It has long been known that the cold can cause distressing situations. To avoid all kinds of problems call Safe and Secure Locksmiths so we make preparations for the winter. Some of us winterize windows, the others stock up firewood. Some knit socks instead. We recommend you to pay attention to the maintenance of your locks.
Those who have never waited at the door while it is freezing outside, do not know how severe this situation can be. Moisture and subsequent cold can freeze the lock up quite easily. While trying to open it, you can break a key instead. Something that unfortunate happens
Arrival of the first cold weather brings us a lot of customers whose keys are broken, or worse, the whole lock is ruined.
We assure you that it is possible to prevent freezing and save your locks with a door maintenance service from safe and secure locksmiths
Frozen locks
The main reason why they freeze is moisture. While there is still warm outside, you can find lots of moisture and rainfall in the air. However, it tends to freeze in sub-zero conditions.
Protect your locks from rainfall
In order to keep moisture away, you should protect your lock from direct rain, snow and sleet. If water can enter the cylinder, it is quite likely that the cold freezes it.
Oil your locks
You should definitely oil you locks before the frosts. Lubrication is useful as it forms a thin protective layer on the metal parts, so that moisture does not freeze the moving parts so tightly. A well-oiled lock can be used after the ice formation.
Front doors should be lubricated three times a year: before the frosts, in midwinter and in spring. If your door has a high passability, you should oil it monthly.
Here, make sure that you choose the right oil Do not use unfamiliar oils and greases, if you do not know their effect. Olive oil is good for health, indeed. However, in case of locks you should use only special oils. It may be that after using some kind of unknown oil, you have to wash the cylinder.
Wash the dirt out
Your key should remain clean if you enter it into the cylinder. If it becomes dirty, there is probably a lot of dirt. In this case, you should remove the dust. You can use any lock oil for cleaning the lock. You should do so: spray the oil into the cylinder, enter the key into it and then, pull it out. Clean the key with a pad that has no tufts, and repeat the action till the key is not dirty anymore. Remove the oil which is redundant.
Abloy padlocks
If you use a padlock outdoors, we recommend you to use Abloy padlock. Its lock mechanism consists of rotating detainer discs, which do not let them freeze together as strongly as pins.
Abloy has a special weatherproof series for harsh external conditions. Such ones bear all kinds of conditions as ice, snow, dust and mud.
When the lock is already frozen
What to do in a situation, when the lock is already frozen, and hindsight does not help call safe and secure locksmiths
Lock oil De-Icer
Lock oil De-Icer helps you to melt ice off. Such kind of fluid melts the ice and wears moisture out of the cylinder. It also lubricates the lock.
Heat
If the lock oil is not available, you can open the padlock with heat. In this case, you have to pour hot water over the lock or heat it with a blow-lamp. While handling the open fire, do not forget to follow fire safety rules.
If you managed to open lock, take it to a warm room and warm it till moisture has evaporated. After warming you definitely have to oil it so you can reuse it. Hopefully you follow our advice and do not let the lock freeze anymore.
Use your creativity
If you have, for example, driven to your summer-house and boiling water or blow-lamp is not available, you can warm the lock. Try to find something warm from your car, which you can frap your lock in so that the cylinder is accessible. You can repeatedly heat up a cigarette lighter or a lighter and push it against the lock. That way you can warm it up and break the ice.
Abloy keys can bear the heat into the lock. Warm the keys with the lighter or hands, and bear the heat to the cylinder. A process like that can take quite a long time. However, in an emergency situation it helps to solve the problem.
In conclusion:
Follow these key points, and your lock will work properly:
- Protect your lock from direct rainfall;
- Oil them before the frosts and couple of times a year;
- To melt off your lock, use oil de-icer;
- Take your padlock occasionally into a warm room and warm It up to remove moisture. Oil it before reusing;
- Use only a proper lock oil.
Lock-Expert recommends:
- Lock oil
- Abloy padlock
- De-Icer
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