Before a Houston storm, check that every door latches and locks fully, and know who holds your keys. After a storm, shifted frames and water-damaged hardware are common, and disasters attract bad actors, so verify any locksmith’s Texas DPS license on the TOPS portal and get a written total first. WOW Locks, license B10595301, answers at (844) 969-5625.
Before the Storm: Door and Lock Checks That Take Ten Minutes
Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30 on the Atlantic side, with the busiest stretch from late summer into early fall. In Houston that means a ten minute door check belongs on the calendar every year, right next to the batteries and the flashlight.
Walk to each exterior door and run this list.
- Close it and lock it. Does the bolt slide all the way into the frame without you leaning on the door? If you have to lift or push, something has shifted.
- Look at the strike plate. That is the metal plate in the frame where the bolt lands. Loose, bent or short screws mean a weak door. Longer screws that reach the wall stud give the plate real grip.
- Check the deadbolt. A deadbolt with a full bolt throw and a solid strike beats a knob lock alone. If yours is worn or loose, the deadbolt installation service covers a swap.
- Test every key. Spare keys that do not work are a surprise nobody wants after an evacuation.
- Check electronic locks. Replace batteries in keypad and smart locks, and know where the mechanical key override is. Water and power loss are hard on electronics.
- Write down who has keys. A contractor, a dog sitter, a neighbor, a former tenant. If the list has a name you do not trust, rekey.
Evacuating: Who Has Your Keys, What Goes in the Safe or the Go-Bag
If you evacuate, your home sits empty for days. Two things matter: the keys, and the paperwork.
Go-bag basics:
- Your house keys and car keys, including the spare
- A paper copy of your lock-and-key list
- Insurance policy numbers and a copy of the declarations page
- Photo ID and the title or registration for your vehicles (a locksmith may ask for proof of ownership before key work)
- The phone number for your locksmith, saved in your phone and on paper
Keep spare keys with you, not hidden at the house. A key hidden outside a flooded or unattended home is a key anybody can find.
If a neighbor or relative is checking on the house, tell them which door to use and how to lock it behind them.
After the Storm: Doors That Shifted, Swollen Frames and Failed Hardware
First, safety: follow local officials on when it is safe to return, and on anything beyond locks. This guide covers doors and keys only.
Once you are back, doors tell you what the house went through. Look for these.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Door sticks, will not close fully | Swollen wood or a shifted frame | Let it dry out if you can. If it will not close, call a carpenter or contractor for the frame |
| Bolt does not reach the strike plate | Frame moved or plate bent | A locksmith can often fix the strike and bolt alignment. Bad frames need a carpenter |
| Key turns hard or sticks | Rust, grit or water in the cylinder | A locksmith can service or replace the lock |
| Keypad or smart lock dead or acting up | Water or power damage | Use the mechanical key. Replace if it will not recover |
| Door was forced, damaged around the lock | Storm debris or forced entry | Secure it temporarily, take photos for insurance, then repair |
Houston’s humidity and any flood water are hard on metal and wood. A lock that already stuck last year is a good candidate for a new one this year, whether you live in Pasadena, League City or anywhere between.
Boarded-Up or Damaged Entry: Temporary Security Until Repairs
A door that will not secure gets solved in two steps. First close the gap, then fix the door.
Depending on the damage, a locksmith may repair, rekey or fit temporary hardware. A carpenter handles broken or rotted frames. Between the two, you want something that keeps the door closed and locked while you wait.
- Photos first. Take photos of the damage before you touch anything, for insurance.
- Describe it on the call. Tell the dispatcher what you see: bent frame, broken strike, forced lock. They can say what is realistic.
- Do not leave valuables behind a door that does not lock. Move them with you if you can.
WOW Locks cannot promise a response during or right after a storm, because roads, power and conditions change. The honest answer comes from the dispatcher at (844) 969-5625, who looks at your address.
Post-Storm Price Gouging and Contractor Scams
After past Texas disasters, the Texas Attorney General has urged residents to report price gouging and scam contractors. State law backs that up. Under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, it is a deceptive act to take advantage of a disaster declared by the governor by charging an exorbitant or excessive price for fuel, food, medicine or other necessities. The law does not give a fixed percentage, and whether a specific service counts is a question for the Attorney General. This is general information, not legal advice.
Here is how scams usually sound, and what to do about it.
| What you hear | What to do |
|---|---|
| “I’ll do it for cash only.” | Ask for a written total and a way to pay that leaves a record. Cash-only is a flag |
| “The price is $X,” then a new price at the door | Do not accept a total that changes after arrival. Ask for the full price in writing first |
| “Your whole lock is ruined, replace everything.” | Ask exactly what failed and why. A real fix is usually smaller than the first pitch |
| “I’m already in your neighborhood, sign now.” | Do not sign under pressure. Take your time and call two companies |
| “No license? Don’t worry about that.” | Walk away. Texas requires locksmith companies to hold a DPS license |
| “Sign this blank form for insurance.” | Never sign a blank form. Read it, and call your insurer first |
| A door-to-door offer you did not ask for | Treat it as a flag. Call a company you chose yourself |
If you think you have been cheated, report it through the Texas Attorney General’s consumer protection complaint process at texasattorneygeneral.gov. For the bigger picture on locksmith scams in general, the established guide how to avoid locksmith scams covers the red flags that apply any time of year.
How to Verify a Locksmith After a Storm
Checking a locksmith before you pay is short work, and it protects you.
- Ask for the company name and a Texas DPS license number. A licensed locksmith company has one.
- Look it up. Check the license on the Texas DPS private security license search (the TOPS portal).
- Ask for a written total. Name the work, the price and any add-ons.
- Pay in a way that leaves a record. A card or a receipt beats cash with no paper.
- Get a receipt. With the company name on it.
Verify the license: WOW Locks LLC holds Texas DPS (TOPS) license B10595301. Look it up on the TOPS portal before you pay anyone, including us.
What WOW Locks Quotes
WOW Locks publishes its flat rates so you can read them before you call. For the services this guide touches:
- Home lockout: $109, plus $40 for each additional lock
- Residential rekey: $30 per lock, with a 3-lock minimum. For example, rekeying three doors is $90 for the work, before tax
- New deadbolt or doorknob: $90 for the work. Hardware is additional if we supply it
Tax is additional. Any add-on, including after-hours service and distance, is quoted on the call before a technician is dispatched. See the full flat-rate price list.
WOW Locks LLC is insured and bonded, with local technicians based in Houston. We serve Houston, including Pasadena and League City. For lockouts and urgent door problems, see our emergency locksmith service.
Need a lock checked before the next storm, or a door fixed after one? Call (844) 969-5625, or send the details through request service. We tell you the total before anyone rolls out.