A frozen door lock can be very intrusive when you are
locked outside in the cold. Home security and the security of your vehicle make
it necessary to lock your doors and in the winter months can lead to some
drawbacks. Whether it is the car door lock that is the problem or the door to
the house that has issues, the tips that are discussed will be helpful in both
situations.
Tip #1 - Warm The Key
Use a lighter or a match to heat the key for the lock.
Once it is hot slide it into the lock and wait a couple of minutes for the hot
key to do its work. You might need to repeat this step a few times depending on
how much solid ice has built up around the locking mechanism. It is also
recommended that after you defrost your frozen door lock that you spray or
apply a lubricant to the locking mechanism, in cars be sure to include all of
the moving door parts as whole doors will freeze up as well not allowing you
access no matter how hot you get the key or how hard you pull on the door
handle.
Tip #2 - Blow Dryer
If you can get to your blow dryer or a neighbors plus an
extension cord then this can be a decent way of heating up a frozen lock as
well. You will need to put the dryer on the hottest setting. This will take a
bit longer than the hot key since there is not direct contact with the frozen
mechanism. However; placing the blow dryer right against the door lock and
possibly trying to open the lock with a toothpick or other small device will
help to decrease the time involved.
Tip #3 - Blow Torch
Using a blow torch can be dangerous if you do not know
how to use one, however it does provide an alternative to heating the door
lock. You will need to set the torch on the lowest setting and make quick
swipes over the surface of the lock or the key. You can heat the key like with
the lighter or you can heat the lock directly. You do not want to damage the
paint or the door handle so do not keep direct contact for long periods of
time.
Tip #4 - Deicer
Using a deicer for your frozen lock does not heat the
lock but there is alcohol and lubricant in the mixture that will have the same
effect as melting the ice off of the door lock. They include a small straw that
you connect to the nozzle to get the chemical inside of the lock where it needs
to do its work.
No matter which route that you take with heating your
next frozen lock remember that you can do preventive maintenance on locks to
keep them from freezing in the first place. Make sure that they are clean, use
spray graphite and the key to clean the lock and lubricate it with a lubricant
that won't freeze easily. Knowing these few simple ways to unfreeze your lock
will allow you to be inside and in warmer weather before you know it.
Find it useful? Read more at Safety
Tips For Heating A Frozen Door Lock.
