File Cabinet Lock Replacement: Everything You Need To Know

When you have an office space, things like Filing Cabinets tend to look like permanent parts of the office that just need to be installed once, and then never to be heard from ever again. But, alas, like every other part of a building, filing cabinets need to be kept up with too! This is especially essential for offices that have to deal with keeping confidential papers safe, because you will need your filing cabinet locks to function perfectly all the time and if there’s one thing almost all older filing cabinets have in common, it’s the fact that their locks are the first things to wear out!

This can be a confusing scenario to find yourself in. There are tonnes of things that can go wrong with a filing cabinet lock and trying to figure out if it needs a replacement can be hard to determine. Your solution would depend on the type of goal you’re after, and in this post, we’ll be going over 3 of the most common ones!

1. What do you do when your filing cabinet lock breaks?
   
   Oftentimes, your cabinet lock won’t just malfunction, it’ll just break apart! This can be a frustrating situation to find yourself in especially if the drawer that’s causing the issue was part of a filing system that has to go in a specific order, as this would mean that you can’t just move the papers somewhere else, the lock has to be fixed!

   Since in this scenario you’re going to need the entire lock taken off and replaced with another one. This will require using machinery like drills to drill into the old lock and safely remove it without affecting the entire filing cabinet to ensure it can still be used after the new lock is put in. This process is a little tricky, and you could try doing it yourself but it would be best if you let a professional handle this one. You can call Chicago locksmith services, or any recommended locksmiths in your local area to come replace these locks for you! This way, you’ll know for sure that the main cabinet will be safe and you will have a brand new functioning lock in no time! 

2. Broke your filing cabinet keys, how to get a replacement?

   Since filing cabinets aren’t like doors, their locks are usually not the sturdiest, and this extends to the keys as well. The keys that come with filing cabinets are usually very thin and don’t really stand the test of time. It’s very easy to accidentally bend them or break them. If you find that your key is in a condition that it just can’t be used with the filing cabinet anymore, have a locksmith take a look at it. They should either be able to fix the key, or easily make you a copy of the key you have. This way, you can continue using the same lock on the cabinet and still have your problem fixed!

Can you Replace traditional locks with electronic ones?

Unless your filing cabinet was bought in the past few years, chances are that the locks on it are the old traditional locks. Replacing the entire filing cabinet might not be feasible but you can still upgrade the locks to electric ones! The easiest way would be if you’re using padlocks, you could switch to electronic padlocks without any major hardware changes. However, if you want to replace the entire lock and have it be electric, that one might not be as simple. It would only be possible if you can find a lock that’s the same size as your old one or one that needs only a little more space so it can still fit in the cabinet itself. If you can find one, it can easily be installed just like a regular cabinet replacement!