Frequently Asked Questions

  • QUESTIONS ABOUT REKEYING YOUR HOME

    Have questions about hiring a locksmith or rekeying your home in Shreveport, Bossier City, or surrounding areas?

  • WHAT HAPPENS TO MY OLD KEYS AFTER REKEYING?

    Once your locks are rekeyed, the old keys will no longer work. You'll receive new keys that operate the rekeyed locks.

  • HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO REKEY A TYPICAL HOME?

    The time depends on how many locks you have and their condition. When you schedule residential rekey service, our team can help you determine what to expect based on the number of doors and locks in your home.

  • DO YOU REKEY LOCKS FOR LANDLORDS OR MULTIPLE PROPERTIES?

    Yes. Loksafe works with landlords, property managers, rental property owners, and customers with multiple properties throughout Shreveport, Bossier City, and surrounding areas. We can help rekey locks between tenants, organize keys, and—when the locks are compatible—key multiple locks to work with the same key.


    For larger properties or multiple locations, we can also help you develop a masterkeying plan that makes managing your keys easier while maintaining control over who has access.

  • CAN ALL MY LOCKS BE REKEYED TO USE THE SAME KEY?

    Often, yes. If your locks are compatible, we can rekey multiple locks to work with one key. Our locksmith can determine which of your existing locks can be keyed alike.


  • SHOULD I REKEY OR REPLACE MY LOCKS?

    If your existing locks are in good working condition, rekeying is often all that's needed when you want old keys to stop working. If a lock is damaged or worn out, it may need to be replaced. Loksafe can install and rekey compatible customer-provided residential hardware.

  • CAN I BRING MY LOCKS TO YOUR SHREVEPORT LOCK SHOP FOR REKEYING?

    Yes. You can remove your existing locks and bring them to our Shreveport lock shop for rekeying. You can also bring us new, uninstalled locks and have them rekeyed before you install them yourself.

  • DO I NEED TO USE A LICENSED LOCKSMITH IN LOUISIANA?

    Yes. Locksmiths in Louisiana are required to be properly licensed by the state of Louisiana. Choosing a licensed locksmith helps ensure you're working with a professional who has met state requirements to perform locksmith work – this includes passing a federal background check. Loksafe is a Louisiana-licensed locksmith company (License #F14) serving Shreveport, Bossier City, and surrounding Northwest Louisiana communities. Our technicians complete 16 hours of continuing education each year—twice the state-required amount—to stay current on locksmith products, techniques, and security technology.

Common Terms

Access Control

  • Any barrier or device, either natural or man-made, that limits or prohibits, free or unlimited access


ADA

  • American with Disabilities Act, a US Federal law that dealing with minimum standards of building accessibility, as well as other issues concerning individuals with disabilities


Back Set

  • The distance between the center of a cross-bore and the bolt edge of a door or a drawer


Burglar Resistant

  • of or pertaining to a security container designed to resist forcible entry for a specified period of time determined by the rating of the container


Continuous Hinges

  • This type of hinge is also known as a piano hinge. It runs the entire length of the door. Small screws are used to hold it into position. These hinges also come in a heavy duty design


Cylinder

  • A complete operating unit which usually consists of the plug shell, tumblers, springs, plug retainer, a cam/tailpiece or other actuating device, and all other necessary operating parts


Door Closer

  • a device designed to regulate the closing of a door automatically by various means strong>Door Hinges - Door hinges are made of two metal plates that are attached together with a removable pin. The metal plates are attached to the door and door jamb with screws. Hinges hold the door securely to the door jamb and allow it to swing open and closed


Pivot

  • a hinge with a fixed pin, and knuckle, forming a single joint


Double Cylinder

  • A deadbolt lock whose bolt may be operated by a key from either side


Dummy Cylinder

  • A nonfunctional facsimile of a rim or mortise cylinder used for appearance only, usually to conceal a cylinder hole


Electronic Door Strikes

  • an electro-mechanical strike, which secures or releases the latch via applied current


Fire Safe

  • A fire-resistant safe is a type of safe that is designed to protect its contents from high temperatures or actual fire. Fire resistant safes are usually rated by the amount of time they can withstand the extreme temperatures a fire produces, while not exceeding a set internal temperature


Handle Sets

  • Door handle sets are kits that include a door handle and a separate locking mechanism. These sets are made for exterior entry door handles and also for interior door handles. Handle sets are available with three different options: Single Cylinder, Double Cylinder, and Dummy set


High Security

  • The degree of protection against danger, loss, and criminals


Jambs

  • The vertical components of a door frame


Interconnected Lockset

  • A lockset whose trim provides a means of simultaneous retraction of two or more bolts which may also be operated independently


Kick Plates

  • A protective plate mounted on the bottom of a door to prevent damage to minimize damage to the door


Latch

  • 1. n. A mechanical or magnetic door fastener which can automatically keep a door, gate, etc., closed, 2. v. engagement of a latch when a door, gate, etc. is pushed or pulled closed


Magnetic Locking Systems

  • a simple locking device that consists of an electromagnet and armature plate. By attaching the electromagnet to the door frame and the armature plate to the door, a current passing through the electromagnet attracts the armature plate holding the door shut. Unlike an electric strike a magnetic lock has no interconnecting parts and is therefore not suitable for high security applications because it is possible to bypass the lock by disrupting the power supply. Nevertheless, the strength of today's magnetic locks compares well with that of conventional door locks and they cost less than conventional light bulbs to operate. Usually in a commercial environment such as hospitals, schools, and etc.


Master-key System

  • 1. adj. Any keying arrangement which has two or more levels of keying, 2. a keying arrangement which has exactly two levels of keying


Exit Device

  • (Also commonly called panic bar or crash bar) a door lock/latch mechanism which releases in the direction of exit travel via a bar or panel extending across the major width of the door


Push button/electronic locks

  • a self contained lock with controls that must be pressed in a specific pattern or sequence to open the lock


Re-Key

  • to fit change the existing combination of a cylinder or lock


Single Cylinder

  • Pertaining to a lock with a key operation from one side only


Store Front Door

  • The door of a commercial building that usually faces the street. It is usually the main point of entrance and a glass door


Strike

  • a bolt receptacle typically mounted in the door jamb or on the floor


Thresholds

  • A horizontal piece of wood, stone, or metal that forms the bottom of a doorway and offers support when passing through a doorway


Weather strip/weather seal

  • A narrow strip of material to cover the joint of a door or window to exclude the cold and pest