Main Reasons for Lock Problems

If you are having problems with your lock too often, you might consider that something is wrong with it or that you are doing something wrong yourself. It's hardly uncommon to have lock problems, but if you are dealing with such issues way too often, you must consider the reasons and do something about it. The truth is that most of the times we are not to blame for such issues. When the cylinder is loose, it's hardly our fault. Problems also pop due to external conditions, attempted force entries and natural wear and tear.

Problems with home locks vary. They might be related to the cylinder, the strike plate or the key. The bolt might be misaligned, the key might get stuck and the lock might be stiff. So, where do these problems come from and what we can do about them?

What we do wrong and how to avoid problems

It's wrong for you to think that your current door locks will last forever. Over the years a lot can happen to them apart from natural wear and tear. They will eventually get rusty – especially if you live in humid areas – and in the meanwhile they will get dirty and stiff. Do you think dust won't find its way to the keyhole? These are all expected problems but since they might lock you out or in the house and you can't have the locks replaced every now and then, it's best to take care of them. What they really need is maintenance, which basically includes good inspection of the internal parts, cleaning and lubrication.

Though, if we want to be fair, we must admit that some problems are caused by us. How many times did you use the wrong key and tried hard to insert it in the lock? How many times have you put force when you realized that the key wouldn't move right? Such things damage the security door locks and you will need to replace them much sooner. The problem is that they will make your life difficult in the meanwhile. If you have a hard time inserting and turning the key now, wait till the internal parts are scratched. If you want to feel secure and stop getting locked out every now and then, stop putting force on the key, take good care of the locks periodically and change them before they are too damaged.