Door lock maintenance

Keep locks from sticking so you won't be outside, knocking and kicking.

On this day, in 1851, Mr. Yale patented the door lock. By 1852, his invention was sticking and difficult to turn. Soon thereafter, it froze solid -- and he was locked out. And, in 1853, he broke his first door key trying to turn his lock. Today, 200 years later, little has changed. While locks have gotten better, time, dirt and inside goo, still gum things up -- sometimes preventing Yale's invention from doing what it's supposed to do. To prevent or eliminate this problem, give a sluggish lock mechanism a shot or two of penetrating spray lubricant like WD-40. Don't use regular lubricating oil, which collects and holds dirt; this will make locks even harder to operate over time. Once things are operating smoothly, an occasional spritz of WD-40 will keep locks working well. An alternative solution is powdered graphite, from the hardware store. Or, you can rub key edges with a soft lead pencil, insert the key and transfer graphite into the lock mechanism. For more tips, visit our Web site at onthehouse.com. And that's the On The House tip for today.

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