Lock Repair in Harrisburg, PA

Seasons and door fit

Lock repair often begins with working out whether the lock or the door is at fault, and the weather here makes that a common question.

• Wet spells. NOAA's Pennsylvania climate summary reports that extreme precipitation events have become more frequent. Wood doors take on moisture and swell, then shrink in dry, cold weather, so a latch that meets its strike in one season can bind or miss it in the next.
• Cold. Moisture inside a cylinder can turn to ice, and a key forced against frozen pins can bend or snap. Use a lock de-icer and give it time rather than turning harder. If a key does break, see broken key extraction.

A lock that acts up in only one season usually points to how the door sits in its frame, not to a failing lock.

Older doors in older neighborhoods

Doors and frames in Fox Ridge's late Federal vernacular row houses on Capital Street, just north of the State Capitol Complex, and in Allison Hill's predominantly brick historic district may have had generations to shift, and an old mortise lock's springs and levers wear with use. The city's guidelines lean toward repairing historic wood doors rather than replacing them, so repair work often means:

• Resetting or moving a strike plate so the bolt throws fully
• Tightening hinges so a sagging door stops dragging on the latch
• Cleaning and lubricating a stiff cylinder
• Replacing a broken spring or worn part inside the lockset

Upkeep through the year

1. Before winter, lubricate cylinders with a lock lubricant such as dry graphite, not a heavy oil that collects grit.
2. Each season, close the door and check that the deadbolt throws all the way without you pushing on it.
3. Keep a small can of de-icer in a coat pocket or bag, not inside the house.
4. After a heavy rain, work the lock a few times and watch for new sticking.

Describing the problem

Say which door and lock it is, what the lock does (sticks, will not latch, turns hard only in the cold) and whether it comes and goes with the seasons. Photos of the lock and the strike help. If a lock is past saving, ask about lock replacement.