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If you wish to continue to use your locks effectively, you will need to make sure they are properly maintained. This isn’t necessarily hard to do but unfortunately, many people neglect doing anything to preserve the longevity of their locks. Although homeowners make good use of their locks, rarely do they properly maintain them. Even with the best types of locks, they can fail you if they are not being care for or if they have not been installed correctly. Most people assume that a lock will last forever. While the structure of the lock may remain, the functionality of the lock itself may not. The lifespan of even the best made lock is seven years. If you are going to properly maintain your lock, try doing the following.
If the door is not properly hung you will experience problems with your lock. If your door binds and has sags, this will put a lot of pressure on the lock bolt and latch. This is what will ultimately cause it to fail you when you need it to work. Utilizing the services of a reputable door service is a great place to start to make sure your door is hung properly the gap and frame must be about the same length on every side. This would be approximately an eighth inch and a quarter inch less.
You may begin to experience problems with your door if there is a problem with the hinges, keys or door strike plate.
There should be a screw that is long enough to connect the top hinge to the doorframe. It should be able to fit securely into the wall frame and attached around the door. A longer screw will be applied to help prevent sagging and to prevent break-ins. Hinge screws should be staggered, however, the long screws should be right in the middle of the wall. You can take a look at the strike plates while looking at the frame. The deadbolt strike plate should be firmly secured to the wall frame with long screws, similar to the hinges.
When the dead latch is closed, the smaller plunger will be attached to the latch’s flat side, the dead latch shouldn’t fall on the strike plate. Modern entry locks provide this to make the door more secure and will not work properly if they are not aligned properly with the strike plate. Dead latches that are binding will easily cause lock failures. When the door is shut, the deadbolt lock will function properly. It won’t take much effort for you to open the door in order for the door to open. If the deadbolt is not fully extended, the door will not be locked.
This is definitely something that you can do yourself with a mild detergent to clean the locks. Some manufacturers require that you only use a damp cloth. You can do harm to your locks if the locks are cleaned with a chemical that is too abrasive. If you use petroleum-based products these can also damage the finish on the lock. Locks have a protective coating that will enable them to withstand years of wear and tear but not too much abuse.
This shouldn’t be performed every day but it should be done at least once a year. This is actually one of the most important things that the owner can do. Again, you shouldn’t use a petroleum-based product. When our locksmiths in North Royalton, Ohio are handling lock maintenance, we will use a graphite lubricant, such as Teflon. This is one of the easiest and best ones to apply to your locks. You could spray a small amount of lubricant into the keyhole. Run the key in and out of the lock, wiping off any debris that is on the key. If you allow a professional locksmith to handle this for you, they will remove the lock completely from the door so that they can apply lubricant to both the bolt and the latch.
Using the incorrect key time and time again will not only affect the key but it will also have an effect on the lock. You key will typically wear out before the lock does. We suggest that you keep one of the original keys for duplicating purposes.
You can maintain your locks on your own; however, if you haven’t been doing it so far, it’s not likely that you’ll start now. However, you can rely on the services of a professional locksmith to handle the maintenance of your locks. It helps to ensure that your locks always work. Your security begins with your choice of locks and who installs them but maintaining them is just as important. If you’re not properly taking care of the locks, you are minimizing the effects of your home security. If you want to maintain the level of security that you currently have, make sure you do your part in doing so by hiring a locksmith to handle your lock maintenance.
A professional locksmith will be familiar with the various types of locks and they will be able to provide you with the right type of assistance. They know which ones are most problematic and they know how to care for them. A professional locksmith is your absolute best defense against intrusion. If you’re not doing something to maintain your locks, let someone else handle this for you, someone with the right experience. You won’t have to think about your locks and wonder if they are efficient if you’re utilizing the services of a locksmith to handle the maintenance of your locks. Don’t leave yourself susceptible to intrusion when you can depend on a locksmith for your security concerns.
