Does Your Door Lock Stick When You Try to Open It? Here's What You Need to Do
Does your front door lock stick when you try to open it? Maybe it feels like the key simply doesn't fit properly, or it might seem that the deadbolt won't turn without some serious effort on your part. It's important to take action to ensure that your lock remains in good working order, or else you might find yourself locked out one day. So what can you do to unstick a troublesome lock?
Is the Key Damaged?
Look at the key itself. Has it become damaged? If the cuts along the shaft of the key have become misshapen, then this could be the issue. Your key will still work (with some effort), but it's best to look up key cutting services in your area to source a replacement. It's not advisable to try to file the cuts back into shape, as you can easily go too far, meaning that the key will not work at all.
Is it Cold Outside?
In extreme cold weather, the issue might be with the lock as opposed to the key. Moisture inside the locking mechanism might have frozen, meaning that the key cannot be properly inserted. Boil your electric kettle and fill a mug with hot water. Hold the mug under the lock so that the steam rises directly towards the keyhole. Wait a few minutes and try your key again.
What About Graphite?
Powdered graphite is the best tool for freeing up the internal mechanism of a troublesome lock. You can find it in any hardware shop, and it's sold in a small aerosol spray with a hard, thin, plastic straw attached to the nozzle. You simply insert the tip of the straw into the lock and spray. This should get your lock back into working order. But you might be able to use some graphite that you already have at home.
- Take a standard pencil. The black centre of the pencil is made of graphite, and this is what you need.
- Sharpen the pencil until the black tip is as long as you can make it. Insert the tip into the lock and snap it off.
- Insert your key into the lock, pushing the graphite inside. Jiggle your key to disperse the graphite, and your lock should then work properly.
- Alternatively, you can crack the pencil's casing using a small hammer. Be careful, as you want to crack it so that you can remove the graphite, as opposed to obliterating the whole thing.
- Pick up the pieces of graphite, being careful to remove any wood from the casing that might be mixed in. Place the pieces onto a dinner plate and crush them with the back of a metal spoon.
- Dust this crushed graphite onto your key and insert it into the lock. Jiggle it to disperse the graphite and try to turn the key.
If you have no success with these options for unsticking an annoying lock, then you will need to call a locksmith as your lock might be damaged more than you realise.