Smart locks
House lockouts
Re-keying
Deadbolt upgrades
Schlage
Kwikset
Car keys & fobsNon-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Get your free estimateLocksmith in Tujunga, CA
Rekeying locks is the most common service call we handle in Tujunga, and the reasons are baked into the neighborhood itself. Homes here date largely from the 1940s through the 1960s, many still carry their original mortise locks or builder-grade knob sets, and the hot, dry summers followed by Santa Ana winds do real damage to aging door hardware. Add in hillside gates, detached garages converted to ADUs, and the recurring reality of fire-zone evacuations, and you get a community where lock work isn’t optional. It’s seasonal, it’s structural, and it’s personal. Call Tumbler Lock & Key at (877) 265-3856 for an exact quote on any lock job in the 91042 or 91043 ZIP codes.
Why Tujunga Homes Are Different
Tujunga sits up against the Verdugo Mountains and the edge of Angeles National Forest, and that geography shapes every lock we touch. The housing stock is overwhelming post-war: stucco and wood-frame single-family homes built between the 1940s and 1960s. Many of those front doors still have the original mortise lock bodies, which are solid but finicky, and when the wood around them swells during winter rain or dries out in summer heat, the alignment shifts and keys stop turning smoothly. The Santa Ana winds don’t just blow dust; they pull moisture out of wood and metal at the same time, so gate latches and shed hasps seize up faster than anything you’d see in a coastal neighborhood.
Then there’s the wildland-urban interface. After every major brush fire in the Verdugo Mountains or Angeles National Forest, we see a predictable spike in calls from Tujunga residents: people who evacuated and now need every exterior lock rekeyed, plus plenty of gate locks and outbuilding hardware that took heat damage and won’t work. It’s not alarmist to say fire is part of life here. It’s just the reality, and it means lock security isn’t a one-time purchase. It’s something you reset after a close call. We’ve done enough of these jobs to know exactly which hardware fails first.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Main Tujunga Services
Two services dominate the calls we get from Tujunga homeowners and vehicle owners: car key replacement and emergency lockout response. Here’s what each looks like in this part of the Verdugo foothills.
Car Key Replacement in Tujunga
Steep driveways and hillside parking mean a broken or lost car key in Tujunga isn’t a minor inconvenience; it’s a vehicle stuck exactly where you can’t easily get a tow truck. We handle automotive key replacement on-site, whether you’re dealing with a worn transponder key that stopped starting the engine or a key that snapped in the ignition on a hot afternoon. Most Tujunga residents are surprised to learn a locksmith can do this faster and cheaper than a dealership tow. See the full breakdown on our Car Key Replacement in Tujunga page.
Emergency Locksmith in Tujunga
A midnight lockout on a hillside street off Foothill Boulevard is different from one in a flat, dense neighborhood. It’s darker, it’s quieter, and the nearest open business is miles away. Our emergency response for Tujunga prioritizes getting you back inside a home, car, or gate without damaging the hardware, because replacing a 1950s mortise lock is far more expensive than a clean non-destructive entry. We carry tools and common parts for older hardware on the truck. Details and response expectations are on the Emergency Locksmith in Tujunga page.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Rekey Locks in Tujunga
Rekeying in Tujunga is the most cost-effective way to reset security after a move, a tenant change, a lost key, or an evacuation return. Because so many homes here still have functioning but older hardware, homeowners often prefer rekeying over full replacement: the lock body is fine, the cylinder just needs new pins so the old key stops working. We rekey Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, Baldwin, and most mortise lock cylinders found in these post-war homes. Learn more about the full Rekey Locks process, or keep reading for Tujunga-specific costs and signs.
Lock Rekey
Signs you need it
You’ve moved into a new home, a roommate or tenant left, or a key was lost and you can’t account for every copy.
What it costs in Tujunga
Standard labor for a lock rekey typically runs $40 to $70 per cylinder plus parts, with a service call fee that varies by distance within the Tujunga area.
How we do it
We remove the cylinder, replace the internal pins to match a new key, and test the lock through multiple cycles before we call it done.
Rekey Door Lock
Signs you need it
Your key works only if you jiggle it, a previous contractor still has a copy, or you want one key to operate several doors.
What it costs in Tujunga
Rekeying a single door lock is usually $40 to $70 for labor per cylinder, with house-call fees that reflect travel distance in the 91042 and 91043 ZIP codes.
How we do it
We match the new key to the existing cylinder, replace worn pins, and lubricate the mechanism with a dry graphite or Teflon-based lubricant suited to Tujunga’s dusty conditions.
Keyed Alike
Signs you need it
You’re carrying a ring of five different keys for one property and want a single key for every door and gate.
What it costs in Tujunga
Expect a per-cylinder labor charge of $40 to $70 for each lock we convert to a keyed-alike system, plus the cost of any new keys cut.
How we do it
We pin each cylinder to the same key code, verify that every lock turns smoothly with that one key, and color-code or label the old keys so you know to dispose of them securely.
What Rekey Locks Costs in Tujunga
| Item | Typical range in Tujunga |
|---|---|
| Labor per cylinder | $40 – $70 |
| House call / service fee | $45 – $85 (varies by distance) |
| Total for 3 – 4 locks keyed alike | $165 – $365 |
The full price is quoted on the phone before anyone is dispatched, and that’s the price on the invoice. We don’t add a surprise surcharge when we arrive.
How fast can you rekey locks in Tujunga?
Most rekey jobs are same-day or next-day. If the hardware is standard Kwikset or Schlage, the work often takes under an hour once we’re on-site. For older mortise locks, we may need to source a pin kit that fits the original cylinder, which can add a day. Call (877) 265-3856 and we’ll give you a realistic arrival window.
Is rekeying better than replacing an old Tujunga lock?
If the lock body is in good shape, yes. Rekeying preserves the original 1950s or 1960s hardware while giving you a fresh key system, which matters if you want to keep stucco cutouts and trim untouched. We recommend replacement only when the lock is damaged, rusted, or heat-compromised from a fire. We’ll tell you straight which one applies.
Brands We Service in Tujunga
We work on a wide range of lock brands, including Yale, Baldwin, Mul-T-Lock, and Sargent. That matters in Tujunga because many older homes have mortise lock bodies from Baldwin or Yale that require specialized tools and pins, while some homeowners are upgrading to high-security Mul-T-Lock or Sargent cylinders. Most parts are stocked on the truck; out-of-stock parts usually arrive within one to two business days. See our brands for the full list.
Pricing for Locksmith in Tujunga, CA
| Service | Typical range in Tujunga |
|---|---|
| Lock rekey (labor per cylinder) | $40 – $70 |
| Locksmith rekey (per lock) | $40 – $70 |
| Rekey door lock (single) | $40 – $70 |
| Rekey service (house call fee) | $45 – $85 |
| Keyed alike (per cylinder) | $40 – $70 |
| Car key replacement (basic non-chip) | $120 – $250 |
| Car key replacement (transponder/chip) | $180 – $350 |
| Emergency lockout response | $95 – $200 |
Two things push costs up in Tujunga specifically: travel distance into the hills and the age of the hardware. A 1960s mortise lock with original internals takes longer than a five-year-old Kwikset. You’ll hear the full price on the phone before we dispatch, and that’s the amount on your invoice.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Tujunga
We serve the entire Tujunga area, including both the 91042 and 91043 ZIP codes. Hillside streets are no problem, which matters because many homes up against the Angeles National Forest require a longer drive and sometimes a gate code to reach the front door.
- Tujunga Canyon
- Foothill Boulevard corridor
- Sunland-Tujunga foothills
- Apperson Street area
- Haines Canyon
Service Area – Cities Near Tujunga
Tumbler Lock & Key also covers the communities around Tujunga, including Sunland, CA, La Crescenta-Montrose, CA, Shadow Hills, CA, and Burbank, CA. If you’re on the edge of Tujunga and unsure which service area you fall into, call us; we’ll tell you straight.
Serving Tujunga, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Tujunga area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Locksmith in Tujunga
No. Rekeying is a mechanical adjustment to existing hardware and doesn’t require a permit anywhere in Tujunga or the City of Los Angeles. If you’re adding new deadbolts or modifying door frames, that can trigger building code requirements, but a standard rekey never does. We’ll tell you if we see anything that would.
We respond to Tujunga lockouts around the clock, including late-night calls in the foothills. The drive time depends on where you are in the canyon or off Foothill Boulevard. Every call gets an honest arrival estimate before we dispatch. Call (877) 265-3856 and tell us where you’re locked out.
Yes. Hillside lots in Tujunga mean exterior gates, storage sheds, detached garages, and ADUs all need lock work. We rekey, repair, and replace padlocks, gate latches, and door locks on outbuildings as readily as front doors. Same truck, same tools, same flat-by-phone pricing.
If you’re in Tujunga and need a rekey, a car key, or an emergency lockout resolved, call Tumbler Lock & Key at (877) 265-3856 for a free estimate. One call covers your car, your home, and your gate. Your lock has a name; now you know ours.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees — talk to a local locksmith pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you — the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Tujunga Customers Say
"Told me over the phone that what I needed was a five dollar part from the hardware store, not a locksmith. I called him back a month later for real work because of that."
— Craig Thompson"The old deadbolt was mounted crooked by whoever lived here before and had been sticking for years. He redrilled and reset it properly rather than just replacing the hardware."
— Marisol Castillo"Rekeyed every lock in the house the day after we closed. Six doors, all matched to one key, done in about ninety minutes."
— Yolanda Delgado