Breaking your key in your lock can be a bad situation. It can make it impossible for you to access your home or business, and it can damage the lock as well. These are a few tips that can help you avoid doing this:
1. Label Your Keys
First of all, you should know that putting the wrong key in your lock can cause damage to both the lock and the key, which can cause future problems. One good way to prevent this from happening -- and to help you get into your home or business a lot more quickly -- is to label all of your keys. There are a few different ways that you can do this. You can have custom-made keys made with different patterns or colors so that you can easily tell them apart, or you can purchase plastic "caps" that can be placed on the ends of your keys so that you can tell them apart. Even painting a little bit of colored nail polish on your keys can help you ensure that you choose the right key when entering your home or business.
2. Don't "Jam" Your Keys
When putting your key in your lock, make sure that you do so gently. Once you get in the habit of jamming your key into the lock or being rough with the key and lock once the key is inserted, you can cause considerable damage. Therefore, make sure that you handle your keys with care.
3. Keep Your Locks Lubricated
If you find yourself having to jam your keys into your locks, it might be because your locks are not properly lubricated. Periodically, it is a good idea to squirt a little bit of lubricant into your locks. Then, you should find that it is much easier for you to put your key in and turn it when you need to lock or unlock your doors.
4. Call a Locksmith When Necessary
Even if you take these steps, you might have to hire a locksmith in some situations. If you find that simply lubricating your door locks isn't enough to prevent problems, you may need to hire a locksmith to come out and replace or repair your locks for you. If you do happen to break a key in your lock, you can call a locksmith to help you gain entry to your home and either remove the key or replace the lock completely.
Contact local locksmith services for more information and assistance.
