A door lock is one of the most used things you have, without really thinking about it, well, ever. It is used daily and can get broken or stuck as a result of wear and tear that occurs over time. When a door lock gets broken and you are stuck outside of your home, you need immediate repair, and it usually ends up in replacing the broken lock. In order to avoid a broken door lock at your home, here’s a list of a few of the most common reasons for broken door locks.
A Broken Lock as Result of Weather Stripping
If you have weather stripping for your front door, you should know that it is one of the most common reasons for a malfunctioning door lock. It causes erosion of the exterior paint and the resulting decay causes the door lock’s latch to slowly get damaged from the inside. If this is the case, then you will need to replace your front door’s weather stripping, or completely remove it in order to avoid causing damage to the door lock. Another alternative is changing your lock and having a professional locksmith find the best solution for you.
A Frozen Door Lock
In times of very cold weather, an exterior lock is subject to very low temperatures and can easily freeze. Interior locks tend to get filthy and internal parts might wear out as a result. In such cases, the best solution might be contacting a 24-hour locksmith and installing a completely new lock.
A Non-Operating Lock Bolt
If you happen to insert the key into the keyhole and it is able to turn but the lock bolt feels like it’s not working, then the mechanism is probably faulty. If that indeed turns out to be the case, then a lock replacement should be considered. It shouldn’t be too much of a problem where there is always a 24-hour locksmith available. A door lock might get defective for a good number of reasons, and in order to avoid it, you should check your lock and fix any problem as quickly as possible.
The Lock Seems to Be Stuck
If you insert your key into the keyhole and it is not budging at all, then the lock may have seized up. One of the most common reasons for this is the accumulation of dirt inside the mechanism. You can attempt cleaning it and then lubricating the lock with a silicone spray. It is not recommended to use oil in this case, unless you can apply it as a directional spray as well. Oil might also get in other parts of the lock where it is not needed so you are better off avoiding using it in this case.
A Door Lock Latch Problem
If the door lock latch doesn’t click into alignment with the mechanism, the meaning is that the lock and strike plate are out of the correct order. It could come as a result of fluctuating temperatures that may cause the lock to expand or contract. The best solution would be to ask a 24-hour locksmith for advice.
