Like in all aspects of life the phrase “in hindsight” pops up quite regularly in the locksmithing world.
Normally it is whilst we are speaking with a customer whose lock has been hard to lock or grinding “for a few weeks now”.
Sometimes were not aware of this in time and there are security repercussions (i.e. a failed lock door), however sometimes the customer falls lucky and catches it just in time.
This week we had one of those occasions with a lovely couple from the Anstey area of Leicestershire.
The customer on the phone initially reported that there was a clicking sound when trying to lock the door. We were able to advise her on two possibilities based upon her description, however this was one which we would have to see to fully advise.
On arrival the customer told us that there was an issue with ‘floppy handles’ as well as another issue with the rear door to the property.
On inspection of the door handles we immediately noticed that the internal spring cassette had completely disintegrated on both sides. This is a common issue and is an easy fix with the installation of two new cassettes. We were then able to move onto the ‘clicking’ sound which was made when the door handle was lifted.
When removing the full mechanism from the frame it became clear that part of the casing had fractured. This had then become lodged next to a moving part and, although not preventing the door from locking, it made a horrible audible click.
On close inspection the fractured piece of metal was not part of any moving structure and therefore its removal had no bearing on how the door functioned.
However, whilst completing a bit of an MOT of the gearbox it was noted that certain important parts were showing a lot of wear and may require replacement later on down the line.
We were able to relay the information that we found back to the customer in a way that they understood their options:
- a) They keep the old gear box and keep an eye on it
- b) They replace the gear box
The customer decided to replace the old gear box rather than risk any difficulties in getting parts later down the line (this based on previous models of the same gearbox being discontinued). This also gave them piece of mind with a 12-month guarantee from ourselves.
Nicely the rear door was slightly easier to deal with and was a simple case (like with many properties) of the mechanism requiring lubrication.
This obviously coming at no extra cost to the customer!
Whilst we were with both doors we checked for any alignment issues especially due to the change in weather.
We always go above and beyond for all of our clients and remain one of the most trusted locksmiths in Leicester.
