How To Care For Your Door Locks
Did you know how to care your door locks? Locks and security hardware are expensive. If you want a long life for your locks and hardware, it is important to take good care of them – every mechanical device needs regular maintenance to ensure it continues to work correctly. Your door lock is no exception.
Clean your door locks
Following a regular cleaning schedule is one of the best ways for owners to care for their locks. If you can clean your locks at least once a year, it will make them last much longer. The door locks are easy to clean. No fancy cleaners needed, just use a soft cloth and soapy water. Even the most secure locks will require some form of regular maintenance to keep them in prime condition.Lubricate regularly
Dirt is the biggest enemy of locks. If left exposed to weather without any special care, they get rusty. To keep your locks function properly, periodically lubricate and spray lubricant in the lock. This reduces friction and, thus, takes care of wearing. When you lubricate your locks, check with the manufacturer or your local locksmith to find the right lubricant for your type or brand of lock. Generally, graphite or teflon lubricants are recommended.
Remember, once you’ve applied the lubricant to the lock, put the key in, turn it and pull it out, and wipe any excess lubricant from the lock. Repeat, until the key comes out clean.
Copy keys from an original
Once a key starts to wear out, replace it. But, duplicates are never exact, and variances increase when a copy is made from another copy. As with anything copied from a duplicate, each copy will represent the original less and less.
So, when installing a new door lock, it’s best to set aside one of the original keys specifically to use for creating copies. We also recommend keeping one original key and storing it in a safe place. This precaution will ensure that you have a backup key when the original no longer works.
Use a locksmith for the big jobs
You can take care of day-to-day maintenance on your door hardware, but for the big jobs, call a professional locksmith. Locks that get a lot of use need to be thoroughly cleaned and dismantled by a lock expert. Your lock-smith will lubricate, replace worn parts and reassemble them for you.
IN CONCLUSION
These simple home maintenance tips should help you care for your locks and better maintain them. These process should also be done along with regular maintenance of other household items. Always remember, locks are an important part of your home security.
