How weather changes affect door locks
Changes in the weather can wreak havoc on so many things, and your door locks are one of them. Extreme temperatures at either end of the thermometer can cause problems or even damage to your locks. Welby Locksmith wants to share some ways your locks can be affected by the weather, when you can might be able to deal with lock problems yourself, and when to call us (or your local provider) for some expert help.
Problems in the summer heat
When the weather heats up, things tend to expand. Doors and door frames are not immune to the effects of the heat, and both are prone to expanding. When a door or a door frame expands, it can cause the locks to stick. A deadbolt lock is especially susceptible to becoming compressed as the door swells. The type of material that the door is made of makes a difference too. Wooden doors are much more likely to expand than other materials. Finally, high temps can even have the potential to distort keys, rendering them unable to be used in a lock. All of these things, whether on their own or happening in combination with one another, can make locking and unlocking your doors in hot weather problematic at best and impossible at worst.
Problems in the winter cold
It’s not just the heat of the summer that can cause problems with your locks. The cold of the winter is actually harder on doors than the heat is. Problems are more widespread the lower the temperature goes, especially when it dips below the freezing point. There are two main problems that happen in locks in the cold weather. The first is that locks can freeze. As the temperature drops below freezing, the potential is created for any moisture that has found its way into your locks to freeze. This renders the lock totally useless, making it impossible for you to open it. If it’s your car door lock that’s frozen, it’s likely that your remote opener on your key fob won’t work either since the system is freezing up, not just the place where you put the key. Sometimes you can fix the issue by briefly heating your key over an open flame (like a lighter) and then putting it into the lock. The heat of the key should be able to melt the frozen lock, allowing you to enter your car or home.
The second thing that happens in cold weather is that locks can contract. Cold temperatures tend to make thing contract or get smaller, and locks are no exception. As discussed above when the doors expand due to summer heat, contraction of the door or door frame in extreme cold can likewise cause a poor fit between the lock and the door, and make it impossible for you to get your key in and turn it. If it’s a regular door to your house, you might be able to pull on the door hard enough from the outside to make a difference, but that’s not a permanent solution and repeatedly yanking on the door can cause the problem to worsen.
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