Most people only think about a locksmith when they're standing outside a locked door. But the same person who gets you back in can make your home a lot harder for anyone else to get into. In Jacksonville, where homes range from 1920s bungalows in Avondale to brand-new builds in Nocatee, the right upgrades depend on your house, your doors and even how close you live to the ocean.
Here are the upgrades we recommend most often, in the order that usually gives you the most security for your money.
1. Rekey so you know who has a key
Security starts with knowing who can open your door. If you bought your home, rent it out or had contractors working inside, there may be keys out there you don't know about.
Rekeying changes the pins inside your existing locks so old keys stop working. Your locks stay on the door, and you get new keys on the spot. We can also set every door, including the garage entry and back door, to one key. More on our lock rekeying page.
2. Upgrade weak deadbolts
Many homes, especially newer builds and flipped houses, come with basic builder-grade hardware. Locks are rated by ANSI/BHMA:
- Grade 1: commercial-strength, built to take the most abuse.
- Grade 2: solid residential quality. Fine for most front doors.
- Grade 3: basic. Better suited to interior doors than outside ones.
For outside doors, we suggest a Grade 1 or Grade 2 deadbolt with a full one-inch throw. If your deadbolt only goes halfway into the frame, or the knob wobbles, it's time. See lock and deadbolt installation.
3. Stop kick-ins at the frame
Most forced entries aren't lock picking. They're a hard kick near the lock. The lock usually holds; the wood around the strike plate splits.
The fix is simple and costs little:
- Three-inch screws in the strike plate and top hinge, so they bite into the wall framing instead of just the thin door jamb.
- A reinforced strike plate or a longer box strike that spreads the force.
- A wrap-around plate on the door itself when the wood around the lock is thin or already cracked.
This is one of the highest-value upgrades we do, and it's common in the 1970s and 1980s tract homes on the Westside, where jambs are often thin pine. Details on our door reinforcement page.
4. Secure sliding glass doors
Jacksonville homes have a lot of sliding doors, and their factory latches are often the weakest lock in the house. A few easy fixes:
- A secondary lock or foot lock at the bottom of the door.
- A bar or dowel in the track when you're away.
- New rollers and a new latch if the door is hard to close. A door that doesn't close all the way doesn't lock all the way.
At Jacksonville Beach, sand and salt wear these parts out faster, so check them every spring.
5. Consider a smart lock or keypad
A keypad or smart lock means no more hidden spare keys and no more lockouts when someone forgets theirs. You can give the dog walker a code that only works on weekdays, and delete it when they're done.
One Jacksonville-specific detail: many homes here are built from concrete block. Those walls can weaken Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals, so a lock on the far side of the house may lose its connection. We check signal strength at the door before we install, and add a bridge or hub when needed. See smart lock installation.
6. Choose the right finish for your ZIP code
Salt air is hard on locks. If you live east of the Intracoastal, in Jacksonville Beach or Ponte Vedra, a standard zinc or plated lock can corrode inside within a few years. Solid brass, stainless steel and marine-grade finishes last much longer.
Inland, in places like Mandarin or Southside, standard finishes hold up well with basic care. Our high-security locks page covers the finishes we trust near the water.
7. Control who can copy your keys
Most house keys can be copied at any hardware store. If you share keys with a housekeeper or tenant and want to be sure no extra copies get made, ask about a restricted keyway. Only an authorized dealer can cut copies, and only with your approval.
Upgrades for renters and condo owners
Renting or living in a condo doesn't mean you're stuck with weak locks, but the rules are different:
- Ask first. Most Florida leases and condo associations require approval before you change or add locks. Many landlords say yes if they get a copy of the new key.
- Add without drilling. Secondary locks for sliding doors and portable door braces add security without changing the door.
- Rekey when you move in. If your landlord agrees, rekeying is quick and costs little, and you'll know nobody from the last lease still has a key.
For landlords, rekeying between tenants is one of the simplest ways to protect both the property and the next tenant.
A quick walk-around when we're already there
When we're at your home for a lockout or a rekey, we're happy to take a few extra minutes to look at your other doors and point out anything worth fixing. We'll tell you what's fine as it is, too, and we never push hardware you don't need.
Things we look for:
- Deadbolts that don't fully extend into the frame.
- Short screws in the strike plate and hinges.
- Garage entry doors with only a knob lock.
- Sliding doors that don't latch firmly.
- Rust or stiffness from humidity and salt air.
What these upgrades cost
Every home is different, so we quote each job on the phone or at the door before starting. The price depends on:
- How many doors and locks are involved.
- The hardware you choose. A Grade 2 deadbolt, a high-security cylinder and a smart lock are very different price points.
- The door's condition. A cracked jamb or rotted frame takes more work.
- Whether you supply the lock. We're happy to install hardware you've bought, as long as it fits your door.
You get the full price on the phone before we drive out, and we confirm it before any work starts. Our lock installations are backed by a 5-year money-back guarantee.
Get a plan for your doors
Want a second set of eyes on your home's doors? Call (904) 509-0907 or text us a photo of your lock. We're available Mon & Fri 7 AM–2 PM and Tue & Thu 7 AM–6 PM. For the full list of home services, see our residential locksmith page.