Winter is coming everybody! And now is exactly the right time to read our review about the impact of cold weather on your locks, and more importantly, what to do about it when it happens and how to prevent it from happening.
The sooner you will be aware of the impact that cold weather has on your locks, the better. Remaining oblivious might result in finding yourself stuck outside your house in the cold, wet weather, with no way of getting inside, other than breaking in, which most people prefer avoiding.
What Is the Problem?
There are two main problems which are caused by the effects of cold weather on your locks. The first is the possibility that your locks will freeze. Door locks, car locks, window locks, and garage door locks can get exposed to cold air which can cause them to fill up with an icy layer which, in turn, will block the key slit.
A second common problem that occurs during the winter is contraction of locks due to low temperatures and cold air. This may cause the key not to be compatible with the lock anymore, and prevent you from being able to open said lock.
Here Is the Solution
Regarding the frozen locks congested with ice, there are several alternatives of lubricant spray that are designed to dissolve the congestion with air pressure and oily fluid. That is a very common and productive solution for frozen locks. Another solution that may help in case of frozen locks is to preheat the key a little before you insert it into the lock. That way when you put the warm key in the lock and gently turn it back and forth, it might melt away interrupting ice and release the lock once again.
That’s the easy stuff. What happens when locks get misshapen due to extreme cold? In such cases you would be better off calling a pro to take care of the situation without causing any further damage.
How to Prevent Such Effects?
In addition to the ways you can resolve a frozen lock situation and deal with it, we would like to throw a few suggestions your way that will help you prevent this kind of situation from even happening. That way you can be prepared and save yourself time, money, and trouble:
- Regularly oil your locks – make sure to oil all locks, including door locks, car locks, window locks, garage door locks, and the like, in order to prevent them from freezing.
- Prevent your locks from getting wet – if you keep your locks away from rain, for instance, you can prevent them from freezing when temperatures get low and turn water into ice.
- Warm and dry your padlock – if you use a padlock you should remove it from time to time, dry it from moisture, and even warm it a bit in order to prevent it from freezing.
Have a warm and cozy winter people!
