A door that's been kicked in almost never fails at the lock. It fails at the jamb, the strike plate tears free along with a chunk of splintered wood, or the frame cracks near the hinge side, and the deadbolt everyone assumes 'got broken' is often sitting there fully intact, still gripped in a piece of shattered jamb. That distinction matters, because replacing the lock alone on a frame that's still compromised leaves a door that looks secured and isn't.
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The order of what happens next matters too. There's getting the opening secured the same day so the property isn't sitting exposed, there's documentation for whatever insurance claim follows, and there's the actual repair, which is frame work as much as it's lock work, plus hardware that resists the next attempt better than what tore out this time.
A kicked door transfers its force into the frame at one specific point: the strike plate, usually held on with half-inch screws that only bite into trim, not the structural stud behind it. When the door gives way, it's almost always that thin strip of jamb material tearing loose, taking the strike screws with it, while the deadbolt itself stays fully seated in the door and never gets damaged at all. Homeowners and business owners frequently assume the lock is what broke, order a replacement lock, and are surprised when the door still won't secure properly, because nobody addressed the jamb that no longer has sound wood to screw into.
A property with a compromised entry doesn't sit open while a permanent frame repair gets scheduled. Depending on how much of the jamb tore away, that can mean a temporary reinforcement plate bridging the damaged section so the existing deadbolt still throws into sound material, or, when the splintering is extensive enough that the frame won't hold a strike at all, a plywood board-up over the opening until proper carpentry can happen. Which one applies is a judgment call made by looking at how much of the jamb is actually still structural.
Insurance adjusters look for evidence that matches the story in the claim, and that evidence is easiest to capture before repairs start covering it up. Photographing the splintered jamb, the torn-out strike plate, any pry marks on the door edge, and the broken hardware itself, ideally with something for scale, like a tape measure or a coin next to the damage, gives a claim something concrete to point to. It's worth keeping the broken strike plate and any hardware that came off rather than throwing it out, since an adjuster or contractor may want to see it directly rather than just a photo.
A jamb with clean, contained splintering can often be repaired: filling and reinforcing the damaged wood, or splicing in a new section around the strike area, then remounting hardware into material that can actually hold screws. A frame that's split along most of its length, or one where humidity had already softened the wood before the break-in added stress to it, usually isn't worth patching, replacing the jamb section gives the new strike hardware something structurally sound to bite into, instead of building a stronger lock on top of frame that's still weak.
Whatever strike goes back in shouldn't be the same short-screw, stamped-metal plate that failed the first time. A reinforced or box strike distributes force across a wider area of the frame instead of concentrating it on two small screw holes, and swapping in 3-inch screws that pass through the jamb into the stud behind it means the next kick has to break the stud, not just tear trim loose. Neither change is visible from the hallway, which is exactly why it's worth confirming out loud that it happened rather than assuming a new lock automatically came with it.
The lock rarely breaks in a break-in, the frame around it does. Call (407) 792-1378 for a same-day secure, insurance-ready documentation, and a repair that reinforces the strike so the next attempt meets a stud instead of a strip of trim.
← All Emergency Locksmith servicesOften the lock itself is undamaged and the frame is what failed. We check both, but it's common for the deadbolt to be reused once the jamb around it is sound again.
Yes, before any repair or board-up begins if possible. Adjusters want to see the splintered frame and broken hardware as it was found, not after it's been fixed.
No, it's a same-day measure to close the opening securely until the frame can be properly repaired or replaced. It's not meant to be the final fix.
Discovering a break in is upsetting, and it is hard to think clearly in the moment. A simple sequence helps:
Try not to handle surfaces the intruder may have touched until police have finished, if they plan to collect evidence. Ask the officers whether they are done before cleaning up or letting us start work.
A break in that included stolen keys is really two problems. The first is the damaged door. The second is that someone now has a way back in that does not require breaking anything. Burglars sometimes take keys specifically for this reason, along with mail or documents that show the address.
If any keys to the home are missing, including spares from a drawer or a key rack, every lock those keys operate should be rekeyed. Rekeying changes the pins inside each cylinder so old keys stop working, while keeping the existing hardware if it is in good condition. It is usually completed during the same visit as the emergency repair. Our lock rekeying page explains the process. Do not forget the less obvious locks: the door from the garage, side gates, sheds, a mailbox if its key was on the same ring, and any storage unit or office whose key was in the house.
Keys are not the only way back in. If a garage door remote was taken from the house or from a car parked in the driveway, the thief can open the garage whenever they like. Most openers let you clear all stored remotes and reprogram only the ones you still have. Do this the same day. If you have an exterior garage keypad, change its code too.
For smart locks and keypad deadbolts, change every user code and the programming code. If the lock connects to an app, check which accounts have access and remove any you do not recognize. If a phone or tablet that was logged into your lock app, alarm app or camera app was stolen, sign out of those accounts from another device and change the passwords. The same goes for alarm system codes if the intruder may have seen or found them.
Not every break in involves a kicked door. Sometimes there are signs someone was inside but no forced entry anywhere. That can happen when a door was left unlocked, when a key was copied or taken earlier, or when a lock was manipulated. Signs worth checking include fresh scratches around a keyhole, a lock that suddenly feels different when you use your key, or a garage door found open.
If you cannot find how someone got in, assume a key or code may be involved and rekey and recode everything. It is also worth having the locks looked at, since some low grade locks are easy to defeat and should be replaced with better hardware.
The page above focuses on doors that were kicked in, which is the most common forced entry for homes. Intruders also use other routes, and each one has its own repair:
A strong frame and a good lock do little if the door is hollow core or has large glass panels. Many older homes in the area have lightweight exterior doors on back or garage entries, and a kick that fails to break the frame can go straight through a hollow door. If your door cracked, split or caved in, replacing it with a solid wood, fiberglass or steel door is the right call. If the door came through intact, it can usually be reused once the frame is repaired and reinforced. We will tell you which applies when we see it.
Most attention goes to the strike, but the hinge side of the door takes force during a kick too. Hinges held on with short screws can pull out of the frame, especially after the frame has already been stressed. Replacing at least one screw in each hinge with a longer screw that reaches the wall stud is a quick upgrade that pairs well with a reinforced strike. On doors that have already been damaged, it is worth checking the hinge side for cracks before assuming only the strike area needs work.
A commercial break in adds a few steps. Storefronts with aluminum and glass doors often fail differently from homes: the glass is broken, the lock cylinder is pulled or twisted out, or the door is pried at the latch. After securing the opening, a business owner should think about:
Our storefront door repair and commercial security assessment pages cover these in more depth.
If you rent, notify your landlord or property manager as soon as possible. In most rentals the owner is responsible for repairing the door and frame, and many leases require the landlord's approval for lock changes. That said, you should not have to sleep in a unit with a door that will not lock. Getting the opening secured the same day is reasonable, and it helps if the landlord can authorize the work by phone. Keep copies of any receipts, and give the landlord a key to any new or rekeyed lock if your lease requires it.
A splintered jamb exposed to Florida weather deteriorates quickly. Afternoon downpours soak the raw wood, and humidity keeps it wet, which weakens it further and can lead to rot. If a permanent frame repair cannot happen right away, keep the damaged area covered and as dry as possible. During hurricane season, a temporarily secured door is a weak point in the building. If a storm is approaching, move the permanent repair up the list, or make sure the temporary fix will hold against wind and rain as well as against another intrusion.
Many people say the hardest part of a break in is not the damage but the feeling that home is no longer safe. Practical steps help with that. A frame reinforced into the studs, a quality deadbolt with a hardened bolt, fresh keys that only you hold, reprogrammed remotes and codes, and secondary locks on sliders together make a home much harder to enter than it was before. Motion lighting and cameras, while outside locksmith work, can add to that sense of control. If you would like a full review of every door and entry point rather than just the one that failed, ask about it when we come out.
It also helps to talk with neighbors. Break ins often come in clusters on the same street or in the same complex over a short period. Letting neighbors know what happened, and how the intruder got in, gives them a chance to check their own doors, sliders and garage remotes before the same thing happens to them. Many communities share this through an association or a neighborhood group, and the police report can help identify a pattern.
Every policy is different, so the details belong with your agent or adjuster, but a few general habits make the process smoother. Report the claim promptly. Keep the report number, your photos, and the damaged hardware together in one place. Ask the adjuster whether they want to inspect the door before the permanent repair or whether photos will do, and whether they need written estimates. Keep every receipt, including the one for the same day securing work, since emergency steps to protect the property are often treated differently from the permanent repair. If the adjuster asks what was done, a clear written description of the work, such as a reinforced strike installed with long screws into the stud and locks rekeyed, is more useful than a line that just says door repair. We can provide an itemized record of what we did so you have it for the claim.
Searching locksmith near me in Orlando for a house lockout? We are mobile across metro Orlando and quote the price before we come out. Call (407) 792-1378.
ZIP codes we cover in Orlando: 32801, 32803, 32804, 32805, 32806, 32807, 32808, 32809, 32810, 32811, 32812, 32814, 32817, 32818, 32819, 32820, 32821, 32822, 32824, 32825. City services: Orlando Official Website.
