Doors do a lot for us — they serve as portals to the world, blanket our buildings in security, and offer public-facing canvasses for signs and decorations. Yet despite frequent use, doors are often taken for granted. Inattention to door lock issues is understandable, as other priorities may take precedent. However, once a door lock starts to degrade, ignoring the problem often leads to more complex issues like lockouts. We handle lock repairs of every kind. Here are three of the most common types of lock issues we see, along with tips on how to avoid them.
Loose Handles & Locks
Over the years, door hinges, handles, and locks suffer wear and tear, and eventually they loosen up. Loose locks are a double-edged sword: they’re easy to fix (just tighten the screws), but also easy to ignore. For some people, a jiggly door handle or finicky lock may add to a home’s rustic charm. But in the long term, that loose lock grows prone to catastrophic failure. The longer you wait to repair it, the more likely you’ll find yourself stuck outside one day when the lock stops functioning. But don’t worry — Parade Locks Clacton offer emergency services for lockouts.
Misaligned Locks
A door lock works best when its deadbolt fits properly into the strike plate along the door jam. If the alignment of these parts is off even by a short distance, the lock will likely put up a fight — and sometimes it won’t work at all. A few of the most common ways locks get knocked out of alignment is from people yanking and pulling on the handles or aggressively swinging the doors open and closed; such behavior knocks the hinges out of whack, making the door wonky. But some doors aren’t symmetrical to begin with. Maybe they were installed improperly by the contractors or maintenance staff. A misaligned door lock demands extra effort — pushing, pulling, and lifting — to open and close. That added force may also lead to broken keys and mangled inner-lock components.
Broken Key In Lock
Keys often become brittle as they age, while older locks tend to rust from humidity. This combination can be a recipe for disaster. A rusted lock is frozen into position. This means you’ll have to apply greater force on the key to budge the mechanism. In this case, the probability of a weak key breaking is high. With the key stuck in the lock, the door is effectively jammed. If you’re outside the home at the time, this creates quite the dilemma.
In addition to these lock repairs, you might encounter jammed latches or lock cylinders that turn but don’t release the deadbolt. Sometimes door lock issues are just annoying. Other times they’re enough to get you locked out of the house. At Parade Locksmiths Clacton, we have solutions for all situations. To keep your home or business secure and accessible, call us today.
