It may not occur to you that it can happen until you find yourself in the situation. You’re home from a long day of work, fish your keys out of your bag, and put the key into the lock. Only to find your key has broken off in the lock, leaving you locked outside with no alternative way in. Why does this happen and when should you call your emergency locksmith in Craigieburn?

Why do keys break inside the lock?

One of the top reasons for a broken key is due to wear and tear. Sometimes, as the key is getting older you can even notice a crack in the key. If you notice a crack, it’s important to get a replacement ASAP. Other reasons keys can break is from warping over time. Keys always seem to be handy to pry things open or get into hard to reach places. It’s important that you don’t use keys for anything else but the lock it’s been created for. Using it as a tool will only put undue stress on it, rendering it unusable in the future. Another common reason is that the lock has been turned before the key has been fully entered, torquing the key in a different direction.

How to prevent your keys from breaking

Keys are small and relatively fragile pieces of metal. It’s important that when you use them, you enter the key completely in the lock, turn it, then use your hand to open and close the door. By using the key to move the door, it places additional pressure on the key that it wasn’t made for. If this is part of your daily routine, you may experience a broken key in the near future.

If you’ve experienced a home break-in or have had an attempted break-in, it’s very important that you have your locks inspected. Sometimes an intruder will use blunt force to attempt to open the lock, which will drastically mess up the internal components of your lock. If the intruder attempted to pick your lock, you will see fresh scratches all around the lock opening. This will also damage the inside of the lock, opening up the potential for a broken key later down the line.

When to call your emergency locksmith in Craigieburn

If you have recently experienced a break-in or suspect an attempted break-in, call your Craigieburn locksmith. Our team of professionals will be able to look at both the inside and outside of your lock to deem if it is still secure or if it requires a new lock. If you do find yourself with a broken key, it’s important that you don’t attempt to remove it yourself. By attempting to remove it yourself you run the risk of pushing it deeper into the locking mechanism, only further destroying your lock. Your emergency locksmith will be able to safely remove the other piece of the key. If it hasn’t been further tampered with, you will be able to keep your old lock and just get a new key cut. However, if you have attempted to remove the key yourself, it may require both a new lock and key.

Should you find yourself with half a key in your hand and half a key in the door, our team of emergency locksmiths in Craigieburn will be able to assist. With 24×7 service, we will get you inside your home in no time. To reach us, you can reach us immediately on 1300 045 397 or you can leave us a message HERE to get back to you.