My house key suddenly won't work in my door lock. Any ideas why? Two keys won't go in all the way?
Question:-they're not bent. I have one key that will work.
It's been raining a lot here lately and high humidity, but that's nothing new and it's never mattered before.
Door and lock are only 2 years old.
Any thoughts on this?
Answers:
If the keys that will not enter the lock completely have color-coded caps on them, make sure the cap is not covering the key's shoulder. That is a common problem.
Lubrication may help. Use WD-40. Powdered graphite is obsolete- and people ALWAYS use way too much, interfering with the pins and even blocking the keyway, sometimes.
If the lock has been improperly master keyed, a high pin stack can prevent the key from going all the way in. This is common with Kwikset brand locks.
If I were betting, I would put my money on junk in the lock, and that the keys that don't work are duplicates cut on a blank that is close to the original, but not exactly right. Flush the lock with WD-40, check to working key against the others to see if they are the same length, remove caps or rings that might interfere with the key's shoulder reaching the cylinder face.
Get a small tube of graphite lock lube and squirt some into the the lock.
the lock may need lubrication. the best thing to use is graphite. to make your own powder graphite, take the lead of a pencil and rub it on a nail file until you have some fine powder. blow a little bit of the powder into the key hole. then put a little more powder onto your key (it takes balance!) and insert the key. jiggle the key a bit to work the graphite into all the parts.
spray some wd40 or some other lubricant in it and run the key back and forth in the lock, it should go in eventually.
"harley" had it right but humidity does kill the locks. I live in Florida (humidity central) and know this for a fact. It kills the lubrication of mechanical things over time.
But also those two keys could be worn down. For some locks, if the keys are slightly worn, they won't work. (Sucks but good for security in a way.) Buy a new key and see if it works. Should cost you around 50 cents.
probably the pins ar dirty and the springs are sticking. try some TEFLON not silicone spray and work the key that does work several times to get the teflon spray to spread out in there. silicone, like W-D 40, attracts dirt and gums it up. make sure the locks are not upside down. if that doesnt work get new locks, some, like defiant, only last a couple years with heavy use. the cut part of the key should be on top when you insert it, that means the tumblers are on TOP! GOOD LUCK!
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