3 Tips For Maintaining Your Door Locks

While locks are something that people rely on every single day for security, they are not maintained as much as they should be. Locks are designed to last roughly seven years, so it is crucial that you take the necessary steps to stretch their lifespan and ensure your safety. To maintain your residential door locks, here are three things that you should do.

Clean the Locks Regularly

Since the locks are used on a daily basis, dirt and oil will build up, eventually resulting in the locks sticking. To help prevent this from occurring, the locks should be cleaned regularly with water and a mild soap. You will want to make sure to avoid any harsh cleaning products, as these can actually cause the protecting coating on the lock to break down. One additional measure that can be taken, though, is to spray a lubricant directly into all of your locks about once per year. When you do this, insert your key in and out of the lock a couple of times to ensure that the interior of the lock is properly coated with the lubricant and that all dirt is removed.

Inspect the Door

If the door is binding or is not hanging normally, it can result in stress being placed on the latch of the lock, eventually causing a malfunction and a lockout. If you have a metal or wood door, it may expand with heat, making it harder to close. Talk to a locksmith in your area to determine if the problem with the door is just humidity or if it needs to be reinstalled to avoid major issues.

Check the Screws

The screws in the door hinges are very important when it comes to helping to prevent potential break-ins to your home; therefore, an important task that you have is checking to ensure that the screws are long enough to prevent sagging hinges. In addition, the deadbolt plate that is attached to the frame of the door should have long screws, as this helps to prevent it from dislodging.

Regardless of the number of times that a lock is installed, your overall sense of safety will rely on knowing that a local locksmith has your back each and every time. If you are uncomfortable maintaining your locks yourself, a locksmith can take care of these preventative tasks for you. If you run into issues with your locks, give a residential locksmith a call for repairs.


Share