Broken Key Extraction in Charlotte, NC

Where keys break in Charlotte

A key usually snaps when it is turned against resistance: a worn cylinder, a door pulling on the bolt, or ice in the keyway. Charlotte's shared entries, older houses and winter storms each set up one of those.

• Shared entries in Uptown. People who live in the Fourth Ward or in a tower may pass through a shared lobby or garage door as well as their own. A shared cylinder turns many times a day and wears down sooner than a house lock. If a key breaks in one, tell building management, which may need to approve the work.
• Older houses. Dilworth dates from 1891 and Plaza Midwood from 1910. A long-used cylinder in a house of that age can have worn pins that make a key drag, and a key that drags is a key that eventually breaks.
• Icy mornings. NOAA's summary for the state includes freezing rain, which can glaze a keyway. A key forced into a glazed lock is one way to snap it; let the ice thaw or use a lock de-icer rather than more force.

What not to do

• Do not push the other half, or another key, into the lock. It drives the broken piece deeper.
• Do not use glue on the stub. It can bond the key to the cylinder.
• Do not keep turning the lock or forcing the door.
• Keep the broken-off half. It can often be used to cut a new key.

If you are locked out, check whether another door opens with a different key before asking for help. If the key broke in a rental, tell the landlord or property manager before anyone replaces the cylinder.

What to send about the lock

1. A clear photo of the lock face showing the stub, and a photo of the other half.
2. Which lock: house door, unit door, shared lobby, garage, mailbox or car.
3. Whether the lock is in the locked or unlocked position.
4. The building name, or the neighborhood and nearest intersection.

The broken key extraction page describes the service. If the cylinder was damaged, lock repair may follow, and Charlotte has more on the city's neighborhoods.