and the my last job of the day, a lock install for a girl who just moved in to her apartment in Rego Park.  Our locksmith has been around since 1965 in Forest Hills.  We have built very good relationship with our community and have gained many loyal customers.  You have a broken lock want to have it fixed take it over to your local locksmith chances are it could be repaired.  A neighborhood locksmith is more than just a locksmith.  A locksmith is a security expert who can usually give you the best advise you can use to build your security. 

Management

This one is for everyone who moves into an apartment and their bottom lock never works.  When you rent or buy an apartment one of your rights is to have one working lock on the door.  So you can move into an apartment and the only lock that works is the top and that is all the land lord is responsible for.  Now if you move into an apartment and the only lock on the door stops working or never worked to begin with, then you need to inform the management. By law the management or the land lord must fix the lock on the door for no charge to the tenant.  Now there are cases where I personally have gone to locations where the person is locked out of their apartment due to the bottom lock being jammed.  Usually the bottom lock jams because it collapses on its internal mechanism.  One minute you could be locking and unlocking the lock fine and another it could all jam up and lock you out.  The bottom lock is called a mortise lock. This lock is designed with all the mechanism inside held together with two plates. These two plates tend to come loose and when they do all the internal mechanism jump out of its track and jam up.  Usually there are tell tail signs that the lock is about to go, but because we are always so busy we don't pay attention.  Sometimes when the lock is about to collapse it will give you a hard time when you are locking or unlocking it, so that is the best time to call a local locksmith to come and check it out.  when the locksmith comes he/she will be able to take the lock body out, lubricate adjust and put back the lock. By doing the above you would save at least $250 dollars.  How you ask?  Well if you would be locked out due to collapsed lock it would cost you at least $125 up to $175 to have a locksmith just open the lock. After opening the lock you definitely going to need a new mortise lock which could cost you from   $195 up to $350 depending on which mortise lock you have.  So to save money and a heartache have your locks checked by a professional locksmith as soon as you move into an apartment.  I always tell my clients to lubricate their locks at least twice a year if not more.  Most locksmiths in Queens provide a free advisement when it comes to locksmith work.  If your local locksmith does not provide a free walk through call one that does. Abbaslocksmith in Queens always has technicians to do estimates for clients free of charge.  In Queens There are at least seven very good locksmiths.  Abco master lock and key in Forest Hills, Around the clock in Woodhaven, Admiral lock and key in Astoria, Armor locksmith in Freshmeadows, Jstein locksmith in Jamaica, and Joseph locksmith in Jackson Heights.  I personally have worked for all these locksmiths so I know they do free security walk through for houses, apartments and businesses. 


door hardware

Medeco High Security deadbolt



Rekeyed Schlage Lock sets in Forest Hills



Padlock



Mul-T-Lock Deadbolts



Key machine

Price it.

Everyone who calls a locksmith to get their locks changed or fixed they should be aware that there are at least five different types of deadbolts that locksmiths should readily have available at any time.  So if your are a person who owns a house with wood doors and currently have either kwik set or schlage locksets then you should have your locks upgraded to either Medeco or Mul-T-Locks because the upgrade will enhance the security of the door.  The Medeco and Mul-T-Lock systems have a pick proof cylinders which stop professional thieves from being able to pick your lock open.  The high security deadbolts will also delay your door being kicked in.  To even further enhance the door's security you should have the frame reinforced with a super strike. The super strike is an extended piece of metal which is installed on the frame side of the door.  This is the point where the door latch and deadbolt engage into the frame.  Having an extended piece of metal will stop the wood frame from breaking away while being kicked in.  I recommend fiber glass doors with metal frames as compared to wood doors with wood frames.
In today's economy everyone budgets their money so they can stretch it as far as they can, so when it comes to locks you should also keep your budget in mind and try to get the most for your bucks.  So when it comes to locks your cheapest option is to have your existing locks rekeyed.  Rekeying locks is when the locksmith takes out the existing locks and changes the pins inside the cylinder plugs from the existing to a new key.  The next cheapest option is to install standard quality locks such as Kwik Set locks, Defiant Locks, or Schlage locks.  Okay the next option is mid level locks.  Arrow, falcon, Schlage grade 2 and Master locks.  High Security locks include Medeco, Mul-T-Lock and Abloy locks.  The rekeys should not cost more than $45 per cylinder, regular locks should not be more than $110 each, the mid level locks should not be more than $195 and the High security locks should not be more than $350.  Locksmiths in Queens usually charge less than locksmiths in Manhattan.  All emergency locksmiths are equipped with all the locks I mentioned above.