Take a peek at your front door lockset. It’s the first thing a guest sees when they come to your door. Is it broken or tarnished? If so, check out the brand and consider filing for a free warranty replacement. I have done this, not once but twice, in our 2 houses. Frankly, I would rather get the free replacement than pay a few hundred for a new lockset and guess you would too! FYI if you do want a new style purchasing new is your only option but remember this down the line if it becomes defective.
In Florida the humidity caused our lock to patina (which I actually liked) and you can actually get a replacement for the defect in the finish. When the piece you depress with your thumb to open the door got stuck we could no longer open our door. Before running to the hardware store for a new lockset practical me did some investigate work on the Kwikset warranty.
I filled out an online form and attached photos. I did not need a receipt nor provided any purchase information. Our lock came with our house and we were the only homeowners. I did not choose it or pay for it… well, of course we paid for it but not in a way we had a receipt for anyway!
Paid just $7.99 for shipping and a week later we received a brand new replacement lockset in the same style care of Kwikset. ALL Kwikset locks are guaranteed for life for mechanics and finish. Kwikset also has a smart key system where you can set the lock to use your previous key all by yourself. Great reasons to use Kwikset!
In our Virginia home we have already had the same piece break and were trapped in the house around Christmas. I examined the lock and it was made by Baldwin. Guess what? Baldwin has a lifetime warranty as well and but they weren’t quite as easy to work with as Kwikset. They mailed only the broken part vs a totally new lockset. Unfortunately, we had damaged other parts trying to remove the lockset so we could enter and exit safely. In the end they sent all of the parts we needed for a fully operating lockset leaving $300+ in my pocket for other projects 😉
Tuck this tip away y’all and save your cash for other things if your lock breaks!
