I'll never buy a Kwikset deadbolt!

[Mark F.]

Long story short, I got locked out of my apartment for over 2 hours last night. The 6 month old Kwikset deadbolt wouldn't turn all the way. While waiting outside I googled some stuff and came up with people saying they were junk. When the 3rd locksmith I called showed up, he said these were junk and he's always responding to lockouts for these. He recommended Schlage locks. I close on my first duplex in a month and I'm going to look into changing them if they happen to be Kwikset locks. Anyone else have issues with these things? Turned a crappy situation last night into a learning experience.

[Chad Haubrich]

@Mark Franks

Only ever used kwiksets on all my flips and houses, my childhood house still has the same ones that work flawlessly. Maybe it’s just a cheap one not meant to last like others mentioned.

[Kevin Manz]

@Bill Brandt

That's what I'm trying to figure out, if it works with the smart keys. But I don't think it does. Google 236 builder key kit. It's a kit with a bunch of different size pins. You have to break down the knobs and deadbolts, and insert the right combo of pins to fit 2 separate keys. I key is for the tenants, and other is the master key. It is super nice having 1 key fit all locks. Next I'm going to do away with having locking knobs, that way I only have to re-key half as many locks.

[Bill B.]

@Kevin Manz

Ok, I think that’s pretty much the age as their landlord kit, which is not smartkey compatible. 

Luckily in Las Vegas 90% of houses are already deadbolt and unkeyed front door and garage entry way knobs already. I would never want to unlock more than than one lock per door. (I put some on sale smart key keypad locks in garage entries. Combined with keypad garage door remotes you cant get locked out. 

[Dennis M.]

You guys actually lock your doors ?

I use defiant not because they are built better or resistant to tampering but because they are 8$ at Home Depot . Look if somebody is going to steal your $h\% they will find a way to get in pretty easy .

[Marco Padilla]

@Mark Franks Wow interesting, I’m a Philedelphia police officer. The other night while on patrol we get a call for mother three kids and infant trapped in an apartment. When we get there we’re met by sister of the caller who stated the same she’d been trapped in the apartment for about 4hours now and couldn’t unlock the door. Well long story short the key was turning but no movement inside and it was a Kwilset where the piece inside that turns when the key turns had broken off. We ended up kicking in the door.

[Matt R.]

I put knobs and deadbolts from Landlord Locks on my rental while I was rehabbing it, and no problems in 2+ years of it being rented.  The deadbolts are Dorma and the knobs are Arrow.

With these, they do the master and tenant keying at their shop; when I want to change the locks, I will order new cylinders from them, which will fit my existing master key but have a new tenant key.  The keys have "duplication prohibited" stamped into the head, which most human locksmiths will honor.  I don't know if the automated key machines that some hardware stores have, or the services that will make you a key from a photo, will care about that restriction.

While I was still working on the house, the key didn't want to go into one of the knobs all the time.  I asked a local locksmith and he recommended "Tri-Flow" spray, so I bought a can from him, used it on the cylinder, and it worked fine after that.

The lever knobs have the usual two long screws that clamp the inside and outside half of the knob to the door.  They also came with a couple of other smaller screws that just hold the inside half of the knob into the door skin, and the directions recommended installing these screws on "frequently-used doors".  I did a trial install of these extra screws on the side door before installing them on the front door.  I think they help, but it was tricky to get the holes in the right places so that everything would line up.

When I first closed on the house, I found a set of two knobs and a deadbolt, keyed alike, with a key, at the local Habitat ReStore for $20.  I put those on the house on the first day, just to change the locks.  All of the existing locks on the house were keyed alike, so that set went in my stash as the "first day" locks for a future house.

New locks sometimes come with parts you don't end up using - strike plates with rounded and square corners, shims, etc.  Throw all that stuff in a box, along with the parts from the old locks you're taking off of the door.  In the future, one of those parts will turn a "trip to the hardware store and spend $20" job into a "5 minutes and $0" job.  :)

I am not associated with any companies or organizations mentioned.

[Mark F.]

@Mike M. Could be. Dont think I have any enemies in the building at least.

[Mark F.]

@Dennis M. Totally agree. I want something that is reliable.

I appreciate all the info guys. It might be a fluke but just seems odd 2 failed so quickly. I know someone mentioned the door being misaligned or an issue there. That. Ould definitely be an issue. It's an old apartment.

So just want to add to the story. I reached out to my super in the middle of the night but he didnt answer. Which I dont blame him. So I called my own locksmith. I forward the bill to the PM and asked them will they take it off rent or reimburse me. They said they've spoken to the owner who will not be paying out due to me not reaching out to management. I calmly explained, via email, this was at 1130pm and even on the invoice time it says 130am. I produced evidence as to me reaching out to the super, the broken lock and the invoice which all shows after 1130pm. I'm waiting on a response but I'm pretty pissed to say the least. I've had nothing but issues that is a long story. If he isnt going to reimburse me I plan on withholding rent and going to court over this. A lot more to the story but I'm just asking about this situation.

[James Wilcox]

@Mark F. I can see the reasoning for the frustration. However, IDK about NJ law, but that would not be a valid reason to withhold rent here. You would just end up getting evicted from not paying rent and have to move with that eviction on your record. You would also not be reimbursed in the end for your locksmith bill anyway. Likewise, you would end up in a loose, loose situation on your end. I advise not to do that but address another way. *not an attorney nor do I play one on tv.*

[JD Martin]

I have everything from Kwikset to Gatehouse to Schlage on my properties. Of what I have I think Schlage is the best quality, even with little stupid things like making sure the screws are long enough so you don't have to struggle to get them started. But that said, I've had few problems with anything. I'm no purist, and if Gatehouse or Kwikset works right on the spot that's what I'm going to use. 

The quality of everything has come down to lowest common denominator, however. The Gatehouse and Defiant (Home Depot) brands have dummied down everything else. They save pennies on shorter set screws and less threads on the screw inserts, thinner and shorter wood screws for the door, rounded angles on screw heads instead of sharp philips head cuts, etc. Everyone suffers because they think they're getting a better deal on the cheaper stuff. 

[Mark F.]

@James Wilcox I respectfully disagree. NJ is very tenant friendly. I present to a judge that I'm locked out of my apartment at 1130pm at night with no way of getting in. I cant break a window or even open one as its above ground. I cant get ahold of my super or management. What am I suppose to do? Wait until 8am for someone to wake up? Stuck outside my apartment for 8 hours?

I completely understand if it was daytime hours or even before 9pm. If that was the case then yes I would be responsible. But it wasnt. What would you want your tenant to do in that situation?