Keys or fobs? Choosing access control for a small business
Cards, fobs and codes can be switched off the moment someone leaves, and they record who opened which door. Here's what a small business system involves and where to start.
Lock and key help for Winnipeg
What happened? Start there.
Plain answers for homes, cars and businesses: what to do first, what's safe to try yourself, and when it's worth calling.
Something's wrong right now
- Someone broke into my home
- I think my garage door spring snapped
- I lost every key to my car
- I'm locked out and don't want damage
- My car door is frozen shut
- The power's out and my car is in the garage
- My garage door opener stopped working
- My garage door keeps going back up
- My garage door won't open in the cold
- My car fob quit at minus thirty
- My keypad lock died and I'm outside
- I lost my house keys somewhere
- My home safe won't open
- I'm locked out and need to show ID
Planning ahead
- I want staff fobs instead of keys
- I need a garage door built for our winters
- I need the right locks for my business
- I want to know when my springs will go
- I want to know who can change my rental's locks
- I'm a landlord between tenants
- I can't decide whether to rekey or replace
- I want a stronger front door
- I want a smart lock that copes with winter
- I want to stop garage break-ins
- I want my garage door ready for winter
All guides
25 guides
Right nowWhat to do after a break-in: the first 24 hours
A break-in turns an ordinary day upside down. Here is the order to do things in, from the first phone call to a door that locks properly tonight.
Plan aheadThe best garage door for a Winnipeg winter: insulation, R-value and seals
Shopping for a garage door that copes with a prairie winter? Here is what actually keeps the cold out, how to read R-value and U-factor, and when an old door is done.
Right nowBroken garage door spring: how to tell, and what not to touch
A broken spring is the garage door problem you should never fix yourself. Here is how to recognise one, and what to do while you wait.
Right nowCan a locksmith make a car key without the original?
No spare, no original, and the car is sitting in a parking lot. Here is how a new key gets made from scratch, and what to have ready.
Plan aheadCommercial door lock types: a plain guide for business owners
Most business doors use one of four lock types. Here's how to tell them apart, which suits which door, and what BHMA grades and interchangeable cores mean.
Right nowDoes a locksmith break your lock to get you in?
Most house locks open without damage. Here's when drilling is genuinely needed, why reaching for the drill first is a warning sign, and what to ask before work starts.
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Free printables, no email
Checklists to keep by the door
One page each. Print it, tick it off, keep it in the glovebox or on the fridge.
Right nowFrozen car lock or door in Winnipeg: what to do (and why not hot water)
A frozen car lock is a Winnipeg rite of passage. Here is what actually works at minus thirty, what makes it worse, and how to stop it happening again.
Right nowHow to use the garage door manual release (and when not to)
The red cord on your garage door opener lets you open the door by hand in a power outage. Used the wrong way, it can drop a heavy door. Here is the safe order.
Right nowGarage door opener not working? Check these first
Most dead openers come down to a handful of simple causes. Work through them in order before anything gets taken apart.
Right nowGarage door won't close? Sensors, sun and other causes
A garage door that won't close at night is a security problem as well as a nuisance. Here is how to find the cause, starting with the sensors.
Right nowGarage door won't open in the cold? Five Winnipeg winter causes
Deep cold stops garage doors in five predictable ways. Here is how to tell which one you have, and which ones to leave alone.
Plan aheadHow long do garage door springs last?
A spring's life is counted in cycles. Count your household's daily opens and you can work out roughly where yours are.
Right nowKey fob not working in the cold? What to try before you call
A fob that works fine in the kitchen can go silent in a Winnipeg parking lot. Here is why, and how to get in and get started anyway.
Right nowKeypad or smart lock battery dead? How to get back in
A dead keypad deadbolt usually has a way back in: a key cylinder, two 9-volt contacts or a USB port. Here's how to find yours before you're standing on the step at minus 30.
Plan aheadCan a landlord or tenant change the locks in Manitoba?
In Manitoba, neither side can change the locks on a rental without the other's consent. Here's what s. 53 of The Residential Tenancies Act says, and where to go if you disagree.
Right nowLost your house keys? Whether to change the locks, and what's quicker
Lost your keys and wondering if you need new locks? One question decides it, and rekeying usually means you keep the locks you have.
Plan aheadRekeying between tenants: a turnover routine for Manitoba landlords
Every rental turnover should end with a rekey and a counted set of keys. Here's a simple routine for Winnipeg landlords, from the key return to the new tenant's first night.
Plan aheadRekey or replace your locks? A simple way to decide
Rekeying and replacing both make old keys useless. Which one you need depends on the state of your locks and what you want from them.
Right nowSafe won't open? Dead battery, lost code or a lock fault
Most safes that won't open have a tired battery, not a broken lock. Here's the order to check things in, how a lost combination is recovered, and when to call a safe technician.
Plan aheadHow to secure your front door from break-ins
Front doors are usually beaten at the frame, not the lock. Here is where to spend your effort, in the order that makes the biggest difference.
Plan aheadSmart locks in a Winnipeg winter: what holds up at minus thirty
Smart locks can handle a prairie winter, but not every model is rated for it. Here is how to read the temperature specs and what to plan for.
Plan aheadHow to stop garage break-ins in Winnipeg
Most garage break-ins use an easy way in: a side door, a remote left in the car, or the emergency release. Here is how to close each one.
Right nowWhy a real locksmith asks for ID before opening your door
A careful locksmith asks for ID before opening a home or car. Here's what to have ready, what happens when your ID is inside, and why being asked is a good sign.
Plan aheadHow to winterize a garage door before a Winnipeg winter
An hour in October saves a stuck door in January. Here is the whole routine, in order, and what to leave to a technician.
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