The locks and keys in your home are quite a basic mechanism, but they are incredibly important. They keep your home and your belongings safe and secure, giving you peace of mind when you go out or go to sleep at night. You use them on a daily basis, but have you ever thought about how you can make your locks and keys last longer?
Mechanical locks do need to be taken care of in order to prevent wear and tear. Here are some tips that will help you to take good care of your locks and keys and ensure that they last for the long term.
1. Check the Position of the Door
Make sure that your door isn’t hanging down due to the weight of the door pulling on the hinges. This will dislocate the door from the correct position where the bolt and the hole interlock, which can cause damage to the lock over time. If you feel a grind or a rubbing as you turn the key from the latch or bolt, this is a tell-tale sign that you have this problem. Filing out the strike will ease this problem.
2. Keep Your Keys Clean
2. Keep Your Keys CleanIf you are unlocking your door with a dirty, grimy key, then that dirt and debris will find itself inside the mechanism of the lock. Over time, this will jam up the small and complex locking mechanism and cause damage to the inside of the lock. Give your key a wipe down on a regular basis to keep it clean and avoid keeping it at the bottom of a purse or bag where it will gather dirt and grime.
3. Don’t Force the Lock
If, for some reason, you have put the key into the lock and it isn’t turning – do not try to push too hard and physically force the key to turn. This will bend the metal of the lock and make the key likely to break. Also, the bent key will not work as well next time, making the problem worse.
When your lock isn’t working you can try it gently, but rather than forcing the lock to turn and potentially causing problems, it is best to call a locksmith.
4. Clean the Inside of the Lock
When a lot of dirt, dust and debris builds up inside the lock it can cause a lot of issues, making the lock much more difficult to operate. You can use compressed air to blow through the keyhole of a lock, or you can open up the cover plate in order to expose the inner workings and use a soft brush to clean them out.
Avoid using oil based liquid lubricant when you do this as it can mix with the dust and create a gritty paste that will wear out the moving parts of the lock. Instead, it is better to use a dry lubricant that will prevent corrosion of the lock. INOX is a good option to use in this situation and powdered Graphite if the lock is dry but don’t mix the two together.
5. Watch Out for Extreme Weather
One of the common causes of lock issues is extreme temperatures, which can cause the metal of the lock mechanism and the key to expand or contract. In Perth, you are unlikely to have issues with extreme cold, but very hot temperatures can certainly be an issue. The warm temperature can cause the door frame and the metal of the lock and key to expand slightly, which can cause the lock to become “stuck” in a position and be very difficult to turn.
In order to avoid this issue you can take the time to lubricate your locks as often as possible, which will make them easier to turn even as the temperature changes. Also, make sure that the lock is well fitted to the door frame, which will reduce your chances of experiences issues with changing weather.
Lock, Stock & Farrell are your one stop shop for locks and keys in Perth. Alongside providing onsite and mobile locksmith services we also have a great range of products in-store from domestic and commercial locks to safes and padlocks. Stop by our store in Cannington today!
