Care and Maintenance of Frosted Locks

Viewing snowfall from the coziness of your living room while you are having some hot coffee can be a blissful sight. However, the fact is excessive snow can turn into an annoyance. Scooping heaps of snow from your driveway and dealing with frosted locks can be a nightmare for many.

Locks are the first means of defense that help to keep intruders from your property and businesses. It is common for people to safeguard their valuables through locks. So, when locks get frosted during chilly weather, the entire situation becomes a hassle to handle.  Who would like to shiver during winters trying to fix a frosted lock to get back into their home or a car? This is why we have brought some effective tips to help people when their locks get frosted.

Why Do Locks Freeze?

Your car locks freeze especially when you have cleaned your car just before the weather has dropped below to a freezing point. Also, locks get frosted when you have not parked your car in a garage and left it out in the chilly climate for a long time.  Additionally, locks of the front door of your home, garage, mailbox, and shed also get frosted due to the moisture that has sneaked inside the interiors of the locks and keyholes.  

The Best Tips to Prevent Frosted Locks

Undoubtedly, frosted locks are a sudden crunch that everyone wants to get sorted as soon as possible. So, it is best to take precautions to avoid dealing with frosted locks during winter:

• Apply Oil: The best method to avoid frosted locks is smearing a layer of oil to your locks and keys. It will work as a waterproof and sealant layer.
• Carry a Lighter or Matchstick: The quickest way to handle frosted locks is by carrying a matchbox or a lighter in your bag or pockets. You can also place it in your shed so that you can use it to defrost your lock at any time.
• Use a Magnet: Most car owners cover the keyholes of their car locks with a good-sized magnet. This will prevent the frosting of locks because the magnet acts as a barrier while covering the keyhole. You can remove the magnet once you get inside your car.
• Spray WD-40: WD-40 works to keep the lock of your car door lubricated. You just need to spray it on the lock and it will form a coating to avoid the accumulation of frost for some days.
• Use Putty: You can use putty to fill the keyholes of your locks to avoid them from depositing ice. You can easily remove the putty when you want to use the key to unlock the lock. Some homeowners also use duct tape to cover the locks of their padlocks, gates, padlocks, mailbox, and garage, to prevent the locks from frosting in chilly weather. Make sure that the things that you are using to mask your locks are waterproof and don’t get wet, because this will worsen the situation.

How to Unlock A Frozen Car Door Lock?

In the last section, we have discussed some simple ways to prevent your home and car locks from getting frosted. If, however, you are dealing with frosted locks, here are simple ways to defrost it:

Firstly, try to remove as much ice as possible from in and around the locks. Also, make sure that your key is not frosted before you insert it into the keyhole as it can possibly worsen the situation. You can make use of any sharp object to remove the ice that has accumulated inside the lock. It is necessary that you do this step with utmost care so as to avoid getting the lock damaged. After you have worked on removing the ice, try some of these solutions to defrost your locks:

• Apply Sanitizer on Key: Spurt a small amount of hand sanitizer on your palm and apply it on all around the key. Hand sanitizer includes a large percentage of alcohol, which prevents frosting and helps to defrost the ice.
• Smear your key with Jelly: You can also consider applying petroleum jelly on a key when unlocking the frosted lock. It works as a lubricant and helps to move the key easily into the keyhole and helps in melting the ice.
• Heat your Key: If you have a matchstick or a lighter, use it to heat your key before inserting it into the keyhole. If the lock is heavily frosted, you might want to make several attempts to melt the ice.
• Use De-Icing Spray: You can buy de-icing sprays that are easily available on the market. They are highly effective as compared to many home remedies. Make sure that you keep them in your shed or garage to keep them handy whenever in need.

It is necessary that you remain safe and alert when using any of the tips to defrost your locks. If you think you have damaged the lock during the defrosting process, you must consult a skilled locksmith to discuss the issue.

DIY Attempt Can Be Risky

When attempting to defrost your home or car locks all by yourself, chances are you may leave your locks damaged. This usually happens when you are in a hurry and want to fix the issue in a jiffy. An unprofessional attempt can prove to be risky to the security of your property and vehicle; therefore, it is important that you get in touch with skilled locksmiths at locksmithspros.org. We are a team of trained, certified, skilled and experienced technicians who know the best way to tackle the frosted locks.

Call LocksmithsPros today for all your lock needs! We are sure you will be delighted with our impeccable assistance.