How to Tell If Your Door Lock Needs Replacing

Door locks can become worn over time, and a faulty lock can eventually leave you unable to secure your property properly. Knowing the warning signs can help you deal with a problem before the lock fails completely.

The key is becoming difficult to turn

If your key is becoming increasingly difficult to turn, don’t ignore it. The problem could be caused by wear inside the lock, a damaged key or the door and frame being misaligned.

Avoid forcing the key, as excessive pressure can cause it to snap inside the lock.

The lock is sticking

A lock that regularly sticks or requires several attempts to operate may be reaching the end of its useful life.

It is worth having the lock checked, particularly if the problem is getting worse.

The key no longer works smoothly

Your key should normally enter and operate the lock smoothly. If it feels unusually loose, catches inside the lock or needs to be moved around to operate the mechanism, there could be an issue with the cylinder or internal mechanism.

The lock or cylinder is damaged

Visible damage to the lock, cylinder or surrounding door hardware can affect the security of the property.

Following an attempted break-in, it is particularly important to have the lock and door checked for damage.

You’ve moved into a new property

If you have recently moved house, changing the locks can be a sensible security measure.

You cannot always know who may still have copies of the previous keys. Replacing the locks means you have control over who has keys to your property.

Does the whole lock need replacing?

Not necessarily. Depending on the type of lock and the problem, a locksmith may be able to repair or replace an individual component rather than replacing the entire locking system.

A locksmith can inspect the lock and recommend the most appropriate option.

If your lock is sticking, damaged or becoming difficult to operate, getting it checked before it fails completely can help prevent an emergency lockout.