Lock Replacement in Stamford, CT

Older doors, newer hardware

The South End Historic District holds 449 buildings, most from the 1870s to the 1930s. It is also where Linus Yale Jr. and Henry Robinson Towne founded the Yale Lock Manufacturing Company in 1868 to make cylinder locks, and the Yale & Towne lock works gave Stamford its early nickname, "Lock City." That history is background. What matters today is the door in front of you.

Statewide, about one in five Connecticut homes dates from 1939 or earlier, and fewer than 6 percent date from 2010 or later. A house from before 1940 may still have a mortise lock set into a pocket in the door edge. Fitting a modern deadbolt in its place can mean altering the door, so ask about repair or a matching lock before anyone recuts an original wood door.

Repair, rekey or replace

• Keep and repair an original lock that still turns and latches but has gone stiff or loose, particularly on a South End door that has never been altered.
• Rekey when the lock is sound and the only problem is who holds keys.
• Replace when parts are worn through, the lock has been damaged, or matching parts for old hardware cannot be found.
• Change the door only as a last step. New hardware should be chosen to suit the door, rather than the door cut to suit the hardware.

What to include in a replacement request

Say which door it is, such as a front, side or porch door, and what is on it now: a deadbolt above a knob, a mortise lock or an all-in-one handle set. Note the door material and whether it is original to the building. If the house is in the South End, mention it, and say whether you want the new lock to look like the old one or you only need it to work.

Renters and condominium owners should confirm that a landlord or association will approve the change before anything is ordered.

Start with the contact page. The service page for lock replacement has more, and lock repair covers locks worth keeping.