Residential locksmith in Ottawa for rekeying, lock changes and repairs

New house, lost key, or a deadbolt that sticks every February. The Ottawa Locksmith rekeys, repairs and replaces the locks on your home, and cuts the keys that go with them.

Call 613-820-5648 Ask for a price

Cut-away of a pin tumbler lock: the key lifts every pin to the shear line

At a glance

For: Houses, condos, townhouses and rentals
Most asked for: Rekeying after a move
Also: Lock changes, repairs, key cutting, smart locks
Price: Given before work starts
Locked out?: See emergency locksmith
Experience: 10 years in the trade, Fully insured

Rekeying: new keys without new locks

A pin tumbler lock opens when the key lifts each stack of pins to the shear line, the edge between the turning plug and the fixed housing. Change the bottom pins and a different key is needed to do it. That is all rekeying is.

The locksmith takes the cylinder out of the door, removes the plug, swaps the pins for a new set of lengths and cuts new keys to match. The lock, the finish and the hardware on your door stay exactly as they are. Every old key stops working.

It is usually the least expensive way to take back control of who can get into your home, and it can be done to several doors at once so that one new key opens all of them, as long as they share the same keyway.

When to rekey and when to change the lock

Most people who ask for new locks only need new keys. These are the situations where each one makes sense.

You just moved in

Rekey. You do not know who holds keys to the old locks, and the hardware is usually fine.

A key is lost or was not returned

Rekey, the same day if the key could be linked to your address.

The lock sticks or will not turn

Repair first. Often the door has shifted and the bolt rubs on the strike, which is a door adjustment rather than a new lock.

The lock was forced

Replace it, and check the strike plate and frame, which usually take the damage.

You want a different look or a keypad

Replace. New hardware comes with new keys, and the other doors can be rekeyed to match.

The lock is old or cheap

Replace with a better deadbolt. A solid lock, a reinforced strike and long screws do more than any gadget.

Check your home

How secure is your front door?

Eight questions about the doors you already have. Most of the fixes are small, and none of them need a new door.

Every outside door, including the one from the garage, has a deadbolt
The strike plates are held by long screws that reach the wall stud
The locks were rekeyed after you moved in
You know exactly who holds a key
Sliding patio doors have a bar or a second lock
No glass is within arm’s reach of a thumb turn
The garage opener remote never sits in a car parked outside
Keypad codes and batteries were changed in the last year (or you have no keypad)

0out of 100

Answer the questions to see your score and what to fix first.

Book a door check

A residential locksmith visit on moving day

Rekeying is easiest before your furniture arrives and before you hand out spare keys. A typical visit goes like this.

Count the doors
Front, back, side, the door from the garage, a patio door with a key cylinder and any shed or gate locks you want included.
Check the keyways
Locks from the same maker can usually be set to one key. A lock from a different maker may need a new cylinder to match.
Rekey the cylinders
Each cylinder is opened, re-pinned and tested with the new key.
Check the strikes and screws
Short strike screws are replaced with long ones that reach the stud, and sticking bolts are adjusted.
Cut the spares
You decide how many keys exist this time, and who holds them.

Renting a home in Ontario: who may change the locks

Lock changes in rental housing are covered by Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, and the rules run both ways.

If you are a landlord rekeying between tenants, you can do it whenever the unit is empty. During a tenancy, the new tenant has to be given keys. If you are a tenant who wants a lock changed, ask the landlord in writing first, and give them a copy of the new key once they agree.

Condominium owners have one more layer: the doors to shared corridors, the lobby and the parking garage belong to the condominium corporation, and only the unit door is yours to change.

The Residential Tenancies Act

Section 24: landlords: A landlord may not change the locking system of a rental unit during a tenancy without giving the tenant replacement keys.
Section 35: tenants: A tenant may not change the locking system without the landlord's consent.

A short summary, not legal advice. The Landlord and Tenant Board deals with disputes.

Checklist

The moving-day lock checklist

Eight things to do in the first week in a new home. Your ticks are kept on this device, so you can come back to it.

Rekey every outside lock, including the garage entry and patio doorsChange the codes on keypad and smart locksClear old remotes from the garage door openerReplace short strike plate screws with long onesPut a bar or foot lock on sliding doorsCopy your Canada Post mailbox key if you only got oneDecide how many keys to cut, and who gets themStore a spare key with someone you trust, not under the mat

0 of 8done

Book a rekey

Locks you will find on Ottawa homes

The doors on a 1920s house in the Glebe and a 2020s townhouse in Barrhaven have very different hardware. These are the main types a residential locksmith in Ottawa works on.

Deadbolts

The lock that actually secures the door. A single-cylinder deadbolt with a thumb turn inside is the usual choice. A longer bolt throw and a solid strike matter more than the brand.

Handle sets and knobs

The spring latch holds the door shut in the wind, but it is not a security lock on its own. On many houses it is keyed to the deadbolt.

Mortise locks

Older houses and some apartment buildings have a single lock body set into the edge of the door. Parts are still available, and a good mortise lock is worth repairing rather than replacing.

Patio and sliding doors

Their latches are usually weak. A secondary bar or a foot lock at the bottom of the track adds real security for little cost.

Garage entry doors

The door from the garage into the house is often left with a basic knob. It deserves a deadbolt like the front door.

Keypad and smart deadbolts

Codes that can be changed when a contractor leaves, and app access on some models. Choose one with a keyed backup, and change the batteries every autumn before the cold.

Key cutting and copies

A residential locksmith copies keys on the spot, or makes them from a code. A few kinds need more care.

House keys

Copies of standard house keys, cut and checked in the lock they belong to, because a copy of a copy can be slightly off.

Restricted keys

Keys on a patented keyway that cannot be copied at a hardware counter, so you know exactly how many exist.

Canada Post mailbox keys

If you have one key, a copy can be cut. If both are lost, Canada Post owns the lock and replaces the keys, for a fee of $29 plus tax.

Padlocks, sheds and gates

Keyed to match the house where the padlock allows it, so one key does more.

Winter is hard on locks

Ottawa's freeze and thaw cycles cause a set of lock problems that come up every year.

A deadbolt that sticks in winter

Doors and frames shift with frost and humidity, and the bolt starts rubbing on the strike. Adjusting the strike usually fixes it for good.

A frozen lock

A lock de-icer made for door locks works. Do not pour hot water on a lock, which refreezes deeper inside, and do not oil it, because oil thickens in the cold and collects grit.

A key that is hard to turn

Worn pins or a worn key. A new key cut to the original code, not a copy of the worn one, often solves it.

Smart lock batteries

Alkaline batteries lose power in the cold, and outdoor keypads feel it first. Fresh batteries in the fall avoid a lockout in January.

What residential locksmith work costs

A price is given after you describe the doors and the locks, and confirmed before work starts. These are the things that change it.

Questions people ask

How long does it take to rekey a house?

For a typical house with a few doors, rekeying is a short visit, because each cylinder takes only minutes once it is out of the door. More doors, mismatched brands or older mortise locks add time.

Can all my locks be keyed to one key?

Usually. Locks that share the same keyway can be set to one key. A lock from a different maker may need its cylinder swapped for one that matches first.

Is it worth rekeying a new-build home?

Yes. Builder keys pass through trades, site supervisors and sales staff before you get them. Rekeying when you take possession is inexpensive, and some builder locks come with a feature that lets you set your own key.

Are smart locks safe in an Ottawa winter?

Most are rated for the cold, but batteries lose power in it. Change them each fall, keep the physical key somewhere other than the house, and choose a model with a keyed backup.

Other work The Ottawa Locksmith does

For everything else, from a sticking deadbolt to a safe, see the main page for a locksmith in Ottawa.

Tell us what is locked

613-820-5648

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

If you are locked out right now, call, day or night. For anything that can wait, send the form and you will get a call back with a price.