The situation when the lock mechanism is jammed is quite common. More often such troubles happen with the locks of the entrance door. Metal construction loses functionality under the influence of external factors – precipitation, dust, temperature changes. What to do if the lock jammed in the door, can say only an experienced locksmith. Well, if you’re not googling yet “locksmith near me” in order to find someone as close to you as possible, here are some tips to make it right by yourself.
The advice of home-grown specialists often has no scientific basis. Using dubious recommendations, at best you simply will not advance in your attempts to open the jammed lock. In the worst case, you will aggravate the situation to the point where you can’t do without calling a master.
Jammed lock in the door.
Understand what to do if the lock jammed, will help to find out the cause of the malfunction. Malfunctions occur in the operation of cheap and koiusa expensive lock mechanisms.
The main causes:
Factory defect.
Breakage of component parts under the influence of mechanical loads.
Incorrect operation (violation of instructions and manufacturer’s recommendations).
Change in the position of the door leaf (sagging, skew).
If the lock of the interior door jammed, the reasons may be associated with improper installation of the door unit. The consequences of a factory defect or incorrect installation of the door unit may not manifest themselves immediately. The presence of a malfunction is indicated by slight difficulties in opening or closing the locking mechanism.
Experts advise to pay attention to the slightest signs of incorrect operation of the lock – at early stages it is easier to eliminate the malfunction. If the mechanism constantly opens and closes with force, the contacting parts are damaged and worn out. When the component parts are deformed, chipped and cracked, the lock will most likely have to be replaced completely. Signs of incorrect operation of the lock mechanism:
Creaking, scraping, other extraneous sounds during the turning of the key.
Obstacles on the way of movement of the key stem into the keyhole.
Difficulty in pulling the key out.
Jamming of the mechanism when trying to turn the key.
Appearance of signs of malfunction requires immediate detectmind measures – lubrication of the mechanism, if necessary, replacement of the lock core. Preventive measures will help to avoid unpleasant situations when the owner of the apartment is locked from inside or cannot get home.
In complicated cases, when it is necessary to call a locksmith or employees of the Emergency Service, the matter usually ends up with breaking the lock and the door. As a result, the door leaf and the frame suffer, which causes large expenses for replacement and repair. If you noticed in time that the lock in the door has jammed a bit and took adequate measures, large expenses will be avoided.
What to do if the lock of the entrance door is jammed
If you are thinking about how to open a jammed front door lock, the first thing to do is to try to find out the cause of the problem. Common cases and troubleshooting methods taking into account the cause:
The key stem does not fully enter the keyhole. Possible causes – accumulated and hardened dust inside the structure, stuck fragment of the rod or a key inserted from the opposite side. Methods of elimination – lubricate the lock with a suitable lubricant (graphite or silicone grease, WD-40 spray), repeat the attempt to insert the key. In case of failure, lubricate and try to insert the key several times without exerting great physical effort. Foreign objects in the keyhole can be seen by shining a flashlight into the slot. To eliminate the malfunction, the stuck object is pulled out with tweezers or a hook made of hard wire. To push the key inserted from the back side, devices such as a long nail or a nail file will help.
The door lock is jammed and the key does not pull out of the keyhole. To eliminate the malfunction, use a lubricant, such as WD-40 spray. After treatment of the keyhole, the functionality of the lock mechanism is usually restored. Replacement of the core will help to avoid similar troubles in the future.
The key is difficult to turn in the keyhole, constantly encountering obstacles. At the same time it turns freely when the door is open. Boring of the door frame in the area of the groove of the transom – a metal rod of rectangular or round cross-section, will prevent problems in the future. If the key turns equally badly when the door is opened and closed, it is necessary to lubricate all elements of the core. If necessary, replace the core.
