Frequently Asked Questions

A live coordinator answers, asks what you're dealing with, and walks you through a short diagnostic. Based on that, we quote a firm price range and, if you agree, dispatch the nearest available technician. You'll get a text with the tech's name, photo, and estimated arrival window. Every pro working under our name is required to hold the license and insurance California requires, and we keep those records on file.

Most residential lockouts take 10-20 minutes from arrival to tested keys in your hand. Rekeying a full house runs 45-75 minutes depending on cylinder count and condition. Installing new hardware on a prepped door takes 30-50 minutes per lock; retrofitting an older door in neighborhoods like Japantown or the Alum Rock area can run longer if we need to adjust the strike or bore new holes. We tell you the time estimate when we quote the price.

Yes, if the locks are compatible. Most Schlage, Kwikset, and Defiant hardware can be keyed alike if they're the same brand family and keyway. If you've got mixed brands, we may need to replace some cylinders to achieve single-key convenience. We carry the most common keyways on our trucks, and we'll test-fit before we commit to any replacement. The goal is one key that works every door, and we'll tell you upfront if your existing hardware won't cooperate.

Rekeying is the right call when the hardware is in good shape and you just need new keys, say after a move, a roommate change, or a lost set. Replacement makes sense when the lock is worn, corroded from San Jose's occasional marine air rolling in from the Bay, or when you want to upgrade to a higher security grade. We'll show you the wear on your current hardware and give you both options with prices, no pressure either way.

Every job leaves a documented record under The Haven Standard. You get a written invoice showing the quoted price, the work performed, the hardware installed or rekeyed, and photos of the completed work if requested. For commercial jobs, we also provide a scope sheet signed by both parties before we start. Keep this documentation; it's your proof of warranty and your record of who has keys to what.

We work with Schlage, Mul-T-Lock, Sargent, and Abloy regularly, along with Kwikset, Yale, and Medeco for residential and light commercial. For San Jose homes, Schlage's B60N deadbolt offers solid Grade 2 security at a reasonable price point. Mul-T-Lock's interactive key system is popular in Los Gatos and Saratoga for homeowners who want pick resistance and controlled key duplication. We don't push one brand; we match the hardware to your actual threat model and budget.

Grade 1 is commercial-grade, tested to 800,000 cycles and withstand significant force. Grade 2 is the residential sweet spot, rated to 400,000 cycles and strong enough for most San Jose homes. Grade 3 is builder-grade, rated to 200,000 cycles and fine for interior doors but not your front entry. We typically recommend Grade 2 for residential exteriors and Grade 1 for commercial or high-traffic applications. The grade is stamped on the packaging and the lock body, so you can verify what you're getting.

Yes. Mul-T-Lock's MT5+ and Classic Pro lines are in stock, and we can order Abloy Protec2 with a few days' lead time. These locks use restricted keyways, meaning blanks can't be duplicated at a hardware store without authorization. In Campbell and Cupertino, we see strong demand for Mul-T-Lock from homeowners who want key control after a renovation with multiple contractors. We show you the key card system and explain how to add or remove authorized duplication rights.

We maintain relationships with distributors who stock discontinued and legacy hardware, and we can often source parts for locks that are no longer manufactured. For vintage homes in neighborhoods like Rose Garden or Naglee Park, where original mortise locks are part of the character, we'll attempt repair before we suggest replacement. If the part is truly unavailable, we'll document what we found and recommend the closest modern equivalent that fits the existing prep.

California requires every locksmith to hold a Locksmith Company License through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, and individual technicians must carry a Pocket Card. Every pro working under our name is required to hold the license and insurance their state requires, and we verify those credentials before they represent Novak Lock & Security. You can ask to see the Pocket Card when we arrive, and the license number appears on every invoice we issue.

Yes. We carry general liability and workers' compensation coverage as required for locksmith operations in California. This protects your property and our technicians while we're on your premises. If you need a certificate of insurance for a commercial property management agreement in Santa Clara or Milpitas, we can provide that within one business day.

Ask for their BSIS license number and look it up on the California Department of Consumer Affairs website. Check that the business name on the invoice matches what you were told on the phone. A legitimate locksmith in San Jose will arrive in a marked vehicle, provide a written quote before starting, and accept standard payment methods. Be wary of anyone who refuses to give a firm price, shows up in an unmarked car, or immediately drills a lock that should be pickable.

We're open 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, seven days a week, including weekends. For lockouts during those hours, we typically have a technician available same-day, often within the hour depending on your location in our service area. After 8:00 PM, we do not dispatch. If you're locked out late at night, we recommend securing temporary shelter and calling us first thing in the morning, or contacting local emergency services if safety is a concern.

During business hours, our typical response time is 30-60 minutes for most San Jose neighborhoods, including Alum Rock, East Foothills, Willow Glen, and Berryessa. Campbell, Los Gatos, and Saratoga usually fall in the same window. Milpitas, Fremont, and Mountain View can run toward the longer end depending on traffic on 880 or 101. We give you a specific arrival window when you book, and we text when the tech is en route.

Stay somewhere safe and well-lit. If it's after dark, a porch light or neighbor's doorway is better than standing at the curb. Have your ID ready, we'll need to verify you live there or are authorized to enter. If there's a secondary entry we could use, like a back door or garage keypad, mention it when you call, it might save time and money. And don't try to force the lock with a credit card or screwdriver; modern deadbolts will chew up your card and still won't open.

Yes, and it's one of our most common calls in San Jose, especially with older brass keys in original 1960s and 1970s hardware. We use extractor tools to remove the broken piece without damaging the cylinder, then cut a new key from the remaining fragment or code. If the cylinder was damaged by the break or by prior attempts to remove it, we'll show you the scoring inside and quote a replacement. Don't spray WD-40 or glue into the lock, it makes extraction harder and can ruin the mechanism.

All labor and installed hardware carries a written warranty under The Haven Standard. Mechanical locks are covered against defects and installation issues for one year. Electronic and smart lock warranties vary by manufacturer, Schlage and Yale typically offer 3-year electronics warranties, and we honor those plus our own labor guarantee. If something fails, we come back, diagnose it, and fix it at no charge if it's covered.

Call us. We document every installation with photos and notes, so we know exactly what we found and what we did. If the failure is due to our installation, we repair or replace at no cost. If it's a manufacturer defect, we handle the warranty claim with the brand and get you a replacement. If the lock was damaged by misuse, weather, or an attempted break-in, we'll show you the evidence and quote fair repair pricing. The Haven Standard requires us to say what we found, not what we felt about it.

We guarantee a real arrival window, not an impossible promise. When you book, we give you a specific time range, and our technician texts when they're on the way. If we're running late due to traffic on 280 or an unexpected complication at a prior job, we call you with an updated ETA. We don't claim "15 minutes or less" because that's theater, not service. What we promise is communication and accountability.

The Haven Standard is the documented set of practices every Novak Lock & Security branch works to. It has five clauses: Have it in writing, Arrive on schedule, Verified crews, Evidence on every job, and No surprises. Founded in 2002, Novak Lock & Security is the oldest company Haven acquired, and that single rule, the dispatcher quotes a firm price on the phone and the technician cannot change it on the doorstep, was the practice Haven adopted across all ten brands. Every locksmith job is quoted in writing before it starts and leaves a documented record when we leave.

Written by Daniel Novak, Owner at Novak Lock & Security San Jose, serving San Jose, Alum Rock, East Foothills, Campbell, Los Gatos, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Saratoga, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Fremont, and Mountain View since 2002.