When it comes to the overall safety within your home, door locks play a crucial role. They represent all the main points of entry to your household.
It’s important to be able to recognise the signs that tell you it’s time to install a brand new door lock to maintain your home’s security level. That’s why, in this article, we’ve compiled the top 10 signs your door lock needs to be replaced.
Table of Contents
1.Keys Not Turning with Ease
One of the earliest and most noticeable signs your lock needs replacing is when the keys become difficult to turn.
Over many years of repeated use, the internal mechanisms of the locks can start to malfunction. Tiny pieces inside begin to degrade, and mechanisms can become misaligned.
This makes inserting and turning the key much harder than it used to be. You will feel significant friction or binding when trying to unlock the door. At this point, you’ll be pushing, jiggling, or using extra force to get the key to fully rotate.
This loss of smooth key operation is a clear red flag that deterioration is occurring inside where you cannot see. In this case, a proper assessment is required and replacing the lock will solve the issue, which ultimately will keep getting worse.
Newer lock hardware is constructed with stronger, non-corroding materials optimised for long-term function.
2.Locks Not Fully Engaging
Another warning sign is when your locks don’t seem to fully activate and latch securely even after turning the key.
You will feel the normal click, but the door will not be as tightly shut or anchored in place as expected. This means the locking mechanism inside has become misaligned over time.
Proper door security highly depends on precise alignment and meshing of all internal components of the lock. However, time can cause internal parts to become loose, which compromises its ability to fully engage with the door frame.
A loose lock raises the risk of forced entry, which is quite serious for you and your family. Intruders know to look for doors that appear closed but wiggle open with little pressure.
Lock replacement for the exterior door ensures full locking ability through a precise, rigid geometry of the new lock’s secured configuration. You shouldn’t take chances with such an important home security issue.
3.Multiple Keys Not Working
Losing the functionality of more than one key to your locks is a clear sign it’s time for an upgrade.
It’s normal for worn-down locks to eventually reject a single key as internal mechanisms degrade. However, if you have multiple keys that suddenly refuse to turn the lock, the issue is much more serious.
Dual key failures indicate the lock cylinder itself can no longer reliably accomplish its pivoting and alignment function.
It’s unwise to depend on a lock exhibiting such unstable and unpredictable performance, risking lockouts. The safest option here is to proactively replace the lock and ensure consistent functionality.
4.Old Door Locks
The age of your front door locks alone will tell you when it’s time for an upgrade, even without any obvious signs of wear. Lock manufacturers advise a replacement every 10-15 years for reliable safety.
Over decades of use in changing weather conditions, materials gradually decompose, and it’s not always noticeable.
The issue arises with lock bodies, which slowly become riddled with micro-fractures that compromise their structure.
Furthermore, lubricants dry up over time while moving parts wear unevenly. This happens before failure events such as jamming and stiff keys eventually occur.
On the other hand, older locks lack security features like reinforced material, protected keyways, and resistant construction. With advanced age comes increased vulnerability that risks your home safety.
5.Visible Wear and Tear
With extended use over the years, locks endure scratches, dents, and other physical impacts that wear away protective coatings and weaken their structure.
These surface flaws indicate deeper mechanical damage. Here are the most common wear and tear signs on your locks:
- Scratches and scuffing where protective plating has worn off the lock cylinder;
- Dents or deformations;
- Rust building up where protective lacquers have flaked off;
- Loss of paint, revealing the base material;
- Nicks, chips, or peeling on knobs and handles.
6.Physically Damaged Locks
Obvious cracks, breaks, or impressions on locks indicate they should be replaced as soon as possible.
This type of damage results from possible attempts at forced entry that tweaked lock components out of safe operation.
Signs to watch out for include the following:
- Cracks around the keyhole;
- Scrapes or gouges that resemble scratches;
- Dents encircling the lock like hammer marks;
- Missing or broken-off parts such as a snapped-off deadbolt or cracked faceplate;
- Bends or kinks in the lock body warping its shape.
Locks are designed to protect against intrusion attempts. However, withstandable stress levels are exceeded through violence from hammer blows or cutting tools.
Physical harm permanently damages locks and weakens them against entry next time. If you notice a damaged lock, replacing it is what should be done to maintain security at home.
7.Technology Upgrade Requirement
While older locks installed many years ago still serve their core functions, new options now integrate added convenience and enhanced security features.
Technology has greatly evolved for smart home integrations and added protection. Here are some of the features of an upgraded system:
- You can now install smart locks, video doorbells, and alarms that can be controlled remotely for added security.
- New apps provide remote access options like digital keys or auto-locks.
- Bluetooth-enabled locks alert your phone when opened, granting instant notifications of entry/exit activity.
- Encrypted key codes and credentials prevent common lock issues like lost keys or lockouts.
- Auto-relocking options ensure forgetting to latch the deadbolt isn’t a big deal.
- Keypads and biometric scanners like fingerprint unlock add simplified access and convenience.
Installing cutting-edge technology when it comes to your home security deters hardware-focused criminals.
Modern features also boost usable security without an added hassle in comparison to the old-fashioned key.
You can consult your local locksmith about upgrades tailored to your specific needs and budget for maximised peace of mind now and in the future.
8.Keys Getting Stuck Inside the Lock
If your key regularly gets stuck inside the lock, this shows serious deterioration has started happening within.
Whenever you feel extra resistance or binding that traps keys, it’s a well-known sign of accumulating damage.
This happens because lock components such as the cylinder wall and key pins develop uneven grooves with overextended use. Severe scratches pinch keys in place during operation.
When you have this issue occurring, it will keep happening until normal usage becomes impossible.
When you disregard the warning signs, it is inevitable you will need the assistance of an emergency locksmith to help you out. Stuck keys tend to strand homeowners outside until the lock can be drilled or disassembled to free the key.
9.Easily Manipulated Locks
Professional burglars constantly evolve techniques for bypassing household locks. If tension tools, shims, or lock pins open your locks with too little resistance, it’s an alarm that their security has been dangerously compromised.
Some signs to look out for include the following:
- Lock cylinders turn easily using light pressure from basic tools like wenches or Allen keys inserted in the keyway.
- Thin metal strips like credit cards can be heavily distorted yet still slip inside to pop the lock open.
- The lock bolt can be slid open out of engagement even without accessing the keyhole at all.
Proper locks employ insurance against manipulation like security pins, hardening around keyways, and right clearances. However, over the years, repeated unlocking cycles will wear down barriers against intrusion.
It’s best to check your locks and make sure that they are strong enough to withstand possible forced entry.
10.Following a Burglary
If you’ve experienced a break-in, it’s important to take extra measures after this traumatic event.
You will need to immediately install new locks on all exterior access points after first informing the police. Burglars may have copied your old lock’s key, and it’s unsafe to rely on compromised hardware.
Replacing all the locks is the best option because even rekeying keeps the weak points of an old lock susceptible to picking.
Besides duplicating keys, intruders might have made moulds of your lock’s pins, so completely changing all the locks removes all possible vulnerabilities. It’s better to be safe when it comes to your safety.
Conclusion
There’s no need to take risks with door locks. The 10 signs shared in this article will allow you to notice issues early and act accordingly. Keep an eye out for them, and you’ll definitely be rewarded with a safe, secure, and peaceful home.
