It’s easy to take your door locks for granted—until there’s a problem with them. Locks keep your family, friends, possessions, and property safe, so you don’t need to worry when you leave. The most common door lock problems can ruin your day. You should never have to face being late for work, leaving your house unsecured, or coming home only to get locked out because of your faulty locks. What you need is a reliable locksmith who will respond quickly and take care of your lock problems. With over 10 years of professional experience, Real Time Locksmith can provide you with all the DIY lock tips and tricks you’ve been looking for. Below are the most common lock problems and quick solutions to help fix them. Always remember that if your locks are too difficult for you to fix on your own or you feel that you don’t have the required skills and knowledge, we can resolve any of your lock issues. If you are looking for a locksmith San Jose and in the surrounding area, look no further!
1. Broken Key
Occasionally, keys can break when you’re low on time and rushing to lock or unlock your door. When you’re running late, the last thing that you want to deal with is a broken key! To avoid breaking your key in the first place, we recommend slowing down and taking your time while opening and securing your door. Unfortunately, if you do break your key here are a few different ways that you can extract a broken key by yourself:
- Apply a graphite powder or silicone lubricant to your locks
- Use a screwdriver to turn the lock and remove the key from the lock
- Use needle-nosed pliers to extract a broken key
- Use a scroll or jigsaw blade to extract the key
However, if you find that these DIY broken key extractions are too difficult, you don’t want to acquire pricey tools, or you are short on time, never hesitate to call a local locksmith. At Real Time Locksmith, we have the equipment and experience to extract broken keys from residencial, commercial, and car doors without difficulty.
2. Key Won’t Insert
If your key doesn’t insert into the lock, check to see if you’re using the right key. We’ve all tried to use the wrong key to unlock our doors before! Always be sure to test out any newly cut keys to make sure that they’re working properly, so you don’t end up in the worst-case scenario. Sometimes keys can be cut poorly, which is why you should only trust an experienced locksmith. Another possibility is that your locks have a blockage and need to be cleaned using a graphite powder or silicone spray.
3. Key Won’t Turn in the Lock
Does your key insert into the lock, but your key won’t turn? If this occurs, your lock has seized up. As professional locksmiths, we’re familiar with this issue. It’s important to never force your key to turn, so you don’t accidentally break your key in the lock or damage the lock. We advise that you use a graphite powder or silicone spray to lubricate the lock, but if you’ve tried this and your key still won’t turn in the lock, call Real Time Locksmith and we’ll send one of our locksmiths in San Jose over to you.
4. Locking Mechanism Doesn’t Work
Locks tend to malfunction over time because they become worn to the point of not working correctly. Often, this is due to a mechanical issue that is too difficult to solve on your own. An experienced locksmith can easily diagnose and solve the issue. If your lock isn’t working and you don’t know what the problem is, it’s time to call a locksmith. At Real Time Locksmith, our trained professionals will gladly figure out what the issue is and repair or replace the lock for you.
5. Lock Doesn’t Lock Properly
Can you turn your key in the lock, but the door won’t lock? Your lock can become misaligned with the strike plate through wear and tear and can be repaired by making adjustments to the latch bolt. To confirm that this is the problem, close the door and see how the latch bolt meets the strike plate. The marks on the strike plate will show you if your latch bolt is too high, low, or off to one side too much. Our locksmiths at Real Time Locksmith can realign your lock for you!
In an already stressful world, broken locks can put a lot of added stress on you. We want you to know that Real Time Locksmith is here for you in your time of need. If you are searching for a reliable locksmith San Jose to resolve your lock-related issues for you, get in touch with us today.
