Having trouble locking your doors or perhaps getting them to open or shut properly? There are various reasons for that but to help identify any potential problem, we have listed the most common issues here and if you recognise anything affecting one of your locks we urge you not to ignore it. You don’t want your security compromised and besides, it’s always cheaper to repair a lock than to replace it. Faulty Mechanism/Older Locks A door mechanism can always break without notice, especially with an older lock. If you place a key into your lock cylinder and turn it, you should be able to lock or unlock your door but a broken mechanism is when the key just revolves around and around, or the entire lock cylinder turns with it. If that happens, you could either be stranded outside home, or if you can’t lock the property be forced to stay in it.  In any scenario, it means wasted time and inconvenience but at Towergate we can provide a free lock check and security evaluation. Please call us to prevent this from happening to you. Loose Door Handles and Locks Most door lock parts become looser with time, it’s simply the constant use. And while a loose handle might not seem so bad, for a UPVC or Composite door especially it’s a sign that before too long the mechanism that keeps the handle horizontal to the door may fail and cause the entire locking mechanism to jam. You won’t be able to lock your door, or it jams when the door is locked and you won’t be able to get in or out. Also, since most home break-ins are forced entry, if a door lock is already loose it becomes very easy for burglars to exploit that weakness to get into your property. So, if you have noticed a difference in the way that your locks and handles are ahem, handling, get them checked by an experienced locksmith as soon as you can. The Weather Nothing you can do about the weather but the weather can certainly do things to your external doors. For wooden and especially uPVC doors, hot weather and direct sunlight will often cause a door to expand making it harder to lock, open or close without applying force. You might only need to wait until cooler weather arrives, (and we know it will) for the door to return to normal, but if you have inadvertently damaged the lock, or knocked the mechanism out of alignment, this is the time to call a locksmith to make your home secure again. Stuck/Broken Key in Lock This one can strike without any warning sign. But if a key breaks or gets stuck in a lock, it’s usually because of repeated force being applied. Avoid doing that anyway, if you need to, that’s a sign the lock should be checked regardless. But if it happens and it’s the whole key that gets stuck in the lock we understand if you do try to remove it yourself first. Be careful however as the blade can easily snap inside the lock to make matters worse. You’ll have nothing to grip on. Your best solution is to give us a call and we’ll sort it. Of course, we suggest you do that whenever you have a door lock problem. We promise you’ll be glad you came to us.