Everything You Need To Know About Locksmiths

When you lose a key, your first thought may be to go to the locksmith. However, locksmiths do a lot more than make keys. You just need to know when to call them.

What Is a Locksmith?

Just as the name suggests, a locksmith is someone who works with locks. Locksmiths are the people who install new locks or repair old ones. Locksmiths have been around for a long time, but still, there are misconceptions about the job description. It is thought that locksmiths are simply professional lock pickers. While they are trained to pick locks, their job is much more important than that. They play a big part in safety. 

What Does a Locksmith Do?

As mentioned, locksmiths can pick locks. Therefore, locksmiths are a good resource if you are locked out of your house, car, office, etc.

Other things a locksmith does can include:

• Install locks
• Create or duplicate keys
• Repair locks
• Change lock combinations
• Reprogram key fobs
• Open safes with unknown combinations

If there's something wrong with a lock, whether it's on a window or door, your best bet is to call a locksmith. If anyone can fix or open a lock, even the most difficult ones, it's a locksmith.

Becoming a Locksmith

Becoming a locksmith does not require formal education. However, most employees will prefer their potential locksmiths have a high school diploma at the very least. Some states require you to pass a background check or drug test before you can officially become a locksmith. There are also states that require you to obtain a state license first. Make sure to research your state's specific requirements before applying for any locksmith jobs. 

Because there is no formal education to be a locksmith, the training for the job is typically on-the-job. However, there are training courses you can participate in if you'd like to be a step ahead. You may be required to do a short apprenticeship before you're allowed to serve on your own. Just because there is no required education to be a locksmith does not mean the job is easy. There are many kinds of locks, and it could take years to become familiar with all of them. 

Cost of Hiring a Locksmith

The cost of hiring a locksmith depends on the services you are hiring them for. The average cost of services is around $156. Locksmiths do offer after-hour emergency services, but that drives the price up a bit. If you're looking for cheap locksmith services, try to catch the problem before it's too late so you can call a locksmith during normal business hours to save money. 

Salary of a Locksmith

Depending on the area a locksmith resides, their salary can slightly vary. Currently, the average salary of a locksmith is $41,940 per year. That is around $20.16 per hour for a regular 40-hour workweek.