So cold outside I'm having problems with the lock on my door.?

Question

I can barely lock it or unlock it.. I had to use both hands and force it to lock this morning. I'm afraid the key is going to break by using that kind of force. What can i do to loosen it up?

Answer 1

First of all, Please don't use WD-40 on a lock. WD-40 stays on the parts and will gum up the lock. Use a dry silicone lube instead, you can pick up a can at most hardware stores.
Your lock problem isn't a frozen lock, it's caused by expansion of the building materials due to the cold, I run into this problem every winter at the apartment complexes I work for. The symptoms are that you have to push on the door so that the lock and striker plate line up enough to allow movement. The only thing you can really do is either remove some of the weather strip to allow for more closing room(Recomended as a last resort) or adjust the striker plate on the door jamb. The trick with this is not to adjust it to far so that you need to ad more weather strip. If you have any other questions feel free to email me, I'll be happy to walk you through it.
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Answer 2

Go down to your local hardware store and ask for Lock Thaw. It's an aerosol lubricant in a small cylinder. You just push the tip into the keyhole for a second or two. It will lubricate the lock mechanism and should solve your problem. I would also suggest you open the door and work the lock open and closed several times to get the lubricant spread around inside. If this doesn't work, the cold may be warping the door so it is not closing properly. If that is the case you may need to plane or shim the door so it opens and closes freely.

Answer 3

Go to the hardware store & buy some lock deicer.

That should help.

If not see if the lock turns easy (With the key) when the door is open.

There could be some ice or frost that keeps the door from closing properly.

The cold may cause the door frame to move a little & become harder to lock close because the lock don't line up as well.

Answer 4

Get some WD-40 at the hardware store and spray it into the key hole.
WD40 Will NOT gum up the locking mechanism, Its all we use at the College I work at where our facilities people service over 8000 doors and locks. Even at cold temeratures (-20F) here in the northeast they NEVER feeze up with WD40 since It displaces water and its water that freezes a lock up. Try it and I bet this will totally solve your problem!

Answer 5

What a great excuse to not go to Work. The Doors locked and I can't get out.

Try the WD40 or Silicone or hair dryer however extreme weather brings out the problems with mechanical Things. To hot or cold. You may need to replace the lock.

Answer 6

There must be some fluid product to try, but here where I live in North East France and when I have difficulty opening lock on field gates, I use a lighter to warm up the key and then put the key in the lock and it works, but wear gloves, you don't want to burn your hands;

Answer 7

Got an extention cord and a blow dryer? Blow heat on the lock.