5 Tips For Making Your Locks & Door Hardware Last

Regular adjustments can help keep doors looking like new, working smoothly, and functioning in the most secure way possible.

Over time, locks and door hardware can get worn, dirty, misaligned, and overused, meaning regular maintenance is required. These small adjustments can keep doors looking like new and working properly. When maintenance is avoided, it can affect things like energy savings and, of course, overall security, and persisting issues can escalate into bigger problems. 

Therefore, to keep your locks, hinges, doorknobs, strike plates, deadlatches, and deadbolts in tip-top shape, follow these five steps.

1. Keep screws tightened. Screws help hold hinges, doorknobs, and other pieces of hardware in place. When they get loose, they may not be able to do their job efficiently, and there is the risk of the hardware falling off – both problems that decrease security. Go around with a screwdriver at least a couple of times a year, in order to make sure screws are tight.
2. Clean and lubricate locks and hinges. Dirt, debris, and rust can impair how doors work, so another step to take regularly is cleaning and lubricating hardware. The outside of locks and knobs should be disinfected, and a little bit of oil should be applied to the inside of locks and to hinges. Pro Tip: Do not use a graphite product, though, as it gums up in locks! 
3. Check the alignment of doors. A common problem is doors getting misaligned over time, which puts extra pressure on latches and bolts. It can also keep locks from being as secure as possible and can make the job of opening a door harder than it should be. When doing regular maintenance, ensure that the gap between doors and frames is the same on all sides.
4. Make sure weatherstripping is up-to-date. On a similar note, the weatherstripping around doors needs to be replaced now and then, since gaps can let in excess hot/cold air and even insects and rodents. 
5. Know when it’s time for a replacement. Most of the steps on this list are quick and easy fixes that can be done by homeowners/a school’s or company’s maintenance staff. However, some of these issues can end up beyond repair and call for an upgrade. If locks and pieces of door hardware are broken or ineffective, call Cothron’s at 512-472-6273; we can discuss a plan of action and get what’s needed to enhance safety!