Gate & Building Entry Locks: getting ready

Between the front gate, the side gate and the one behind the shed, there are three different padlocks, three different keys, and a growing pile of duplicates in a kitchen drawer that nobody can match to the right lock anymore.

Worth answering before the call

Is this a single household gate or a shared building entry? Has anyone moved out or left the building recently? Does the entry have a buzzer, keypad or electric strike?

What is the difference between a gate lock and a regular door lock?

A gate lock is built to work outdoors, so it usually pairs a latch or bolt with a closer that swings the gate shut on its own using its own spring, rather than relying on a person to push it home. The cylinder tends to be weather-rated, and the whole assembly fits a gate frame or post rather than a conventional door jamb. A building entry door, by contrast, often combines this outdoor hardware with an interior-style latch or an electric strike.

Should every gate on my property share one key, or is it better to keep them separate?

Either can make sense, and the choice usually comes down to who uses which gate and how often. A household that walks through the front and side gates daily generally prefers one key for both, while a gate that only a landscaper or utility worker uses is sometimes kept on its own key deliberately, so lending it out does not hand over access to everything else. The locksmith can lay out both options once every gate on the property has been looked at.