Lock Replacement in Harrisburg, PA

Fitting new locks to old doors

Close to half of Harrisburg's homes (48.6%, says the HBG2020 Comprehensive Plan) were built in 1939 or earlier, and some neighborhoods run older still:

• Midtown is mostly 19th- and early 20th-century buildings.
• Old Uptown dates mainly from 1895 to 1905.
• Allison Hill's historic district, overlooking Cameron Street, is predominantly brick.

On doors this age, lock replacement is mostly about fitting new hardware to the door that is already there: the old bore holes, mortise pocket and strike position decide what will fit cleanly. Replacement makes sense when a cylinder is worn past rekeying, a deadbolt no longer throws fully, parts are broken or missing, or the door carries a weaker lock than you want. A latch that only sticks may need lock repair instead.

When a historic district applies

Harrisburg has six municipal historic districts; the first two, Harrisburg and Shipoke, date to 1974. Section 7-317.6 of the Zoning Code covers exterior changes in those districts that are visible from a public street, public alley or adjacent sidewalk. The city's 2021 design guidelines add three points:

• Exact in-kind door repairs need no city review.
• Storm doors need no HARB review if historic materials are not removed or altered.
• Changing a historic door's material or style, such as wood to steel, needs HARB review.

The guidelines lean toward keeping and repairing historic wood doors, and they name quality locksets, deadbolts and a secure jamb and casing as the way to a safe entry. If an upgrade would mean replacing the door itself, ask the city before ordering anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Choosing the replacement

• A new deadbolt is only as strong as the strike, jamb and casing around it, so ask how the strike will be anchored.
• Choose a finish and style that suit the door, especially one facing the street.
• Ask for new locks that take the same key as your other doors.

Photos for the request

Send photos of both faces of the door and the lock's edge, the door's thickness, whether the house is in a historic district, and what you want from the new lock. More on the city's historic districts is on the Harrisburg page.