With the world of the internet today, it seems it is possible to do anything yourself rather than hire a professional. Within just a few minutes you can find a YouTube video or an article of how to do almost anything.
However, when it comes to repairing locks on the doors of your home, you are probably asking the question: “Should I repair my own locks or have a professional do it?”
While some projects around the house are great to DIY, when it comes to the safety of you and your home and repairing a lock, you should leave it to the professionals. You may save a bit of money by doing it yourself, but you could make a mistake that could end up costing you a great deal more money in the end.
We are going to take you through the reasons why it is better for you to have a professional locksmith repair your locks.
TOOLS
The tools that are required for repairing a door lock are not always ones that a person typically has lying around the house. And just going to the nearest hardware store and buying them doesn’t mean that you actually know how to use them. A professional locksmith, on the other hand, is trained specifically in his tools and how to use them.
EXPERIENCE
One of the biggest things that a professional locksmith have that you likely do not is experience. Repairing locks is a major part of a locksmith’s job and is something he is performing on a regular basis. Chances are good that you, on the other hand, have rarely (if ever) repaired a lock. Thus, you may find yourself getting mixed up, frustrated, or incorrectly repairing it. You run the risk of locking yourself out and having to break in to your own home, which will cause even further damage.
SAFER LOCKS
If you repair your door lock on your own, you will likely head to the nearest hardware store and pick up your materials there. However, locks like the ones you find there are the ones that are usually the easiest for someone to pick. By hiring a professional locksmith, you have options of more secure locks that are higher quality and harder for someone to pick.
PROFESSIONAL INPUT
You may have already decided that you need to repair your entire lock, when indeed you really don’t have to. A professional locksmith will be able to look at your lock, listen to what your needs and concerns are, and tell you whether he thinks you need to change the locks entirely or whether you can simply rekey them. In the end, this could potentially save you a lot of money (and time).
KEY COPIES
If you repair your lock yourself, you will have to go to the hardware store to get new keys made. When you hire a professional locksmith to repair your lock, he will make copies of the new key for you and save you the trouble of a trip to the hardware store.
SPEED
Since you are likely new to repairing locks, even if you have a YouTube video to follow, it is going to take you a long time to get everything done correctly. Because a professional locksmith is regularly repairing locks, he will be able to do it extremely quickly and easily and save you the concern of having a broken lock.
OTHER SERVICES
When you hire a professional locksmith to repair your lock, you will have an opportunity to have him analyze your security needs and help you pick what will best protect you and help you rest easy and night and while away from home.
So to answer your question, “Should I repair my own locks or have a professional do it?”, the answer is “no.” You can never be quite sure that you have done it correctly until something goes wrong and your lock breaks again. Also, you will waste a great deal of time and potentially money tracking down all the tools and materials you need, trying to follow along with the internet directions, and repairing something that you are just not familiar with.
With a professional locksmith, you know that your high quality, high security locks have been properly installed and that you will no longer be concerned about the safety of your home. Not to mention, they will be able to complete this type of task so much more quickly than you could have imagined.
