Frigid winter weather has an impact on many areas of your life, including how you get into your home. Although you might not often think about the condition of your door locks, this will change as soon as you’re unable to fit your key inside or turn it to unlock your door. Use the guide below to understand more about your locks and avoid an accidental winter lockout. 

What Are Some Common Winter Door Lock Problems?

The combination of cold air and moisture during winter can be brutal to your door locks. After it rains or snows, the moisture can settle inside the lock and freeze, blocking the key opening with an icy layer that’s too hard for your key to penetrate. 

Door locks in cold regions also change sizes during winter. Freezing temperatures can cause the locking mechanism to contract, so the key may no longer fit smoothly inside the slit. Wooden doors and frames are also known to contract; this can throw off the alignment of the deadbolt and make the lock hard to open.

How Can You Solve or Prevent These Issues?

If your door locks have been affected by the cold, it’s good to keep a silicon deicer on hand. WD-40® is also effective at displacing moisture. When you spray one of these substances into the lock, the air pressure causes the ice to dissolve. Cleaning and spraying the lock before freezing weather arrives is also helpful for preventing moisture and ice buildup. 

To avoid frozen locks altogether, try to prevent moisture from getting inside them. Place duct tape or putty over the keyhole before you expect the temperature to dip below freezing.

It’s trickier to prevent contraction, but if you notice your key won’t fit, you can hold a lit match or lighter near the lock until it expands back to its usual size. However, this method is far from convenient, and the constant change in shape can alter the lock and door frame, and you’ll need to call a locksmith for repairs or a replacement lock. 

Make sure your door locks are ready to handle the winter weather by contacting the professionals at Able Security Locksmiths in Kenvil, NJ. For 25 years, this family-owned business provides automobile, residential, and commercial locksmith services to Northern NJ. Their licensed, bonded, and insured locksmiths provide door lock repair and installation services as well as 24-hour emergency lockout assistance. Call them today at (973) 584-3033 for a free quote, and visit their website to learn more about their services.