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COMMON PROBLEMS FOR 3 DIFFERENT DOOR LOCK MECHANISMS

 Locksmith installing a lock on a door

When is a door not a door? When it’s a jar of course! But if your door is stuck ajar it’s probably because there’s a problem that requires the help of a professional locksmith. Keep reading to learn more about the most common lock problems for wooden doors, composite doors, and a door with a cylinder night-latch.

Wooden doors

If you have a standard wooden door with a deadlock, you’re probably used to dealing with weather related locking issues such as:


  • Swelling/warping—Wooden doors contract in cold and expand in heat, making it difficult to open and close the door properly during certain times of the year.

  • Key is stuck in the lock/won’t turn—Keys often get stuck when the locking mechanism is misaligned. If you’re locked out of your house, call an emergency locksmith in Edmonton, like Aegis Locksmiths, to get back in.


Composite/UPVC doors


These doors are strong, durable, easy to maintain and energy efficient, making them a popular choice with homeowners. But they do run into problems occasionally, such as:


  • Dropping—If the door drops it will throw the locking mechanism out of alignment. Have an emergency locksmith readjust the door so you can open and close it safely. 

  • Faulty key cylinder—When your key simply won’t budge, a faulty key cylinder is probably to blame. Luckily, this is a quick fix for the professionals at Aegis Locksmiths. 

  • Faulty gearbox—A faulty gearbox can prevent your door from latching and locking properly. A locksmith can usually replace the gearbox itself, although in some cases the entire locking mechanism may need to be replaced.


Cylinder night-latch door locks


A cylinder night-latch is designed to lock automatically when the door is pushed closed. Some common problems with the cylinder night-latch are: 


  • Warping—when the frame has become so warped that the door cannot close or moves the lock out of alignment. 

  • Spare key doesn’t work—A poorly cut spare key won’t work as well as the original and you may end up locked out. 

  • Deadlocked out—If your cylinder night-latch has a deadlock then you’ll have to turn the key more than once to unlock the door. 

  • The snib is set—Once engaged from the inside of the door the snib will stop the key from turning at all.


When you need an emergency locksmith in Edmonton, call Aegis Locksmiths without delay. Our team of professionals is standing by, ready to be there for you when you need us the most. Contact us now to find out more about all of our services or to request a service visit.

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