Being locked out of your property because of frozen door locks is incredibly frustrating, being locked out of your property when you have your keys is even more so! If you find that you are left stood outside your property in the freezing cold because your door lock has frozen so your key doesn’t work, then this handy guide will be of use to you.
During the freezing winter months, it is fairly common for a door lock to freeze, which when it happens to you is very frustrating. With this said, as tempting as it is it is important not to try and force the key as this could lead to the key snapping or damaging the lock. Instead, there are a few things that you can do in order to try and thaw out the lock so that your key will work again.
The first thing that you can do is to use a hairdryer, pointing it at the keyhole and moving it around so that the heat can reach all parts of the lock. Alternatively, you could try using a lighter or a match, holding it close to the keyhole and again moving it around so that the heat can reach all areas. Of course, with this method there is a small risk of setting fire to something so it is important to take care. Another option is to pour boiling water over the lock, however this should only be done as a last resort as there is a chance that you could crack the lock if the water freezes too quickly.
Once you have managed to thaw out the lock, it is important to take steps to prevent it from happening again. One way to do this is to apply a lubricant such as WD-40 or Vaseline around the keyhole before inserting the key. Another option is to cover the lock with a cloth or towel before putting your key in, as this will help to trap heat and prevent the lock from freezing over again.
Hopefully this guide has been of use and you are now able to get into your property! If you are in search of an Emergency locksmith Northampton,get in touch with us!
