Everyone wants the best protection for their home, and with the summer months calling for vacations away from home, security is more important than ever. Locks are designed to keep intruders away, but every once in a while, a key gets stuck or mechanism gets clogged. Some issues are simple enough to take care of yourself. Locksmiths at Preferred Safe & Lock here in Detroit feel like they have seen it all when it comes to locks. Many times when customers have an issue with their locks, the issue is something they could resolve themselves if they just knew how. Below are some of the more common problems we see and how to address them yourself. However, if you run into something you’re not comfortable taking care of on your own, don’t hesitate to call one of our locksmiths for help.
1 Door Won‘t Latch
If your door won’t stay latched because of a temperature delineation, such as a quick shift from hot to cold, you may have to analyse your strike plate. The strike plate is used mainly for the deadbolt which is imperative for home security. To readjust the strike plate you have always mark and measure where the new room is needed to fit the strike plate. If possible, file the metal where space is needed.
2 Stuck Keys
Sometimes a wrong key is inserted into the lock and then becomes stuck. This also can sometimes occur with new keys. If this does happen, spraying a lubricant, like WD-40®, into the keyhole can help you remove the stuck key.
3 Frozen Locks
During the harsh cold of the winter, door knobs can be difficult to turn due to frozen water in the mechanism. You can try to apply some heat so the ice will melt, but applying too much heat could cause permanent damage. A professional locksmith ensures that just the right amount of heat is applied to your lock.
4 Loose Locks:
As a
lock gets older, it can become loose. In this case, your lock can be
easily unlocked by using hairpins or other tools. It’s extremely important to
have a locksmith fix this issue right away so the security of your home
isn’t compromised.
