Locksmith Services in Philadelphia, PA

Homes and locks in Philadelphia

The City Planning Commission's Philadelphia Rowhouse Manual says rowhouses outnumber all other housing types in the city and sorts them into three eras.

• Colonial and early 19th century. Tiny Trinity or "bandbox" houses and larger Federal and Georgian townhouses cluster in Society Hill, Queen Village, Old City and Kensington. A Trinity has one entry and often sits mid-block with no street frontage, so a single door carries all the security.
• Mid to late 19th century. Workingman's houses with an entry vestibule are common in Center City, South, North and West Philadelphia and Manayunk. A vestibule puts two doors between the sidewalk and the living space, and either one can stick or lock behind you.
• 20th century. Postwar "Airlite" rows in Southwest and Northeast Philadelphia, Roxborough and East Mount Airy, and porch-front rows in East Falls and West Oak Lane, typically have a one-car garage at the lower level, which adds a garage door to the entries to maintain.

The manual also says any bars or gates on rowhouse windows and doors must open from the inside without a key in case of fire, so the release matters as much as the lock.

Storefront gates and grilles

Frankford, Germantown, Castor, Lancaster and Woodland avenues and 52nd Street are among the Department of Commerce's listed commercial corridors, and many storefronts there close behind security gates or grilles. The city's EZ permit standard for them says:

• Gates or grilles across the front of a commercial building must leave it substantially visible at all times. Solid shutters are not permitted.
• A gate at a main exit must open from the inside without a key, special knowledge or effort while the space is occupied.
• Grilles stay secured fully open while the public is inside, with at least 7 feet of clearance above the sidewalk.

Check these before planning commercial lock work on a storefront gate.

Car trouble in Philadelphia

• Snow emergencies. Philadelphia has 110 miles of snow emergency routes, marked by red signs with white lettering. During a declared snow emergency, cars left on them may be ticketed or towed, and the city moves vehicles to other spots so plows can pass. A missing car after a storm may simply have been relocated.
• Heat. The city's Heat Health Emergency guidance warns that a car can reach unsafe temperatures in about two minutes. If a child or pet is shut inside a hot car, do not wait on a car lockout request; the city says to call 911 if you think someone is having a medical emergency.

Local rules worth knowing

Section PM-304.18 of the Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code covers security for units that are rented, leased or let:

• Doors into the unit need a deadbolt with a throw of at least 1 inch that opens from the inside without keys, special knowledge or effort. A sliding bolt does not count.
• Operable windows within 6 feet of the ground or a walking surface that give access to the unit need a sash locking device.
• Basement hatchways into the unit must be secured against unauthorized entry.

Landlords planning a turnover can read the guide to Pennsylvania landlord-tenant lock changes. This is general information, not legal advice.

Requesting service in Philadelphia

Pennsylvania Locksmith Pros takes service requests from homes, businesses and drivers in Philadelphia. Say whether the problem is a street door, a vestibule door, a lower-level garage entry or a storefront grille. See house lockout or the Pennsylvania page.