What's the Key? A Website About Locks and Safes

The locks that are on your home's exterior doors will be the most important safety and security devices for the building. Without effective locks, it can be impossible to effectively regulate who has access to the interior of the structure. While locks may normally be extremely durable, there are problems that they can experience.

Rusted Deadbolts

A deadbolt is an extremely common type of lock as it can be one of the most secure. However, these locks can be at risk of developing rust on them. Once they become rusted, they may no longer fit correctly. This is due to the fact that metals will expand as they corrode, which can prevent the deadbolt from being fully secured. It may not be possible or worth the expense to repair deadbolts that have developed extensive corrosion. Periodically cleaning and lubricating the deadbolt can help to protect it from corrosion, but this is a problem that every deadbolt will eventually experience.

Loose Locks

Over the years, you may find that the locks on your doors will gradually start to loosen. Unfortunately, homeowners may not take steps to tighten their locks when they start to loosen. This can actually put the locks at risk of damage as loosening may increase the risk of them becoming warped to the point where they are difficult to use. If you notice that your locks are starting to feel loose, a few moments of your time should be taken to tighten the screws that hold the faceplate to the door. In most cases, this will fix the problem, and you should not have to worry about it for a while. However, if the lock still feels loose, it could indicate that the problem is stemming from an issue with an internal component of the lock. This will usually require professionals to repair without risking further damage to the lock.

Key No Longer Working

When the key is no longer being able to easily work the lock, it can be easy to assume that this is a result of the key being warped or otherwise damaged. This is often the case, but it can also indicate that there is a problem with the pins inside the lock that correspond to the grooves on the key. If there is damage to this part of the lock, it may make it much harder for the key to effectively turn the lock. A professional locksmith will need to open the lock's casing to repair this problem, but it can usually be corrected without fully replacing the lock.

For more information about lock repair, contact a company like All American Locksmith.