One of the most important things in human life is home. Whatever place we live in, luxurious, modernly designed, modestly decorated or equipped with less resources, it is our refuge, our oasis and we should feel beautiful, comfortable and protected there. Every owner takes care of his living space and strives to be designed according to his taste, both stylishly and functionally. With meticulous, hardworking and responsible families, everything is fixed, everything works and nothing is left unfixed, to be repaired later.
The front door, and everything else in our house or apartment, must be on the service list, as well as everything else. Doors, as a symbol of protection of our home and family, doors as a symbol of hospitality, they preserve our privacy and therefore must be maintained as a whole. It’s not just about aesthetics, that they are painted, clean, that they don’t get stuck and creak when opened. It is necessary that the lock on them works flawlessly, that the mechanism is easy to start and does not open by itself.
Here are some tips and suggestions on how to maintain door locks:
1. The lock must be properly installed
No matter what type of door you have and what type of lock you choose, the mechanism and all the elements must be completely integrated. Nothing must be forcibly jammed, improvised, or left with an excess of unused parts. If you are not new to this business, it would be best to call a locksmith who deals with it on a daily basis and encounters a wide variety of examples of doors and locks. He has the knowledge, experience, necessary tools and leave everything to him. This is much smarter and safer, because, however, keep in mind that the door is your protection against burglars and that the lock on it must be well secured, not loose and poorly placed.
2. Check the lock parts
If you have a quality and correct lock and it is time for its regular maintenance and inspection, you can do it yourself. Inspect it in detail, check the screws (tighten the loose ones), then the handle and hinges. Due to constant use, for days and months, it is very likely that even the best lock will loosen or be damaged. Make a careful inspection, change the faulty one and replace the screw if one has fallen out, from the lock itself or from the hinge. Test how everything works, in the end.
3. Lubrication
Even if the lock works well and no sound, creaking, metal-to-metal friction is heard… it still needs to be lubricated from time to time. There are special oils that will allow you to place a few drops in the right place, without getting dirty and smearing around. Some petroleum-based lubricants, some graphite-based, but Teflon dry oil showed the best effect, with the least dirt. You will be surprised how much better the lock and hinges will work and it will be easier to close the door. Consider lubrication necessary and include it in your routine maintenance from time to time.
4. Check the door completely
It is normal for a house or building to sink a bit over the years, as well as the whole terrain on which it is located. This happens imperceptibly, but after a certain number of years we can notice that the door gets stuck and does not open so easily anymore. As a result, the entire lock loses its original shape and function. Then the intervention of a carpenter is needed, and then the bravado. The carpenter will determine which part no longer has its basic appearance and will probably remove it by carving. The locksmith will replace the lock with a new one, or adapt the old one, so that it fits in the door and so that the whole mechanism is operational again.
5. Keep the door clean
Think about how much dust, exhaust fumes, dirt from the air, rain… stick to your front door. If they are inside the house, they are also contaminated with dust, fumes, grease… It is necessary to wash and maintain the door, and wipe the lock regularly with cleaning agents, depending on what it is made of. (metal, brass, plastic…) Since the handles are touched countless times with the hands, it is hygienically justified to occasionally wipe them with alcohol or some disinfectant, many of which are on the market.
6. Make spare keys
There is probably no person in the world who has not, at least once, lost a key or forgotten it in a lock, on the inside, and the door is locked automatically. It is bad luck that usually happens at the most inconvenient moment, when you are staring somewhere and have a minimum of time. To avoid such situations, which only generate nervousness and stress, it would be good to have a few spare keys, made according to the original. We spoke with locksmith behind locksmithtucson.us, famous locksmith Tucson, and we were told re-keying hardware is something most customers ask for. Each of the occupants should regularly have a spare key with them. Be sure to test each of them, as soon as they are made, sometimes it happens that the copy can not unlock the lock. Prevent such painters in time, thinking ahead and taking the next step in front of unwanted events.
7. Do not use force when opening the door
When the door is maintained, the lock is well fitted, lubricated and correct, then the door opens easily, almost with one finger. You don’t have to be a bodybuilder to get in or out of the house. Try not to be heard by the whole neighborhood when using the door and to think of someone breaking in. If you need strength to master the lock, unlock it or lock it, then it means that something is not right, that it is not working properly. Then it is necessary to determine what the problem is and eliminate it.
Conclusion:
The basic function of doors and locks is to protect you and make your property safe. And you act in accordance with that fact and regularly control and maintain that segment of your house. If you are creative and a fan of atypical doors and locks, there is a huge selection of all types, materials, colors and shapes. From hypermodern, through decent and elegant, to copies of art nouveaux luxurious, almost organic forms. Choose them according to your taste and abilities, and always pay attention to them and take care of them. So you will be calm when you go somewhere and leave the house empty or when you lock your home in the evening and fall asleep.
