Door Maintenance

Now the rains and winds have more than made themselves known, it is time to make sure your doors and locks will last as long as intended.

Wooden doors will now soak up the damp and you may find you either have to push against the door to lock it, or that the latch is not engaging properly. If your door is hard to lock then extra pressure is being applied to parts of the working mechanisms which will eventually result in breakages. On a mortice or “Chubb” type lock, small broken parts causing jambs can be a real problem even for a locksmith as the usual methods of opening will not work. It might mean a big hole in your door where he/she has to drill. On the frame of your door is a “keep” for the latch and bolt to go into. Re-positioning this will normally alleviate the problem. Putting a weather strip on a door frame can also cause this same problem.

A spray lubricant into the lock will also be a help in getting things working and lasting longer. Spray everywhere you can get to inside a mortice lock, and at least into the key hole of a “Yale” type lock. You should also check the wood for rot and give it a good clean up. Plane off anywhere the door sticks to the frame and give it that re-coat of paint or varnish you have been putting off for years.

If you have a upvc door it may also be problematic as the weather changes. Doors that get a lot of weather exposure, or are nearer the coast are at particular risk. Again, spraying lubricant into every moving part will help, including pulling the latch back to make enough of a gap to get inside the main working parts. The more adventurous may want to take the handles off to expose more areas to get at. Remember to make sure the screw heads are on the inside of the door when putting the handles back on, though. If the levers are still hard to engage or the key is still difficult to turn, check for parts that may be adjustable, either by screwdriver or allen key. Often only a small amount of adjustment makes a big difference, so if you are unsure, call a locksmith. A small labour charge now could save you a lot in broken part replacements later.

If your door has up and down shoot bolts, make sure the hole for the bottom shoot bolt is cleaned out regularly as build up here puts stress on the system leading to breakages. I have found that small children are very good at finding these holes over the summer and filling them with stones, etc. So keep an eye on them.

Composite doors (fake wood) are often tighter fitting than upcv doors and not as easily adjustable so if these even start to feel stiff in any way, call your local locksmith to make adjustments before they go expensively wrong.

Aluminium doors seem to be the least effected by the weather, but are often old. Some are extremely difficult to change the locks on without taking the door to pieces or are of a design that the parts are just not available for any more. If you have an aluminium door, it is essential that you keep the door clean and the lock well lubricated. Be prepared for the worst case scenario, in that you may need a complete door replacement if the lock fails.

Sliding doors also need a lot of attention. Make sure the runners are cleaned out regularly, especially with older doors and those exposed to rain. Lubricate the locking mechanism. Check for damage. Again, if you have an aluminium sliding door and it goes wrong, the lock may not be accessible without taking the door apart and a double glazing repair company might be a better choice than a locksmith and a new door may be required.

If you would like any further information, please use our contacts page. AC Locksmiths will not charge you to come and look at your problem. We only charge if we carry out work for you.

Thanks for reading.