How to reach us and what to tell us when you do

Ask for help

The request form is the front door right now

Every good service business has a way for a stranger to say, in plain words, what has gone wrong. For Redding Mobile Locksmith that way is the request form on this page. Our telephone line is coming soon, and we would rather tell you that plainly than leave you hunting for a number that does not exist yet. When the line opens, this page will say so.

The form is built around the way people actually describe lock trouble. It does not ask you to know the name of any part. You can say the back door will not lock, or the key broke off, or the car is shut with the keys on the seat. A few honest sentences are better than a polished paragraph, because the point is to give us a picture we can act on.

If you are reading this from inside the problem, standing beside a car or a front door, take a breath first. Nearly every lock and key situation has an ordinary, solvable cause, and the people who handle them for a living have seen your version many times. The request form is the place to begin, and the rest of this page explains how to make the most of it.

• Use the request form on this page to describe what happened.
• Write the way you would explain it to a neighbor, in plain words.
• Tell us which community you are in so we know where to send the team.
• Say whether the situation is urgent or can wait for a convenient visit.
• Mention anything that makes access harder, such as a gate or a long driveway.

What to have ready before you write

A little preparation turns a vague request into a clear one. The most useful thing is the place: the community you are in, and whether you are at a house, a business, a roadside or a parking area. We serve seventeen communities across Shasta and Siskiyou counties, from Redding and Anderson in the valley to Mount Shasta, Yreka and Etna in the north, so the town name matters more than you might think.

Next comes the thing that needs attention. For a car, that means the general make if you know it, the approximate year, and whether the key is a plain metal one, a chipped key, a push button fob or a card. For a door, it means whether it is a front, back, garage entry or a business door, and whether the lock is a knob, a lever, a deadbolt or something with a keypad.

Last, think about proof that the property is yours. A locksmith who is any good will ask you to show that you belong at the door or behind the wheel, and a sensible request always carries that expectation. Having an ID and something that ties you to the vehicle or the address within reach means the visit goes smoothly instead of stalling at the doorstep.

How to describe a lock problem so it gets diagnosed

Locks fail in a handful of recognizable ways, and the way you describe the failure points straight at the cause. If the key goes in but will not turn, that suggests a worn key, a dirty cylinder, or a pin that has shifted. If the key turns but the bolt does not move, the problem often sits in the latch or the strike, not the cylinder. If the whole lock spins freely, a connecting piece inside has let go.

Timing helps as well. A lock that has been getting stiffer for weeks is telling a different story from one that failed this morning after a cold night. Mention what changed recently: a new door, a painted frame, a house that settled, a key that was copied at a hardware counter. These details sound minor, but they are exactly what experienced technicians listen for.

Try to resist the urge to force anything before you write. Hard turns on a stuck key are how a worn key becomes a broken key, and a broken key is a bigger job than a stiff one. If you have already tried something, say what it was. Nobody minds, and it saves a step. You can read more about the common causes in our guide on why a lock turns so hard.

Describing a car or truck key situation

Vehicle requests have a vocabulary of their own, and a few words go a long way. Say whether you are locked out with the keys inside, whether the key is lost entirely, whether it broke, or whether the car simply does not recognize it any more. Each of those is a different job, with different tools, and sorting them early means the van arrives equipped for yours.

If the vehicle has a push button start, mention it. If there is a metal blade tucked inside the fob, mention that as well. Many modern keys carry a small transponder chip that the car must recognize before the engine will run, and that chip is why a replacement is more than a copy cut at a counter. Our page on replacement car keys and the one on key programming and fobs explain what each situation involves.

Safety comes first, always. If a child or a pet is inside a locked vehicle, call emergency services before you do anything else, including filling in a form. Emergency crews are trained and equipped for exactly that moment and can reach the vehicle without delay. After everyone is safe, we are glad to help with the lock itself.

• Say whether the keys are inside, lost, broken or no longer recognized.
• Describe the key: plain metal, chipped, push button fob or card.
• Mention the general make and approximate year if you know them.
• Note whether the car has a push button start.
• If a child or pet is inside, call emergency services first.

Describing a home or business door

For buildings, the most helpful opening is a sentence about which door and which problem. The back door deadbolt that sticks in cold weather is a different request from a front door that will not latch, and both differ from a shop whose glass door lock no longer matches the keys the staff carry. Specific beats general every time.

Tell us about the people involved too. A homeowner can authorize almost any change. A renter usually needs the landlord or property manager to agree before locks are altered, and rules about that vary from place to place, so it is wise to check yours. A business with several employees may want to think about who holds keys before work begins. Our guide to what renters should ask a landlord about lock changes is a good starting point.

If you want a change rather than a repair, such as new locks on a house you just bought, say so. Rekeying and replacing are different jobs with different outcomes, and describing your goal lets the technician recommend the sensible route. The pages on rekeying your home and new lock installation lay out the difference.

Urgent requests and the ones that can wait

Some situations cannot wait, and the form lets you say so. A person locked out at night, a door that will not secure after a break in, and a business that cannot close up all belong in the urgent group. We are a 24 hour service, and the request form is read with that in mind. Say the word urgent near the top and explain why in one sentence.

Plenty of requests are not urgent, and saying so is just as useful. A spare key, a sticking lock, a rekey after a move, or a plan to add deadbolts across a property can be scheduled around your life and ours. Those jobs often go better with a little planning, because the technician can bring the right hardware instead of improvising.

We do not publish arrival promises, and we will not tell you a number of minutes we cannot be sure of. Roads, weather and distance all play a part, especially in the mountain communities where snow can change a trip. What we can promise is that you will hear from a real person about what is happening, so you are not left guessing. See our page on emergency help at any hour for how urgent calls are handled.

What happens after you send the request

Once your request arrives, someone reads it with the practical questions in mind. Where is the job, what kind of lock or key is involved, what tools will it take, and who needs to be there. If something is unclear, you may be asked a short follow up question. That is not a hurdle, it is how we make sure the right equipment rides in the van.

Our team works from a branded service van that carries professional tools, key cutting and programming equipment, and common hardware. Technicians wear uniforms, so you can recognize who is at your door. When the team arrives, they will confirm that the job is what you described, check that you are the person entitled to have it done, and explain what they intend to do before they begin.

The work itself is explained as it goes. If a lock can be repaired, you will hear that. If it should be replaced, you will hear why. You stay in charge of the decision, and you should never feel hurried into a choice you do not understand. When the job is done, the technician checks that every key works and that the door closes and locks properly before leaving.

Information we will never ask you to send in the form

The request form needs very little, and we would like to keep it that way. Please do not type a card number, a password, a combination code, an alarm code or the full number off any key into it. None of that is needed to start a conversation, and none of it belongs in a message that travels across the internet.

The same caution applies to any message that claims to be from us. Our telephone line is not live yet, so a text or call claiming to be Redding Mobile Locksmith asking for payment details or personal information should be treated with suspicion. Come back to this page and use the form instead. Our guide on how to know a locksmith is the real thing lists other signs worth watching for.

If you are ever unsure who you are dealing with, it is fine to ask. A genuine locksmith expects questions and welcomes them. You can ask for the name of the company, ask where the technician is based, and ask them to explain the work before it starts. Trust is built in the first few minutes, and plain questions are part of building it.

Where we serve and how to say where you are

Our service area covers seventeen communities. In Shasta County those are Redding, Anderson, Shasta Lake, Cottonwood, Palo Cedro, Millville, Lakehead and Sims. In Siskiyou County they are Mount Shasta, Yreka, Dunsmuir, McCloud, Weed, Granada, Montague, Fort Jones and Etna. If you are close to one of these but not inside it, say so and we will tell you whether we can help.

When you name your location, the community and ZIP code are enough to begin with. If you live on a long private road, behind a gate, or at a spot that is hard to find, add that detail. Rural properties near Cottonwood and Millville often have access quirks that matter more than the address itself.

Mountain locations bring their own considerations. Winter conditions around Interstate 5 in the Sacramento River canyon, and on Highway 89 and Highway 3, can change how a visit is planned. If you are in a place like Lakehead, Mount Shasta or Etna, mention the weather and the state of your road, since it affects planning.

Questions to ask when you are choosing a locksmith

Whoever you call, a few questions separate a careful professional from someone who simply owns a van. Ask whether they will identify themselves and the company by name. Ask whether they can explain the work before they start. Ask how the final cost is decided, and expect a clear answer before any tools come out. If an answer is evasive, that is information worth having.

Be wary of any provider who will not talk specifics until they are at your door, or who suggests drilling and replacing a lock that might have been opened gently. Many lockouts can be handled without damage, and many sticky locks can be repaired rather than replaced. A good technician will tell you which applies and let you decide.

You can also use our guides to prepare. The article on what to have ready when you call a locksmith walks through the same checklist in more detail, and the one on what a lockout is and what to try first can save you a visit when the answer is simple.

A short note on what we can and cannot do

There are things we will gladly do and a few we will not. We open doors and vehicles for the people entitled to be inside them, and we ask for reasonable proof first. We cut and program keys, rekey and repair locks, install new hardware, and handle commercial door equipment. We do not open a lock for someone who cannot show a connection to it, and we will not teach bypass methods that could help a burglar.

We also try not to give advice outside our lane. Questions about leases, property rules, homeowner association requirements, insurance claims or local codes are properly answered by the landlord, the association, the insurer or the local authority. We can tell you what is technically possible and what to ask. They can tell you what is permitted.

If your problem does not fit the list at all, send the request anyway. Describe the odd lock, the antique key or the stubborn cabinet, and we will say honestly whether it is something we handle. Sometimes the answer is a different kind of specialist, and pointing you there is part of doing the job properly. The home lock service and business lock service pages give a feel for the range.

Good to know

Common questions