Emergency Locksmith in Erie, PA

What counts as urgent in Erie

Not every lock problem is an emergency. These usually are:

• Someone at risk. A person who cannot get out on their own, or a child or animal, is locked in a home or car. Call 911 first.
• Exposure to the cold. Erie County is in PennDOT's northwest district, which averages 83 inches of snow, against 43 inches in the Allegheny County district. Being shut out on a January night is a safety problem.
• A home that will not lock. An outside door left unsecured by a break-in, storm damage or a failed deadbolt.
• A car on a snow emergency route. Section 512.09 of Article 512 (Snow Emergency) lets police remove a vehicle parked or stalled on one, so give the street and cross street when you ask for help. See car lockout for the car itself. This is general information, not legal advice.

A lock that sticks but still works can usually be handled as a routine request.

After a break-in

If someone may still be inside, call 911 and stay out. Otherwise report the break-in to the police before anyone else. Wait outside until police clear the house, and leave the damaged door and lock untouched until they have seen them. Photograph the damage and keep the report number for a landlord or claims adjuster.

In a rental, tell the landlord as well. East Bayfront's 2020 plan reports homeownership of about 30 percent, so the door may be the landlord's to repair.

A forced door often splits the frame at the strike rather than breaking the lock itself, and the frame may need reinforcing before any lock will hold.

Before any work starts

Get the total in writing by text or email, and pay in a way that leaves a record. If a complaint is ever needed, the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection asks for the contract and proof of payment. Hiring a locksmith in Pennsylvania explains what else to check.

What to send

• The address or, for a car, the street and nearest cross street
• What happened, and whether anyone is at risk or police are involved
• Which door or vehicle, with photos of any damage
• Proof you live there or own the car, if you can reach it

For a straightforward lockout, see house lockout. More on emergency locksmith service and the Erie page.