Commercial Door Lock Repair in Las Vegas

A commercial door lock fails in one of a few ways. The lever goes loose, the key sticks, the latch misses the strike or the door will not close on its own. The fix depends on what kind of lock you own and how it was built.

This guide goes past our commercial locksmith page. It explains lock grades, the difference between cylindrical and mortise locks, the accessibility rules for levers and closers, and how a pro decides between a repair and a new lock.

The short version

Here are the points that matter most.

• Grade 1 is the top gradeBHMA grades locks 1, 2 and 3, with Grade 1 the highest. A Grade 1 bored lock must survive 1,000,000 open and close cycles with a 10 pound load.
• Cylindrical and mortise are different locksCylindrical, also called bored, locks follow ANSI/BHMA A156.2. Mortise locks follow A156.13 and face 15 aggressive security tests.
• Levers meet the ADA, knobs often do notBHMA says lever or paddle trim meets the ADA operable part rule and knobs should be avoided on accessible routes.
• Many lock calls are really door callsA sagging door, a loose hinge or a tired closer can make a good lock look broken.
• Repair or replaceA commercial grade lock with worn parts can often be repaired. A light duty lock on a busy door is usually better replaced.
• Tell us the make and modelA photo of the lock edge and the lever saves a trip.

What you can check before you call

Open and close the door and watch what the latch does. If the latch bolt does not line up with the hole in the frame, the problem is usually the door or the strike plate, not the lock.

Press the lever down and let go. It should spring back to level on its own. A lever that droops or sticks down has a worn spring or a worn spindle. Then shake the lever gently. A lever that wobbles on its post has a loose screw or a worn spindle. Look at the key. If it turns hard in the lock, try a second key before you blame the cylinder, because a worn key can fake a bad lock.

Find the make on the lock edge or the lever rose. Write down any model number you can read. If the lock is on a fire door, tell us, because fire rated doors have rules about what can be changed.

Grade 1 and what it means for a repair

The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association explains that products are graded 1, 2 or 3 under each ANSI/BHMA standard, with Grade 1 the highest. See its product grade levels page for the idea.

The A156.2 locks and latches summary says Grade 1 bored locks must pass 1,000,000 cycles with a 10 pound axial load, and that lever operated locks must open with a maximum torque of 28 in lbf. Seven aggressive security tests include a 1,200 in lbf locked lever torque.

What this means for you is simple. A Grade 1 lock is built to be serviced and kept. You can look up a lock's grade by its BHMA product number or in the BHMA Certified Products Directory. BHMA says certification is voluntary and done by independent laboratory testing, so a missing listing means the maker did not submit the lock, not that it failed. A cheaper grade on a door that opens hundreds of times a day wears out, and each repair buys less time.

Cylindrical versus mortise

A cylindrical lock sits in a round hole bored through the face of the door, plus a smaller hole in the edge for the latch. A mortise lock sits in a deep rectangular pocket cut into the edge of the door. Both are common on Las Vegas offices and shops, and they fail in different ways.

The A156.13 mortise lock summary lists 1,000,000 cycles for Grade 1 and fifteen aggressive security tests. In practice, a mortise lock is often worked on in place, while a cylindrical lock is usually swapped as a unit.

Common failures in the order a pro works them

Loose lever. We tighten or replace the trim first. If the spindle is worn, the lock set is replaced.

Sticking key. We try a fresh key, then clean and test the cylinder, then replace it if the pins are worn.

Latch misses the strike. We check the door gap, the hinges and the strike plate before touching the lock. If the strike is the cause, we adjust or move it and leave the lock alone.

Door slams or will not latch. This is usually the closer. We cover it on our door closers page and, for storefront doors, on storefront door locks.

The ADA rules for levers and closers

The 2010 ADA Standards set the rules we follow when we change door hardware. Section 404.2.7 says handles, latches and locks must meet 309.4, which means they work with one hand without tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist, and need no more than 5 pounds of force.

The same section puts operable parts between 34 and 48 inches above the floor. Section 404.2.9 limits the push or pull force on interior hinged doors to 5 pounds, and says that figure does not cover the force needed to retract the latch. Section 404.2.8.1 says a closer must take at least 5 seconds to move the door from 90 degrees open to 12 degrees from the latch.

BHMA's summaries say lever or paddle trim meets the operable part rule and knob trim should be avoided on accessible routes. If your door still has a round knob in a public area, a lever is the upgrade to ask for.

Fire rated doors

If your door carries a fire label, the lock on it matters twice. BHMA says hardware for fire doors is evaluated and listed to UL 10C by an accredited third party laboratory. That means a replacement for a fire door should be a listed lock, not just one that fits the hole.

Tell us when you call if the door has a fire label. We replace like for like on those doors, and we will tell you if the lock you picked is not listed for fire use.

Repair or replace

Repair makes sense when the lock is a commercial grade model, the parts are available and the door itself is sound. Replace when the model is discontinued, the lock is a light duty type on a heavy use door, or a repair would cost close to a new lock.

Ask for the reason behind any advice to replace. A good answer names the part that failed and shows it to you. We give a written figure before we start. For a group of doors we look at the property and count them first. If you are also thinking about keys for many people, see our page on business rekeying.

The Las Vegas angle

Office and shop doors in the valley open and close all day. BHMA's finish tests cover corrosion, chemicals, abrasion and sunlight, so a certified finish has been tested against the sun our doors take. A lockout that happens when you open at dawn is a different job than a repair on a quiet afternoon, so tell us which you have. For after hours lockouts see office lockout service in Las Vegas, and for door hardware work in the south valley see commercial door hardware in Henderson.

What to tell us on the phone

Give us as much of this as you can.

• Door typeWood, hollow metal or aluminum storefront.
• Lock typeKnob or lever, and whether the lock is in a round hole or a deep pocket in the edge.
• SymptomLoose, sticking, not latching or not locking.
• Fire ratingSay so if the door has a fire label.
• Make and modelA photo of the edge and the lever is enough.

If it is not a job for us

We repair commercial cylinders, closers, panic hardware and strike plates. Call us and tell us the make and model, and we will tell you straight whether it is a job for us.

How to check any locksmith before you let them in

Ask for the business name, the license number and a total price before anyone drives out. Silver State holds a City of Las Vegas locksmith license, and you can look it up yourself at verify our license. Ask every company the same question and write down the answer.

Our guide to locksmith scams in Las Vegas lists the warning signs, such as a quote that changes at the door. If something goes wrong, you can file a complaint with the Nevada Attorney General or report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.