Lost accordion shutter key or broken lock
Shutter locks use small cylinders that an installer can replace without replacing the shutter. Every shutter on the house can be keyed to one key so there is nothing to hunt for next time.
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What people call about
- Keys that went missing, were left with a previous owner or are at the other house.
- A key that turns but the lock no longer catches, or a key snapped off in the lock.
- A seized cylinder that the key will not go into after a season closed.
- Different keys for every shutter and no record of which fits which.
- A tenant, property manager or family member who needs their own set.
What happens on the visit
- The lock type is identified (keyed cylinder, thumb latch, pin lock) and the cylinder is opened or replaced.
- New cylinders are fitted, keyed alike across all the shutters on the house if you want one key for everything.
- A broken key is extracted and the cylinder checked before a new key is cut.
- Seized locks are freed and lubricated with a dry lubricant, or replaced if the mechanism is corroded.
- You get the new keys, and the installer shows you how each shutter locks and unlocks.
What to have ready
- Do not drill the lock; the cylinder can be opened without damaging the shutter, and a drilled one has to be replaced.
- Count the openings with keyed locks before the visit so the installer brings the right number of cylinders.
- If anyone else needs a key (a neighbour who closes up for you, a property manager), say how many sets.
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach
Keyed shutter locks are everywhere in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach because so many homes are seasonal, rented or looked after by someone else. A single key for the whole house, with a spare left with whoever closes up, is the simplest fix for a storm week.
Questions people ask
- Can shutters be opened without the key?
- Most accordion shutters also lock from inside with a pin or latch, so an opening can usually be closed and locked from inside without the key. Opening a keyed lock from outside without the key is a job for the installer.
- Can all my shutters use one key?
- Yes. New cylinders can be keyed alike so one key opens every shutter on the house. Ask for that when you send the request.
- Do I need the whole lock replaced or just the cylinder?
- Usually just the cylinder. The housing on the shutter is normally fine; it is the small keyed cylinder that is lost, seized or broken.
- A key snapped off in the lock. Can it be fixed?
- Yes. The broken piece is extracted and the cylinder is either freed or replaced, then new keys are supplied.
- Can I get extra keys cut?
- Keys for the new cylinders can be cut at the visit, or later from the key number. Keep the number somewhere safe.
- What if my locks are an old type nobody stocks?
- The installer fits a current cylinder or lock set that suits the shutter. In rare cases a lock housing is replaced with a current one.
Get an installer out
Free estimate. The price is agreed before the work starts.
Other shutter services
- New accordion shutters
- Shutter won't close or lock
- Panels stuck in the track
- Close them before a storm
- Bent, cracked or missing blades
- Replace rusted or old shutters
- Condo and balcony shutters
- Storefront and business shutters
- Yearly tune-up
One Call Accordion Shutters arranges the visit; the installer does the work and gives you the price.