The changing weather & impact on locks, doors & windows.
Hi again, everyone!
Today I want to talk to you about the changing temperature (YAY, summer’s here) and how that can, and invariably does, impact your uPVC & multipoint locking systems on doors & windows.
So, as the temperature outside changes, metals, wood & uPVC both swell and contract. Once you figure in humidity, you’ve a veritable cornucopia of movement. Locks are actually quite complex pieces of engineering, even a slight shift in the position of a door for instance, will likely render the lock useless. Often this happens after a period of extreme weather temperatures, our recent visit from the #BeastFromTheEast and the sub-zero climes that it brought were definitely responsible for an increase in gearbox & mech (the internals of your multipoint locking door) failures.
What can you do to insure against this happening?
Well, regular maintenance on your doors and windows by a qualified locksmith (like me :P) will certainly help. As door frames and the doors shift during these temperature & humidity changes, it puts undue pressure onto your lock. This most certainly contributes to many of the ‘crisis’ call-outs that we attend.
Keep your locks functioning smoothly by making sure they’re properly lubricated. I use a PTFE based spray lubricant called GT85, and I make sure I treat all of our windows & doors internals 3 times a year, and certainly at least twice. For the big season changes.
If you discover your value doors and windows are becoming difficult to operate, adjustments and maintenance at this stage can save you the expense & inconvenience of replacing parts. Also Murphy’s law means that if your lock is going to fail, it’ll do it the most inopportune moment!
In conclusion, there are several ways to avoid a crisis locksmith call-out. To keep you both safe & issue free, be sure to follow Key Change’s above advice, and if you’re lucky we will never need to meet 😀
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