Welcome to winter and all the troubles that come with home and car locks. ‘Tis the season to experience troubles with your locks that can cause some major headaches and setbacks.
Luckily, a locksmith can help resolve many of the door and lock problems that come with colder weather.
Let’s look at a few common issues that occur during the cold months and how a locksmith can help resolve them and get you back into your home or car.
Frozen Locks
One of the most common problems you’ll face with your home or car is frozen locks. As you’re shivering from below-freezing temperatures, this issue can increase your frustration because you won’t be able to enter your home or car to warm up.
This lockout occurs when moisture seeps into the cylinder and freezes, causing the internal pins to freeze and preventing the plug from turning. When you insert your key into the lock, it may not fit properly or turn, which could result in a broken key.
If you are facing this problem, a locksmith can use several tools to regain access to your home or car. Professional de-icing or thermal extraction are two ways to melt ice lodged inside your lock, allowing you to use your key again.
Blocked Locks
Another issue, similar to frozen locks, is blocked locks. This may occur whether it’s cold outside or not. You insert your key into the lock but notice something stopping it from fitting securely and turning to open the door. Locks can become blocked when debris is lodged inside them. This could be due to dirt or grime that gets jammed in the lock or from small objects someone may have used to attempt to burglarize the home.
Locks may also become blocked due to a mechanical failure. Springs or brass pins may wear down and become jammed in the cylinder, causing a blockage.
If you’re dealing with blocked locks, a locksmith can help by using techniques similar to those used for frozen locks. Other options include ultrasonic cleaning, which uses high-frequency sound waves to dislodge tiny particles from the lock. A locksmith may also use a chemical flush to clear the obstruction or replace the failed internal parts.
Broken Keys
Along with cold temperatures comes a higher risk of your key breaking. However, freezing temperatures aren’t the only culprit that could cause broken keys. One significant reason for breaking a key is an obstruction in the locking mechanism, such as ice or debris. Another reason a key may fail is that it is a duplicate of your original key, made of poor-quality alloys that break under pressure.
Another critical reason keys break under pressure is that they develop minor stress cracks due to metal fatigue. They can also break from abuse, including being slammed on countertops and being used on tasks such as opening boxes.
If you find yourself locked out of your home or car due to a broken key, a locksmith can help. A locksmith may extract the fractured section of the key from the lock, along with the other half from your keychain, and make a new, stronger key. Locksmiths may also inspect the lock and fix it to ensure your new key won’t break.
Smart Lock Failures
Smart locks are also susceptible to the extremely low temperatures typical in Michigan winters. While you may not have to worry about block locks or broken keys, smart locks can experience a phenomenon known as “digital freeze.”
This occurs when frigid temperatures drain the lock’s battery, making the smart lock’s touchscreens, fingerprint reader, and other biometric sensors unresponsive. If your smart lock has a deadbolt, its motorized components may become jammed, making it challenging to turn automatically.
Locksmiths can help by using external jumpstarts to bypass electronic failures. They may also replace alkaline batteries with lithium batteries to prevent future failures, as they perform better in cold conditions. They may even have to disassemble the unit and clean and clear it to restore proper operation.
Home, Car, or Business—We Handle Winter Lock Emergencies
Don’t let lock and key issues plague you this winter. One of our trusted locksmith technicians can help you get out of a jam and back into your home or car. Call Action Locksmith Inc today and we’ll dispatch a technician to resolve your lock issue quickly.
We provide locksmith services for any door, lock, or security issue for homes and businesses.