But obviously, you won’t want two sets of busted keys. Typically, duplicate keys are copied from the originals. We use specially designed tools to remove the key without damaging the mechanism. If the broken part is completely concealed in the lock, you’ll need to call a locksmith. Make sure to pull straight, as pulling the key at an angle could break the key again, leaving a smaller, harder-to-retrieve piece inside. If part of the key is exposed outside the lock, use pliers to pull it out. When dealing with a jammed lock caused by a broken key, you first should try to remove the piece of key that’s stuck in the lock. If you’re outside the home at the time, this creates quite the dilemma. With the key stuck in the lock, the door is effectively jammed. In this case, the probability of a weak key breaking is high. This means you’ll have to apply greater force on the key to budge the mechanism. This combination can be a recipe for disaster. Keys often become brittle as they age, while older locks tend to rust from humidity, especially in Florida. One thing you should never do is neglect a misaligned lock. If those measures don’t resolve the issue, you’ll need to call a locksmith, who will fix or maybe even replace the mechanism. In that case, you’ll need to loosen the door hinges and adjust the door so it’s parallel with the door jam. Sometimes adjustments to the lock itself are insufficient. A few test runs may be necessary before you set the final alignment. Reposition it so the deadbolt and strike plate are aligned and then re-tighten the screws. To fix a lock that has poor alignment, first unscrew the mechanism until it’s loose enough to move around. It’s also a security risk, as it makes the door easier to bypass during a break in. That added force may also lead to broken keys and mangled inner-lock components.Ĭontact Us For Expert Locksmith Services How To Line Up Your LockĪ misaligned lock is more than an inconvenience. A misaligned door lock demands extra effort - pushing, pulling, and lifting - to open and close. The humidity in North Florida also warps the wooden doors and jams, which makes bolts and strike plates sit askew. Maybe they were installed improperly by the contractors or maintenance staff. But some doors aren’t symmetrical to begin with. ![]() A few of the most common ways locks get knocked out of alignment is from people yanking and pulling on the handles or aggressively swinging the doors open and closed such behavior knocks the hinges out of whack, making the door cockeyed. If the alignment of these parts is off even by a short distance, the lock will likely put up a fight - and sometimes it won’t work at all. ![]() Misaligned LocksĪ door lock works best when its deadbolt fits properly into the strike plate along the door jam. After all, you’ll be better off spending a little now for locksmith services than paying up later for a new mechanism or door. But if it doesn’t, or if handiwork isn’t your bag, put a locksmith on the job instead. Take action by grabbing a screwdriver - most likely a Phillips head - and tighten the screws holding on the mechanism. If you’re slowed down by a loose door handle or lock that requires persistent finagling, don’t wait for the problem to get worse. But don’t worry - we offer emergency services for lockouts. ![]() ![]() The longer you wait to repair it, the more likely you’ll find yourself stuck outside one day when the lock stops functioning. But in the long term, that loose lock grows prone to catastrophic failure. For some people, a jiggly door handle or finicky lock may add to a home’s rustic charm. Loose locks are a double-edged sword: they’re easy to fix (just tighten the screws), but also easy to ignore. Over the years, door hinges, handles, and locks suffer wear and tear, and eventually they loosen up. Here are three of the most common types of lock issues we see, along with tips on how to avoid them. At Be Secure Locksmith, we handle lock repairs of every kind. However, once a door lock starts to degrade, ignoring the problem often leads to more complex issues like lockouts. Inattention to door lock issues is understandable, as other priorities may take precedent. Yet despite frequent use, doors are often taken for granted. Doors do a lot for us - they serve as portals to the world, blanket our buildings in security, and offer public-facing canvasses for signs and decorations.
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