Storage Unit Lockout Service

Know Which Lock Is on Your Unit

Storage facilities see three lock types more than any other, and each fails differently:

• Disc padlocks - round, puck-shaped locks built around a disc detainer mechanism instead of pins. The shackle is short and shrouded by the body, so bolt cutters have almost nothing to grab.
• Built-in cylinder locks - some roll-up doors take a small cylinder seated in the door latch itself, usually a wafer or pin tumbler design that can seize when dust works into it.
• Combination padlocks - no key to lose, but a forgotten combination locks you out just as completely.

Identify which one is on your door before you call anyone - it changes how the lock gets opened.

Check for an Overlock and Talk to the Facility First

Look at the lock closely first. A second lock on the latch, or a tagged lock you did not install, is an overlock - the facility's own lock, placed when the account has a hold on it, most often unpaid rent. No locksmith can remove an overlock; only management can, once the account is settled.

If the only lock is yours, the office will still want to verify you before any lock is opened or cut. Have ready:

• Photo ID matching the name on the rental agreement
• Your unit number and gate access code

Many facilities also restrict who may cut a lock on the property, so call the office before anyone starts work.

How a Locksmith Opens a Storage Unit Lock

The method follows the lock. Disc padlocks use rotating discs rather than spring-loaded pins, so picking one takes a dedicated disc detainer pick and patience. When picking is not practical, a controlled grinder cut through the lock body sacrifices the padlock but leaves the door, hasp, and latch untouched. A built-in cylinder can often be picked, or drilled as a last resort and replaced with a fresh cylinder.

Two problems only look like lockouts:

• Key snapped off in the keyway - the broken blade comes out with a thin extractor tool. Pushing it deeper with pliers or glue makes extraction harder.
• Key turns but the door stays shut - the slide latch or hasp on the roll-up door is likely bent or misaligned, and cutting the lock will not fix it.

Safe Steps Now, and a Better Lock After

A few safe steps help while you wait:

• Photograph the lock and note the brand and any stamped numbers. Some original keys carry a key code a new key can be cut from.
• If the key inserts but drags, puff in dry graphite. Avoid oil - outdoor locks collect dust, and oil turns it into grime that jams wafers and pins.
• Skip bolt cutters and drills. Disc lock shackles are hardened boron alloy that ruins cutters, and facilities can treat unauthorized cutting as tampering.

Once the door is open, replace a cut lock with a disc padlock that has a shrouded, hardened shackle rather than a long-shackle laminated padlock; keyed-alike disc locks are handy if you rent several units. If you are standing at a locked unit right now, call (916) 913-5080, describe the lock you see, and confirm whether the service can help before any visit is scheduled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a locksmith remove the overlock my storage facility put on my unit?

No. An overlock belongs to the facility and usually means the account has a hold on it, most often unpaid rent. Only facility management can remove it, generally once the balance is settled. A locksmith can only open or cut a lock that belongs to you, on a unit you can prove you rent, so resolve an overlock at the office first.

Why can't I just cut my disc lock off with bolt cutters?

Disc padlocks are designed to defeat exactly that attack. The shackle is short, hardened steel or boron alloy, and shrouded by the round body, so cutter jaws cannot reach around it - most attempts only damage the tool. Many facilities also prohibit tenants from cutting locks themselves and require ID and rental paperwork before any lock comes off a unit.

I forgot the combination to my storage padlock. Is the lock ruined?

Not always. Some combination padlocks can be decoded by feel, and resettable models can be set to a new combination once they are open. Fixed-combination budget locks are usually not worth decoding, and cutting and replacing the padlock is often the practical route. Either way, only the padlock is sacrificed - the unit door, hasp, and latch stay untouched.

Call (916) 913-5080 about storage unit lockout.