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Doors let good people in and keep bad people out – supposedly, if the lock works properly. But what if you have trouble closing or locking your door? It could be due to these reasons. Find out how to address them as well.

As a note though, a professional locksmith in Melbourne or in your area will do a better job in fixing problems related to re-keying, installing locks and deadlocks, etc because of expertise and complete equipment.

 

The deadbolt doesn’t completely extend

The deadbolt is the main line of defence against forced entry. Typically, it extends a full inch and won’t lock if it doesn’t, making it easy to open the door with a knife or credit card. Thus, doorjambs and frames must be adequately bored out to allow the deadbolt to fully extend and lock in place. Look out for instances when the bolt binds against the strike plate or the thumb turn doesn’t rotate far enough. And if you must do a number of strenuous activities like pushing, lifting and pulling the door just to make the deadbolt lock in place; surely, there is a problem. This can be fixed by boring out the doorframe or adjusting the strike position.

 

The deadlatch doesn’t work

The deadlatch is created so that doors can’t be easily opened by a credit card, knife, an ice pick and the like. It should be depressed once a door is closed; otherwise, it won’t work. If it fails, it’s most likely due to an error during installation. There shouldn’t be an excessive gap between the door and the jamb. It shouldn’t fall into the strike opening too because strong pressure may cause it to break. Watch out for two distinct clicking sounds when closing the door. A misaligned, broken and non-functioning deadlatch should be adjusted, replaced or reinstalled correctly.

 

Check for the right master pins

Make sure to check with your builders on this one. Every homeowner has the right to expect that the key they’ve been given must be the only key that works with the locks; it’s a significant part of ownership and security. But with master pins assigned to some door locks, the key can be used to open other homes. Obviously, that would be scary as it makes your house vulnerable to theft.

Further, master pins left on the door lock needlessly causes wear, damaging locks and increasing risk of failure. Only with your consent should these master pins be present. Signs of master pins left in the lock include difficulty in inserting or removing the key and difficulty in locking. The surest way is to disassemble the lock. If you happen to discover master pins left, have it re-keyed. Calling a reliable locksmith in Melbourne or in your city will help fix this problem.

 

Warping

Sometimes, changes in the weather can warp, swell or contract the door and its frame. For example, UPVC doors contract and wooden doors swell during winter. This can affect the performance and condition of the locks, often causing misalignment and drops. Keeping the doors well lubricated is a great solution during colder weather.

Never compromise the safety of your home for a single lock that failed to do its job. Most of these problems can be simply avoided when doors and locks are properly installed as well as maintained. Have a look at our bespoke joinery services and we can supply and install doors, frames, windows and more to your requirements and specifications.