Emergency Locksmith in Kenosha, WI

What counts as urgent in Kenosha

A lock problem is urgent when it leaves someone unsafe, exposed to the weather or unable to secure a building. In Kenosha the season often decides that. Wisconsin averages 35 to 40 winter weather events a winter, according to the state Department of Transportation, so a door that will not close or lock in January means heat loss and an unsecured home, not an inconvenience.

Situations that count as urgent:

• A door that cannot be locked after damage or a break-in
• A lockout in dangerous cold, or with a person who needs care inside
• A locked car that has to leave the street before a snow emergency ban takes effect
• A tenant who needs the locks changed for safety

After a break-in

Call the police first. If someone may still be inside, leave and call 911 from outside. Let officers see the damage before any lock work, and photograph the door, frame and lock for the report. After that, the aim is a door that locks again. If entry came through a sliding patio door, Section 16.18 of Kenosha's property maintenance code calls for an approved secondary lock on those doors, such as locking pins or a two-by-four of proper length.

Lock changes for safety

Under Wisconsin Statutes section 704.16(4), a residential tenant who gives the landlord an official copy of a qualifying document, such as an injunction or a condition of release ordering no contact, can have the locks changed. The landlord must change them, or let the tenant do it, within 48 hours after receiving the request and copy, and the tenant pays. If the person named in the document also rents the unit, section 704.16(4)(c) narrows when the landlord must act. This is general information, not legal advice.

What to send

Describe what happened, give the address with the nearest cross street, name the door or vehicle, and say whether police have been called and whether anyone is inside. The emergency locksmith page covers the service. If you are simply locked out, see house lockout. Local notes: Kenosha.