Lock problems you can fix yourself, and when to call a locksmith

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

What can you safely do yourself?

More than you might think, as long as the job is maintenance rather than getting past a lock. ALOA, the locksmiths' trade association, publishes several fixes it suggests homeowners try before calling anyone.

• Tighten the hinge screws. ALOA says worn hinges let a door drop so the latch no longer lines up with the strike plate, and suggests tightening the hinge screws, the top hinge especially, to see whether the door lifts back into line. It warns this may be a temporary repair.
• Lubricate the lock. ALOA says locks need occasional maintenance, and suggests a very short burst of penetrating oil in the keyway, the latch and the hinges, then working the lock and door back and forth.
• Copy from the original key. ALOA says copying an old or worn key can carry its wear into the copy, and that a fresh copy from an original may fix a key that sticks.
• Replace a fob battery. For cars, ALOA says a dead battery is the most frequent reason a fob stops working, and most take a coin cell. It says to open the case carefully, because older fobs crack easily.

Police add a few jobs that need no special skill. Lower Moreland Township police in Montgomery County tell residents to anchor the strike plate to the house framing with 3 inch screws, to put a blocking device such as a dowel in the track of sliding doors and windows, and to leave a spare key with a trusted neighbor instead of hiding one outside.

Can you replace a lock yourself?

Sometimes. ALOA's answer is that it depends on the age of your house and your comfort with hand tools. In most newer houses the holes for locks are standard sizes, so swapping one or two locks can be a moderately easy task. In an older house, or where many locks need changing, it suggests consulting a locksmith, partly because older doors may have had locks of different types fitted over the years.

Whatever you install, the King County Sheriff's Office in Washington State suggests Grade 1 or Grade 2 locks on exterior doors and single-cylinder deadbolts with a one-inch bolt. It also says to research a brand before buying, or to buy from a locksmith.

What about rekeying kits?

They exist, and the cost surveys price them. Angi gives $15 to $40 per kit for do-it-yourself rekeying, against $50 to $130 per lock for a locksmith. HomeAdvisor gives $30 to $60 per lock for a kit. No consumer agency or police source read for this guide offers advice on doing it yourself, so weigh the saving against the risk of a lock that no longer works.

How do you keep a smart lock secure yourself?

By treating it like any connected device. The Federal Trade Commission's advice is to change any default username and password and not reuse a password from another account, to turn on two-factor authentication if the device offers it, to install firmware updates and use the latest version of the app, and to switch off features you will not use, such as remote management. It also says to secure the home router first, since that is how connected devices reach the internet. None of that needs a locksmith.

What should you leave to a locksmith?

• A door that is out of line. If the hinge screws will not tighten, ALOA says to have a locksmith realign the door.
• A lock that is worn out. ALOA says a worn lock may need rekeying, a new latch or full replacement, which a locksmith can diagnose.
• A new key with no good original. ALOA says a locksmith may be able to cut an original key from the lock's code.
• A key broken off in a car lock. ALOA says not to try removing it yourself, because that can make the lock inoperable, and that the usual fix is then replacing the lock.
• Lost car keys. ALOA says to call a locksmith if every key is lost or a key that worked before starts giving error messages, though for some cars, most often European ones, only the dealership can help.
• A lockout. Forcing a door or lock yourself risks the damage Ohio's Attorney General warns about: it says breaking a lock can damage your property and cost much more, and that most skilled locksmiths can open locks without destroying them.

Is there a lockout you should not wait on?

Yes: a child or anyone at risk shut inside a car. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that if you see a child alone in a locked car, act immediately and call 911. It says more than 1,000 children have died of heatstroke in hot cars over the past 25 years. That is not a job for a locksmith quote.

What should you not attempt?

Anything that amounts to defeating your own lock. Guides on this site do not explain how locks are opened without a key, and the sources above do not recommend it to homeowners. If you cannot get in, the safer route is a locksmith you have checked; how to choose a locksmith explains the checks, and the warning signs guide helps you tell a door problem from a lock problem. Local businesses are on the locksmiths directory page.

Sources

1. Common Lock Issues: Advice and Info, ALOA Security Professionals Association
2. Should I Change My Locks When I Move Into a House?, ALOA Security Professionals Association
3. Issues With Your Auto Key Fob, ALOA Security Professionals Association
4. Securing Your Internet-Connected Devices at Home, Federal Trade Commission
5. Prevent Burglaries with these tips from Chief Smith!, Lower Moreland Township Police Department
6. Doors and locks, King County Sheriff's Office
7. Beware: Searching for Local Locksmiths May Lead to Faraway Call Centers, Ohio Attorney General
8. Child Heatstroke Prevention: Prevent Hot Car Deaths, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
9. How Much Does a Locksmith Cost? [2026 Data], Angi
10. How Much Does a Locksmith Cost?, HomeAdvisor