In any home or commercial building, it is important to ensure that the door lock is in proper working condition. It enhances security and regulates access to rooms and premises. However, doors have locks on them that may end up having problems that make it impossible to lock or unlock properly.
We will discuss five of the following issues that are often encountered by homeowners and businesses concerning their door locks. We shall also make recommendations on how to go about identifying and resolving these problems hence avoiding the cost incurred in hiring a professional locksmith bloomfield nj. Taking great care of your locks and fixing any damages will help you keep your property secure at all times.
What are the Major Factors that Contribute to a Sticky Door Lock?
A sticky cylinder makes it difficult to open the door with a key due to its nature of not running smoothly.
There are two primary reasons why lock cylinders become sticky:
– The dust and dirt that gathers on key cylinders over time offers resistance whenever one is turning the key.
– One common reason could be that the internal parts of the cylinder have been subjected to normal usage for many years and they will rub and stick when unlocking the door.
Solutions:
– Expel compressed air in order to blow out the cylinder and remove caked on filth.
– Treat the lock with a special lubricant, like powdered graphite.
– In case lubrication does not work, you might have to consider changing old and worn cylinders. A locksmith bloomfield nj can implement your current cylinder type into the replacement process for you. Getting new cylinders is helpful in terms of key functionality.
Why Does The Key Get Stuck in the Door Lock?
Another very common problem that property owners experience is keys getting stuck or lodging in the exterior door locks. Several different factors can cause a stuck door lock key:
– If internal structures such as spring pins or tumblers are damaged, they might get locked in a particular position which retains the key.
– In the case where the wood expands more than it should, then it exerts more than required friction to the key so that it gets bound.
– Small objects such as screws or gravel may get in the way of the cylinder and prevent the key from turning enough to eject it.
Solutions:
– Contact a professional locksmith bloomfield nj. They possess key extraction tools for dealing with broken keys and lock cylinder repair equipment for addressing lock issues.
– If the exterior doors have become swollen, it is possible to either bend the door seals or replace them.
What are the Procedures to Follow When a Door Lock is Stuck?
When locks start to jam it results in insecurity and inability to open the door or access the room. Several culprits can cause stuck door locks:
Forced/Failed entry attempts – When a person is attempting to unlock your door through picking or force, he or she might put a lot of pressure on your lock and as a result cause the internal components of the lock to jam up.
Build up of dirt – Similar to sticky cylinders, dirt and dust hinder the smooth operation of moving lock parts by creating friction and resistance.
Misalignment and damage on doors and frames – Weight on locks increases as well as potential touches when doors and frames are out of alignment and have hinges that sag. This binds components.
Solutions:
– Call a locksmith.
– In the cases of sudden jams due to forced entry, lock replacement is advised.
– Lubricating doors reduces excessive contact and friction on the lock parts that cause jamming and bending doors to the correct angle corrects misaligned frames.
Why does a door lock turn freely?
A spinning cylinder that accomplishes nothing is most often caused by:
Sheared locking pin – This cylinder/lock linkage pin, when broken, allows the cylinder to turn around with the intent to open the door. But it does not in reality interact with the mechanisms to open the door.
Internal spring failure – It is also possible for various kinds of spring that are present in the lock assembly to break. This enables the components to move out of proper rotation synchronization so as to develop the unproductive spinning situation.
Internal components – Other elements such as locking bars can just be pulled apart. It also hinders the possibility of the key and cylinder working in harmony with other functional parts of a vehicle.
Solutions:
– Hire a professional locksmith bloomfield nj for repair services. They can determine which internal part(s) of the lock assembly have gone wrong in your lock and offer the correct intervention.
– In basic key spinning cases, the locksmith has appropriate tools that can be used to reposition the locking pins so that the cylinder can once again properly turn.
How Do You Fix a Door Lock Where the Keys No Longer Work?
Every time you try to unlock your door, your key just does not turn or does not turn as it used to. There are two main reasons properly cut keys suddenly do not work:
Internal mechanisms that show wear and tear – The constant wear and use over the years tend to change the angle of the cylinders and thus the keys do not fit well into their respective slots.
Lock was rekeyed – Someone purposely altered internal lock structures so the previous key would not fit. Companies do this when an employee, who has keys to the premises, is dismissed. Losing keys requires rekeying since previous owners of the house might still have duplicates which poses a security threat to the new occupants.
Solutions:
Call a professional locksmith. The locksmith bloomfield nj is in a position to assess if your lock requires rekeying or if its components just require realignment. Common solutions include:
– It is also advisable to rekey the cylinder to new positions if internal mechanisms have shifted significantly due to years of usage. This aligns keys with current depths. The locksmith can make new keys for the new alignment of the door.
– Install a new lock cylinder in place of the old one and make new keys that are in harmony with the replacement set.
– File down high spots on worn parts or replace broken components so the current keyed locks interface with your current keys once more. This helps in avoiding full lock replacement charges and passing of the costs to the patients.
FAQs
Why does my business door keep locking on its own?
Problems with automatic doors closers and latches not being properly aligned can lead to doors locking on their own often. Consider putting the strike plates back into position and attempting to alter the closer tension.
Why does my door not open using the key?
If a properly matched key no longer turns, then the internal tumblers are no longer in the ideal position due to wear and tear changing the position of the key that allows for proper functioning. This is rectified by rekeying or replacing cylinders.
In the case of locks do they really get rusty and worn out to the extent that they require replacement?
Yes – any mechanical device undergoes wear for many years and components and moving parts become less smooth in operation. On locks, this impairs the operation of the key. It is also a general rule that the longer a lock is not inspected or serviced, the shorter of a lifespan it has left. But in some instances, replacement is still necessary after a certain period of time.