7 Common Door Lock Problems That You Should Address Quickly

What is the most crucial thing that comes to your mind when it comes to your home security? Your door lock. The better you secured your door lock, the better you will feel inside your home. The door locks are the most common and the most significant measures that you have to think about, invest in, and pay attention to when it is about securing your home against burglary and break-in threats.

When you are concerned about keeping your home secured, you must be thinking about having the best and advanced door locks. However, your concern shouldn’t end here only. With continuous use over the years or because of some issue, the door locks might show some problems which must be adhered to and addressed quickly; else you could be putting your home and your family in a vulnerable situation. As soon you notice something malfunctioning or problematic with your door lock, you must contact a locksmith where you live, to quickly pay a visit and the get the problem resolved.

Here, we list down some key door lock problems that you must keep an eye on for quick resolution:

1. The Key Isn’t Turning In As Easily As Before

Have you noticed that there is a slight problem moving your key inside the lock? If there is something like this going in on frequently, there might be a problem either with the key or with the lock. At first check, the key thoroughly for any damage like it is bent, rusty, grooves are damaged. If it’s all right, then the problem rests with the lock. If you aren’t able to deduce the problem, call your locksmith in quick.

2. The Lock Has Seized

A more serious problem to the one stated above; lock seizure happens when the key stops turning in after you insert it inside the lock. This is also another common lock problem. While it may tempt you, but during such a situation avoid force turning the key, as the key might be broken or the lock can be severely damaged. Lubrication is one thing that you can try to see if the lock seizure resolves. If it doesn’t, then it requires inspection and repair from a professional.

3. Door Locks Slowly

If something like this is happening, it may be because the lock area has accumulated dirt and filth. It is something that you can get resolved at your end using a cotton swab to clean the lock interior. If the problem persists, then you need to get it checked from a professional locksmith.

4. Key Gets Broken Inside the Lock

This is one of the common problems many homeowners face one time or another. When this happens, you won’t be able to lock or unlock the door and will need immediate assistance from a professional locksmith. They will remove the broken key extraction and will see whether it has damaged the lock inside or not, and will follow up the repair work accordingly.

5. The Door Latch Isn’t Working Properly

Misalignment of door latch is another common problem happening with door locks. This will lead to the latch not working in sync with the strike plate and may be caused due to several reasons including heat, dampness. Hinges issue and much more. You may proceed to get the tighten the door hinges and adjust the strike plates by yourself, however, if you aren’t able to, get your locksmith to come over and solve the problem at hand.

6. Door Lock Fastener Has Loosened

With continuous use and because of the external and environmental factors, the door lock fasteners may start to become loose. This causes the door locks and the knobs to become loose. This may also constitute loosening of other components making up the entire door lock system. This problem can get dangerous if not addressed early, like it may lead to a lockout someday. So, assess and respond to such changes in door lock functioning fast.

7. The Entire Lock Cylinder is Turning

Sometimes you may notice that after inserting the key and turning in, the entire cylinder gets turned but the lock won’t work. This will render the lock function-less and should be addressed right away. This problem often leads to lockout situations. It is not an issue that gets detected at once, and it is caused due to loose or damaged set screws. This can only be resolved when the set crew is repaired or tightened by a professional locksmith.

There are different door locks in use at present; from mortise to deadbolts, and each has its own set of functions, lifetime, maintenance guidelines, and related problems. The early you detect a problem and the fast you act on that to contact a locksmith in OKC, or elsewhere, you will be able to get the issue resolved soon, to feel safe and secure inside your premise.