Lock Replacement in Orlando, FL

Two eras of Orlando doors

Orlando's housing spans a long stretch of time. Thornton Park, Lake Eola Heights and Lake Cherokee have been inside the city since 1875, Baldwin Park was annexed in 1947, and the Lake Nona neighborhoods came in through annexations in 1994 and 1998. Replacing a lock means different work at each end.

An older door may carry a mortise lock set into a pocket in its edge, and swapping it for a modern deadbolt can mean filling old holes or reinforcing the edge. Newer doors are usually bored for standard deadbolts and knob or lever sets, so replacement tends to be about worn finishes, a latch that no longer catches, or moving every door to one key or a keypad; see smart lock installation.

Historic districts and design approval

Lake Eola Heights, Lake Cherokee, Lake Copeland and Colonialtown South are local historic districts. Orlando has six historic preservation overlay districts, governed by Chapter 62 (Historic Preservation and Architectural Design) and Chapter 65 (Historic Districts and Landmarks) of the city code. The city takes Certificate of Appropriateness applications for major and minor changes to historic properties.

If the house is in a historic district, ask the city's historic preservation staff before replacing an original entry door. If you are unsure whether a smaller hardware change counts as a change to the property, ask before work starts. Where the original lock can be saved, lock repair is worth weighing first. This is general information, not legal advice.

Planning a replacement

• Measure the backset, the distance from the door edge to the center of the lock hole, and the thickness of the door.
• Photograph the lock from inside, from outside and along the door edge.
• Say whether you want to keep your current key, match other doors or change to a keypad.
• Name the neighborhood and, if it applies, the historic district.

The lock replacement page describes the service, and Orlando has the wider city picture.