How to avoid needing a locksmith

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We’ve all been there. The front door slams closed with your key inside and locks automatically, it breaks in the door or the lock won’t turn. Locks are complicated mechanisms which are bound to fail at some point and keys, well they either disappear or break without you wanting them to. These are just a few of the reasons you could need a locksmith service at some point, but these are the ones that are the easiest to avoid. So here are some tips and measures that you can take to ensure that you won’t have to call one any time soon.

Taking care of your locks

A lock that is used carefully and properly maintained when needed, will last for years and years, but one that is not will have a relatively shorter lifespan. Within, they have complicated moving parts, like clockwork, that rely on every other part to work correctly.

 Ensuring proper lock lubrication maintenance is a good start, and products can be brought from just about any hardware store to ensure that you can do it whenever needed. This will make sure that the locking mechanisms won’t seize, or that rust won’t play havoc on the more delicate parts. But remember, always use a dry lubricant on them.

Be wary of the way you use the lock as well. If the key won’t turn, don’t force it. This can cause serious damage to the lock or even snap the key. Rather jiggle it a little and if that doesn’t work, try lubricating the lock and then opening it again. If this still doesn’t work, don’t do anything silly like kick it or pick it yourself. The chance of you doing more damage than good is very high.

If you’ve just moved into a new house, there’s no need to even test all of the locks. It is almost guaranteed that there is a master key somewhere, and it won’t be in your house. So rather than checking on the condition of all the existing ones, think about having every outside lock changed immediately.

While we’re on the topic of security…

Keys, small enough to conveniently hide themselves away, slip off of a belt or out of a pocket. They fit too snuggly down cracks in couches, under carpets in cars or in some other dimension where keys go. The thing with a lost key is that it severely compromises the security of your home. Very often the logo on the key mirrors the logo on the lock, so if it is found in your neighborhood, you could imagine why it is not too hard to find the lock it belongs to.

 Taking care of your keys is probably the first step in avoiding the need of calling a locksmith. Besides the irritation of being locked out of your house, when you lose a key there is a further issue of having to replace the lock. If there are a few people with a key to that door, you can bet they won’t be very impressed. Using a key finder that can be attached to your keyring and makes a noise when a specific sound is made or a button is pressed, is a great way to stay on top of that.