2 Mistakes To Avoid When Your Get Your Key Stuck In Lock Of Your Front Door
Posted on: 21 December 2019
While trying to get into your home, you may have inserted the key into the lock only to find that it will not turn, nor will it come out of the lock when you pull on it. You may feel panicky and flustered while trying to get the key out, especially if there is no other way into your house. However, try to stay calm so that you do not make the following mistakes that could make your situation worse.
1. Attempt to Yank the Key out of the Lock
When you first discover that your key is stuck in your front door's lock, your first instinct may be to attempt to yank it out of the lock. You may move it slightly from one side to the other, then try to pull as hard as possible, thinking that a little forcefulness will budge the key.
However, the key is mostly stuck because the tumblers inside of the lock have become misaligned. If you pull too hard on the key, you may wind up permanently damaging the tumblers, which will not only result in a permanently stuck key but also the necessity to replace your lock.
Instead of yanking on the key, gently move it up and down as you gingerly tug on the key. If it does not budge, push it in firmly, jiggle the key slightly, then try again.
2. Try to Force the Key to Turn
When you cannot get the key out, you may decide that you just want to get into your home, so you may decide to force the key to turn. However, putting too much pressure on the key and twisting it inside of the lock could cause two things to happen.
First, when you forcibly twist the key, the tumblers inside of the lock may go further out of alignment or even break. Second, if you keep turning the key too much, it may break off, leaving the teeth inside of the lock. Either way, you would not get into your home without a locksmith's assistance, and they would have to replace the lock.
If you are unable to remove the key from your front door's lock and are stuck outside of your home, seek out professional assistance with getting into your house. Contact a locksmith at a company like The Lock Shop in your area and explain the situation so that they can come to your home and help you either get your key out or change out the lock completely.
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