Does a locksmith break your lock to get you in?

How do locksmiths open a locked door without damage?

Most house locks in Winnipeg are pin tumbler locks: the cylinder holds a row of small spring-loaded pins, and the right key lifts each one to the right height so the cylinder can turn. A locksmith can do the same job without the key.

• Picking. A tension tool holds light turning pressure on the cylinder while a pick sets the pins one at a time. On a standard residential deadbolt or knob, an experienced locksmith usually gets there without leaving a mark.
• Bypass. Some locks can be opened without touching the pins at all, for example by working the latch rather than the cylinder, or through a gap the door already has. Which method fits depends on the lock and the door.
• Other non-destructive tools. Locksmiths carry a range of tools for specific lock types and situations. The aim is always the same: open the lock, leave it working.

Once the door is open, the lock should turn and lock exactly as it did before. Your key still works. Nothing needs replacing.

When is drilling genuinely needed?

There are honest reasons to drill, and a good locksmith will explain which one applies to you.

1. The lock has failed inside. A broken cam, a snapped tailpiece or a cylinder that has come apart can't be picked open, because the mechanism no longer connects to the bolt.
2. The cylinder is seized. Old, corroded or badly frozen locks can bind so hard that picking doesn't work. Winnipeg's freeze-thaw cycles and road salt carried in on boots and keys don't help.
3. High-security cylinders. Some cylinders are designed specifically to resist picking and bypass. Opening them without the key can mean drilling, and that's part of what you paid for.
4. A key is snapped deep in the lock. Usually the broken piece can be extracted, but now and then the cylinder is damaged enough that replacing it is the sensible route.

In every one of these cases, the locksmith should stop, tell you why, tell you what drilling will change (you'll need a new cylinder or lock), and wait for your answer before starting.

Why is "drill first" a warning sign?

Because drilling turns a quick opening into a lock replacement, and that's a bigger bill. It's also one of the patterns in locksmith complaints across Canada.

CBC Calgary reported on a homeowner who was told her locks were too complex to pick and would have to be drilled. A locksmith she spoke to later told her that neither lock needed drilling (CBC News). Locksmiths quoted in the same report said that fake operators typically claim a lock has to be drilled, and that usually it doesn't.

The pattern is simple to spot: the person arrives, glances at an ordinary deadbolt, and says it's a special lock that has to be drilled, without trying anything else first. If that happens, it's fine to say no and ask them to leave. For the wider set of warning signs, see how to spot a fake locksmith.

What can I ask before the work starts?

You're allowed to ask questions, even when you're cold and tired. A real locksmith expects them.

• "How will you open it?" You want to hear picking or bypass first, not "I'll drill it."
• "If you need to drill, will you tell me first?" The only good answer is yes.
• "How is the price worked out?" Agree it before anything starts, and ask them to stop and check with you if it changes.
• "Can I see some ID?" And expect them to ask for yours. A careful locksmith asks for ID before opening a door. Why a real locksmith asks for ID explains what to have ready.

Our own approach is written down: we pick or bypass before we drill, and if a lock has to be drilled we tell you why before we touch it. If you need someone now, our emergency locksmith page has the call and text buttons.

Does an electronic lock change the answer?

Mostly not. Many keypad and smart deadbolts still have an ordinary key cylinder underneath, and that cylinder opens the same way as any other. If your problem is a flat battery rather than a lost key, try the lock's own backup first: our guide to a keypad door lock battery dead walks through the 9-volt and key options by brand.

What should I do after the door is open?

If you were locked out because your keys are lost, not just left on the kitchen counter, think about who might have them. A key that's missing with your address on the ring, or in a stolen bag with your licence, still opens your door. A rekey changes the inside of the lock so the old keys stop working, and you keep the hardware you have. Our post on should I change locks after losing keys covers that decision.

If the lock was already stiff, worn or loose before the lockout, now is a good time to mention it. A lock that's on its way out is often what causes the next lockout, usually in February.

The short version

• Most residential locks open without damage.
• Drilling is a last resort for failed, seized or high-security locks.
• A locksmith who drills first, without trying anything else, is a red flag.
• Ask how they'll open it, how the price works, and expect to show your ID.