How Weather Changes Can Affect Locks

If you’re trying to figure out why your locks are suddenly started to give you problems it could be due to the change in the weather. Yes, you read that right, the weather. Our locksmiths at Liberty Fast Locksmith in Liberty, IL have been called on to resolve this problem for many in the area. The first thing that you might thing is that there is a problem with your key. However, the problem may not involve your key, rather it involves the lock. There are a lot of things that could cause a problem with your locks and the one thing that you may not consider is the weather. You might not even notice that there is a problem with your locks until it appears as though someone has tried to break in. This could certainly damage your locks. When the weather changes, your lock becomes compromised in different ways. Here are some of the problems that you might be experiencing because of changes in the weather.

Hot & Warm Weather (Spring & Summer)

One of the most common issues that a business owner or homeowner may experience is their door jamming. This means that the key will only turn in one direction or possibly not at all. This usually occurs with the locks inside your home. The warmer it is the more the doors frame begins to expand. Those who experience this problem may notice that the door has a deadbolt lock on it and that the door is already closed. This can cause your doors locks to become compromised, since the door may already start expanding. It will make it difficult to open the door. Wooden doors tend to experience this problem most often, rather than a steel or fiberglass door. Wood material is easier to expand and contract during the warmer months of the year.

Cold or Cool Weather (Fall & Winter)

We usually receive more calls during the colder months of the year than any other time of the year. This is especially evident in the winter. This is often when locks begin to freeze. At Liberty Fast Locksmith, we prepare ourselves for emergency call-outs because we realize that during the coldest months of the year, we’re called on more often. The door does the opposite in the colder months, rather than expanding it contracts. This makes it difficult to open or close the door. You will have a problem with the key turning inside the lock, which makes it impossible to lock or unlock the lock. Again, this isn’t a problem that involves your key rather it involves the lock. You may have to pull the door in, toward you to get the key to align with the lock and frame of the door. This may enable you to unlock the door but it doesn’t resolve the problem that you are experiencing. You’ll need to rely on one of our qualified professional locksmiths to resolve the issue for you and to ensure that it is resolved. If you don’t take care of the problem now then you can be sure that the problem will get worse. Don’t take the unnecessary chance of this happening to you. Call a locksmith today.

Also, you should be advised that this problem often occurs to vehicle doors. Door locks may freeze and make it impossible for you to open you car door. Moisture builds up in the lock and it will make it impossible to unlock the door because it may be completely frozen. Regardless of whether you use a key or you try to open the lock remotely, you won’t have much luck trying to open the door. In some instances, heating up the key before you place it in the lock, could help you unlock the door. We know that it sounds strange but it has helped some motorists gain access back inside their vehicles. It may not work for you but it is certainly worth trying. Newer model vehicles that have use a transponder key to start their engine can heat up their vehicles so that if the locks are frozen, this will help it to thaw out. We would suggest that you try doing this before contacting a locksmith. However, if you don’t want to do this, any of our locksmiths will be more than happy to assist with your service needs. They will be sure to be able to get you back inside quickly.

Avoid Weather Related Lock Problems

You can’t imagine the frustration that a person might experience when they have a problem accessing their home or car due to a problem with their locks. If you don’t want to experience a problem then keep reading because there are some things that you can do. First, if you’re going to be able to get the right help, you’ll have to rely on the right locksmiths. Make sure you rely on a reputable locksmith. They are usually those that offer 24-hour mobile locksmith services, which means they are available to assist with your lockout situation any time of the day or night.

While wood doors are more appealing to homeowners than any other type of door, they are problematic because of the weather. If you have wooden doors that cause you problems several times a year then you might want to consider buying a different type of door. You can choose a fiberglass door or a steel door. Manufacturers make these types of doors for residential use and we’re sure you’ll find one that appeals to you.

Lubricate your locks throughout the year to prevent the locks from freezing. The best way to do this is to disassemble the locks before lubricating the lock. This will enable you to lubricate every part of the lock. If you do not know how to disassemble your lock, one of our locksmiths would be happy to handle this part of your lock maintenance for you.

Follow these steps and avoid problems when the weather starts to change.