How To Maintain A Doorlock

Your home's locks are designed to protect your home, property and family, which is why it's vital to ensure that you keep them in perfect working condition. While there are many aspects of lock maintenance that require the skills and tools of a professional locksmith, there are certain things that you can do yourself to help maintain your locks and maximize their appearance and function. The following tips will show you how to do this.

Clean Your Locks Frequently

It's important to clean your locks frequently. Grime, dirt and oil can quickly build up on locks, doorhandles and deadbolts. This is especially the case when they're used on a daily basis. To help minimize this problem, you should use a clean cloth and a mild soap to regularly wipe off these surfaces. Make sure you quickly dry them using a dry cloth. This will help prevent the acids and dirt on your hands from damaging the surface of your locks.

Try to Avoid Scratching

Try to be careful when you're putting your key into the lock or taking it out. It's very easy for the keyholes and faceplates to get scratched. This can quickly start corrosion that can spread throughout a lock.

Remember to Lubricate the Lock

You want to be sure that your doorlock mechanism doesn't stick. Over the years, dirt and grime can get into door locks and make them harder to open (or even impossible). While an easy solution to this problem is to shoot a spray lubricant into the lock, you have to be careful about which one you use. Make sure that the lubricant has Teflon in it, since it will remain in the lock for longer.

Warning: You probably shouldn't try to use graphite powder to loosen your lock. Graphite powder can quite easily jam the inner components of your lock. Even though experienced locksmiths occasionally use graphite powder, they do so for particular tasks (such as reassembling a lock cylinder). You shouldn't use it on a regular basis for lock lubrication.

Don't Hesitate to Call a Professional

While the average do-it-yourselfer can do many things to help maintain locks, ultimately there are going to be problems that are simply beyond their skill level. Given that your family safety depends on your home's locks, the last thing you want to do is perform a second rate repair job. When locks need to be serviced, disassembled, reassembled, installed, repaired or reinstalled, it's really best to contact a professional locksmith. A locksmith, such as Suburban Lock, will have the tools, parts and experience necessary to keep your locks in tip top condition.