Locksmith advice from people who've actually fitted the lock.
No filler, no scare-pieces, no listicles. Practical posts written by working locksmiths in Ealing, mostly answering questions we get asked at the doorstep.
Composite vs uPVC Door | What a Locksmith Would Choose
Cut through the showroom pitch. A locksmith's honest take on composite vs uPVC doors, what actually decides security, and when the extra spend is worth it.
Read articleHigh Security Locks | Why Ealing Homeowners Get It Wrong
Paying for anti-pick and anti-bump while your cylinder protrudes 5mm? You've got the priorities backwards. Here's what actually stops break-ins in Ealing.
Read articleAnti-Snap vs Anti-Bump vs Anti-Pick | Which Threat Is Real
Snap, bump or pick: which attack actually happens on your street? James Oakley ranks the real risks so you spend on the right protection.
Read articleAre Cheap Padlocks Any Good | When £20 Works, When It Won't
CEN grades, closed-shackle facts and real examples. Find out where a budget padlock is fine and where it's false economy in Ealing and West London.
Read articleAutumn Lock Maintenance | Ten Minutes, No Winter Lockout
A quick field guide from an Ealing locksmith: lubricate, check weatherseals, test hinges and spot the stiff-key warning before winter kills your gearbox.
Read articleCheap vs Expensive Lock Upgrades | What Stops a Burglar
A locksmith's honest take on why hinge bolts and a 3-star cylinder outperform a £900 smart lock for stopping a break-in on a typical Ealing home.
Read articleHome Insurance Lock Requirements | What Your Policy Demands
Most home insurance policies have specific lock clauses. Miss one and your break-in claim could be refused. Here's how to check before it matters.
Read articleKey Safe Security for Carers | Why Cheap Ones Are a Risk
That £15 key safe feels reassuring. It isn't. A West London locksmith explains what cheap key safes actually offer and what to fit instead.
Read articleSmart Locks a Locksmith Would Fit | The Honest UK Shortlist
Alice Palmer, Ealing locksmith, names the smart locks worth fitting, the ones that fail, and what your insurer actually needs. Honest, specific advice.
Read articleuPVC Door Repair vs Replace Cost | The Ten-Year Maths
Full cost breakdown of repairing a uPVC door gearbox and cylinder versus replacing the whole door. Real prices, a comparison table, honest advice.
Read articleWhat Burglars Look For on a Front Door | Read Yours First
A field guide to spotting the signals your front door sends to a passing burglar, from the cylinder to the side gate. Check yours in under ten minutes.
Read articleWhat Happens on a Lockout Call Out | A Real 3am Job
A real lockout job in West London, from the late-night call to non-destructive entry and a worn cylinder upgrade. Here's exactly what you're paying for.
Read articleWhen You Don't Need a Locksmith | The Calls I Turn Down
An Ealing locksmith explains the calls she talks people out of daily, the five-minute fixes, and why that honesty matters when you do have a real problem.
Read articleTalk to a Ealing locksmith now. Honest pricing on the call.
Tell us what's happened, and we'll give you our labour rates, an estimate on the parts and the VAT, plus a realistic ETA, before we hang up.