When temperatures drop, your door locks are more prone to getting stuck. Rather than finding yourself locked out of your home or office this winter, A-Tri-County Lock in Akron, OH, recommends replacing worn-out locks with new ones, ensuring that you and your family have easy access to your premises without having to troubleshoot a stuck or frozen lock.

Here are a few additional tips for helping your door locks survive winter:

• Ensure That Locks Are Installed Correctly: When a deadbolt is installed incorrectly, the piece of metal may get stuck in the door frame easily, thus making it difficult to open the door. If you experience any problems with your door locks during the year, get them changed before winter to avoid any issues.
• Disassemble Door Locks & Lubricate: Sometimes, an old door lock can dry out on the inside, making it more likely to get stuck, regardless of the weather conditions. You can try taking apart the mechanism yourself and then apply the lubricant or contact a locksmith for professional assistance.
• Replace Old, Problematic Keys: If your door locks are made by a reliable manufacturer and they’ve never given you any problems, then the issue could be the key itself. Over time, old keys can become damaged, thus reducing their effectiveness. Either try taking your master key to a locksmith for a copy or ask them to rekey your locks altogether.

With over 30 years of experience, A-Tri-County Lock has seen their fair share of stuck and frozen locks during the wintertime. If you’d like to check that your door locks are ready for the upcoming cold season or if you’ve found yourself locked out of your business in the middle of the night, call their emergency locksmith at (330) 928-6222, or visit them online for a complete list of services.