Not being able to get into your own house for one reason or another can be extremely frustrating. When your home becomes inaccessible because a lock won’t give in, you want to find a solution as quickly as possible. What can you do if your front door won’t unlock? You can look for a locksmith or you can try to fix the problem by yourself. Let’s see what options you have.

Causes and Solutions

1. Cause: Dirt Accumulation

One possible situation you may be confronted with is this: you try to open the door and the key simply sticks. All you have is a firmly fixed door and the key, which seems useless in your hands. First, you should make sure your lock is effectively lubricated. Dirt can build up over time and prevent your front door from being unlocked.

– Solution: Powdered Graphite

To solve the problem, you should apply powdered graphite. You can find powdered graphite in the form of aerosol spray. If you haven’t bought any for this purpose, you can use the powdered graphite from a simple pencil.

2. Cause: Cold Weather

Cold weather is another possible cause why your front door won’t unlock.

– Solution: Lighter

If the door lock is covered in ice, what you should do is remove all the ice from the exterior part of the lock first. Then you should try heating the lock using a lighter or a match.

3. Cause: Roughened key or edges

Sometimes keys become rougher and that is why they don’t function properly anymore.

– Solution: Nail file

In this case, you could try using a nail file to solve the problem. The nail file, which is that long thin piece of metal used for shaping nails, can shape your keys as well.

Need Help?

If you tried all the solutions above and none of them functioned, TalkLocal can help you get into contact with professional locksmiths who will address your problem and solve it in no time. Our service is prompt and free.