List of 7 good "best locksmith" locations near San Francisco, CA with reviews.

How to Find a Good Locksmith

General Questions

Are you locked out of your car right now? Or perhaps you simply wish to change the locks in your house for ones that are nicer looking? Whatever your situation, there are times when you need to find a good locksmith. Preferably one that is knowledgeable, skilled, and priced reasonably.

There are many types of services that locksmiths can perform. Almost all should be able to unlock, repair, and replace simple door locks. But many also service locks for safes, cabinets, and other items. And some have even branched out to handle home alarm systems and security devices, such as burglar alarms, fire alarms, home security cameras, CCTV systems, etc.

To start with, there are several questions that you should ask to try and narrow down your choices a bit:

• Are you locked out right now?
• Do you need 24/7 service?
• Do you need a locksmith for a residence? Or for a commercial property? Or for an automobile?
• Is this a lock for a filing cabinet? Or for a sliding glass door?
• How important is experience? And the operating history of the business?
• How important is price? Versus customer service?
• How important is a physical store? Do they list an address?

I Locked Myself Out Right Now

If you are locked out right at this moment, you may wish to look for an "emergency locksmith" or someone who advertises 24/7 service. Many locksmiths are available 24 hours a day.

If you need service quickly, it is a good idea to look for a locksmith who is close to your current location. For example, if you are in Schaumberg, IL you can enter that into the location field. And with YLocale, you can even put an exact address into the location field. Many locksmiths these days are mobile and so are always ready to move to wherever their service is needed.

Locksmiths For Home

For your home, some services you might be looking for include lock replacement, broken key extraction, security camera and burglar alarm installation, repair or replacement of a lock for a safe, and of course emergency lockout help. For key duplication and replacement, you can ask your locksmith, or you can try your local hardware store. Many even now have do-it-yourself key duplication machines.

It is a good idea to make sure that the company you select offers and has experience in the specific service you require. Check their website and/or call them to verify that they can in fact perform the needed service. Most locksmiths will also be able to give you a price quote or estimate of the work to be done.

Locksmiths for Business and Commercial

For office buildings, retail stores, apartment and condominium buildings, restaurants, government and school buildings, and industrial areas, you may need service similar to what is typically needed for the home, or you may need something more specialized.

You may be looking for more high-security locking devices, or digital or electronic safes. You may be need service for a buzzer system or a master key system. Or work on a fire door or emergency exit.

Again, check the business's website to verify they have the necessary skill set and tools. You can also check to make sure they are in good standing with organizations such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Also you may wish to check that they are licensed, bonded, and insured. Many will even list a license number on their site. You can also ask them if they are members of organizations such as the Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) or the Safe & Vault Technicians Association.

Customer Service

Finally, it is no fun dealing with a company that does not perform as expected. Or that does a poor job on their work. You may save money, but it may cost you a headache.

Check to see how easy it is to contact the company and speak with a real, live human being. If the company has a store front, then this is a big plus if it is important for you to have a way to reach them. You may wish to find a company that has a website, and then check to make sure they have an easy way to contact them there. It is also better if they list local phone numbers, perhaps in addition to a toll free number. A street address is also a good thing to look for.

You can again check for their standing with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also look for reviews around the web, inlucding right here on YLocale. You can also look at Angie's List, Yelp, insiderpages, etc. And of course, the best of all is if you know someone personally who has used the company before and can talk to you about their experiences with them.

With a little quick investigation, asking lots of questions, and checking references and reviews, you should be able to find a great locksmith in the Chicagoland area or anywhere who can address your lock, safe, and home security needs. Best of luck, or perhaps we should say "Good Lock"!