We all want to feel safe and secure in our homes, and the best way to ensure that we can is by maintaining strong locks on our doors. Most of us lock our doors whenever we come in and out of the house, which can really wear down a door lock, so it’s important to keep an eye on the state of your locks. No lock lasts forever, so if you have been living in the same home for a number of years, it might be a good idea to get your doors and locks surveyed. Just like everything else that keeps us safe, our doors and locks are important to our peace of mind. We want the best protection possible, and well-kept locks help to protect us and our belongings. When you’re locks aren’t strong, a burglar may be able to open your door by force even if it’s locked, so it’s important to keep them in tip top condition. Here 5 tips to help you maintain your door locks.
Use a lubricant once every six months or so to make sure your door locks work properly. Dry lubricants are simple to apply to your locks (lubricate inside the locks with the key, moving it in and out a couple of times) but can be vital in ensuring that your lock remains in working order. When you are cleaning the locks, you should use a mild detergent to avoid damaging the finish of the lock.
When you’re checking your doors and locks, you will need to make sure you can easily secure your doors’ deadbolt. You’ll know that your doors’ locks or frames have been installed incorrectly if you are forced to move the doors around to get it to lock. When locked, the deadbolt should extend all the way.
Doors may be sturdy and heavy, but even they are prone to decline from years of use. There is often little point in taking care of your locks if the rest of the door is slowly deteriorating as a result of neglect. If this happens, all the effort you put into the locks will go to waste, and you may have to replace the lock altogether anyway. Be sure to maintain the door and its hardware, including the hinges and latches.
Make sure the door is within the frame and is not sagging. You will know if your door is hung properly because there will be a uniform gap along the sides and top of the door. If your door is hung incorrectly, it can put pressure on the lock, which can weaken it and eventually cause it to break.
Prevent sagging by making sure at least one of the three-inch screws in the door’s top hinge is long enough to secure the door to the wall frame. Check the door’s strike plate and make sure it is secure, using long screws for this, too. If you don’t know what screws are used, it’s a good idea to replace them with screws as long as your home can take, as they are what keeps everything in place – beside the lock itself – if someone tries to force their way inside your home. To ensure optimum safety, you should also avoid making too many copies of your main front door key. If you need to make a copy, you should only copy the original key and keep it somewhere safe at all times.If you are concerned that any of your doors or locks have been installed incorrectly, you should never take the risk and assume it is safe. Contact a professional locksmith company if you need your locks redone or adjusted if you find that any aren’t keeping you as safe as they should be.
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