Emergency Locksmith. UPVC repairs. Car keys & remotes. Ross on Wye. Forest of Dean. 01594 541156 / 07736 038346
Not posted anything for a while. Let’s see how long winded fitting a cat flap can be. Customer’s cats wanted a flap fitting but the design of the door prevented a simple installation. The door needed adaptation from a 3 panel/2 bar lower section to a single section panel.
We picked this British Standard 5 lever lock to open a commercial premises for the client. The main key had been lost and the spare key was several hours away.
BS locks are designed to be difficult to open without the key. They have to have a certain number of possible keys, a minimum specific time for a cutting attack on the bolt, and various other limits. They certainly aren’t easy to pick unless you know what you’re doing. This lock is a Union Strongbolt and is one of the more common locks.
Electronic PCBs don’t like getting wet, let alone going through a full hot wash. It might have been OK without the hole in the case. Here’s a remote we had to replace for a customer.
Here are a few keys and remotes that we’ve programmed recently
Modern vehicles have immobilisers fitted to prevent theft. These immobilisers look for a transponder chip in the key or the remote. It must be the exact same chip programmed into the vehicle for it to start. Although somebody else’s key may open your locks (a slim possibility) it will not start your vehicle unless your immobiliser has been previously been programmed to accept it. The metal part of the key is very cheap to replicate. To replace the transponder can involve quite a lot of work.
The latest type vehicles with smart remotes that you can keep in your pocket are actually quite vulnerable to theft. It is possible that a thief can steal your vehicle if your remote is in range. These smart / proximity remotes should not be kept within range of your vehicle. Keep them at the back of the house, or invest in a blocker bag, or metal box.
When double glazing becomes misty or full of condensation it is an indication that the seal between the glass has failed. A blown double glazed panel also won’t be as thermally efficient.
Below is an example of the improvement achieved by replacing a misty double glazed unit.
Double glazed units come in several thicknesses. This is set by the UPVC frame that you have. To increase the insulation of the glass you’ll be looking for coated glass and argon filled. Coated glass such as ‘Low E’ will have the benefit of being cooler in summer as it can reflect solar radiation.
Panels that are low to the floor will probably have to be BS or toughened glass. This is to protect children who may run into it and otherwise shatter the glass into dangerous shards.
Customer only ever had 1 key for their Honda Jazz, and when they lost that key their car was immobilised in a pay and display car park. We made a new key in situ, and also made their first remote key since having the car. 
Most (but not all) car keys can be produced by independent an auto locksmith. Many dealers will say that only they can make keys for their cars – this is normally not the case.
As Winter turns to Spring, or Autumn turns to winter there is always a peak in the number of UPVC door mechanisms failing. If your door is difficult to lock or unlock, get your door adjusted before the mechanism breaks and jams the door locked or unlocked.
Corrective adjustment of a UPVC door before it breaks is much cheaper than a repair.
A customer’s UPVC window wouldnt open. It’s obvious why when you look at the photo. There were 4 or 5 other bits of broken cog but I dropped them in long grass.
This is a Coldseal Tallon mechanism. It was discontinued many years ago. To replace it a completely different mechanism has to be adapted in order to repair the UPVC window.
Land Rover Freelander 2 remote repair. These remotes do not have an easily replaced battery. It’s actually soldered onto the circuit board. It isn’t a difficult job to replace the battery, but be very careful what your’re touching with the heat gun/soldering iron – especially if you’ve only got the one remote.
Imagine the scene… your UPVC door has been awkward to lock/unlock for a few weeks. You’ve been out all day with the family, but you can’t open the door. You’re all locked out, standing in the street until you can get hold of a locksmith to let you in.
The strain caused by the door being badly adjusted has caused the gearbox to break inside the door. The door is now jammed shut. It’s a really common problem.
If you doors aren’t smooth to lock/unlock; either get it sorted, or be prepared for the mechanism inside to fail completely.
