Surprising Ways that Weather Affects Locks

When you start to consider why you’re having problems with your locks, you might not think about the weather. In fact, that is probably the furthest thing from your mind. It is often the key that you are focusing on and not the lock itself.

• Summer and Spring

The most common problem that a person might experience during this time of the year is door jams. In this case, your door might not turn or if it does, it will only turn in one direction. This is a problem that we often find with exterior doors. The hotter it is the more the doorframe begins to expand. If your exterior door has a deadbolt on it, which most do; it can contribute to your problem. The door will start to get wider around the lock. If you have wooden doors, you may experience this problem more than someone who has a door made from steel. Wood can expand rather easily due to the material. It is one of the reasons some people decide against purchasing a wooden door.

• Fall and Winter

We often receive more service calls during this time of the year than any other due to locks that are not working. This is often the case during winter since locks can freeze more easily during this time of the year. Instead of the door expanding, the opposite will occur. Again, the problem affects both the lock and the door. Your key may not turn in either direction or your deadbolt lock will not work. In this case, you may realize that the problem isn’t necessarily because of the key; rather it is because your door is contracting because of the temperature outside. You may be able to get your door to open by pulling it toward you and re-aligning the lock with the doorframe. While this isn’t a permanent solution it can at least work for the moment and give you access inside our out. The problem that you’re experiencing could get worse without the help of a qualified locksmith. Let us know if you’re experiencing a problem with your locks and we’ll get you the help you need right away.

Cold Weather and Car Locks

The temperature outside not only affects your home locks but it can also begin to affect your car locks. Your door or the lock may be totally frozen. This can occur when there is moisture inside your doors lock. If it is frozen, it is impossible to get the key to open you door or a remote. Although this may sound weird, it happens more than you might imagine. Some people suggest heating up your car key before attempting to place it in the door. This isn’t something that we would personally suggest that you do but it has worked for some people who know how to effectively do it. If your car is newer and you can start it with your transponder key, you could start your engine before attempting to get inside. This will begin to heat up your engine and could possibly aid in unfreezing your door locks. You can certainly try these solutions before calling on us for assistance but if it is cold outside, chances are that you would rather get back inside of your car quickly rather than trying something that you are uncertain as to whether or not it will actually work or not.

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