Lock Repair in Albany, NY

Snowmelt and stiff locks

New York averages more than 40 inches of snow a year, and the state's climate report notes that meltwater can work into exterior keyways and turn back to ice. A cylinder that turns stiffly after a wet winter may only need cleaning and lubricating, so it is worth describing when the stiffness started.

Wood doors and frames can shift with the seasons, so a deadbolt that throws cleanly in one season may bind in another. The fix is often adjusting or moving the strike plate rather than replacing the lock.

Water damage is not only a coastal risk: the report lists 2013 flooding in Niagara County and the Mohawk Valley. A lock that has been under floodwater should be cleaned and tested before you rely on it.

Older hardware worth keeping

In the Clinton Square area, the state's downtown revitalization plan found almost half of housing units built in 1939 or earlier. Doors in the older row houses nearest the Hudson may still carry original mortise or rim locks. These can often be cleaned, fitted with new springs or given a new cylinder, which keeps the original door intact and avoids cutting new holes.

Window locks in rentals

Section 133-60 of the Albany City Code requires a working lock on first-floor, basement and fire-escape windows. Double-hung windows also need pins or clips so they cannot be locked open more than four inches. A window lock that no longer catches is a repair a tenant can raise with the landlord. This is general information, not legal advice.

Simple upkeep

• Before winter, use dry graphite or a lock-specific lubricant; oily sprays collect grit.
• Check that each latch catches on its own when the door swings shut.
• Tighten loose knobs and levers before the screws strip.

In a repair request, describe what the lock does (sticks, spins, will not latch), which door it is on, and whether it gets worse in cold weather. See lock repair, lock replacement for a lock past saving, and the Albany page.