We have all been there, running late to work knowing you have a busy day ahead. You get to the office, reach into your pocket for the keys to open the door yet they suddenly do not fit in the keyhole. You look at the keys. Are you are sure that you have the right keys? It’s freezing outside. Could that explain this?
The temperatures dropped dramatically the previous night, and now the lock is frozen. As you decide how you’ll gain entry to your office, your schedule is only getting pushed behind.
Should I Pick the Lock Myself?
While DIY lock “hacks” may seem like a sufficient course of action for the problem, it may not give the expected results. We often say not to undermine the DIY lock hacks, but more so to express the fact that the risks of damaging the lock are high. As such, the most suitable thing is to call a locksmith to correct the situation, especially when dealing with locks affected by the weather. It’s kind of like trying to detail your car yourself, when you know that you could get a much better job done by higher a professional mobile detailing company!
Keyless locks would seem like a full-proof solution to the effects of weather, and that is probably why they have become increasingly popular due to their security and convenience features. In fact, the locks are not affected or susceptible to many of the issues that peg standard locks including the hot and cold swings of the weather. However, that is not to say that they are full-proof – keyless locks can also be affected by the weather.
Weather & Keyless Locks
The fact that the keyless locks do not have keyholes does not mean there are no other elements of importance about these type of locks. One issue is that the locks are with mechanical or digital keyless locks.
The internal workings of mechanical keyless locks are much similar to that of standard locks only without the need for keys. They tend to have a build that is not too complicated nor basic, but only work with a single universal unlock code. As for the digital (electric) keyless locks, they run on batteries and can be configured to accept multiple locking codes.
So, how does the weather affect keyless locks?
Battery Drain
The impact of cold weather on batteries is no secret. The batteries tend to drain faster than normal, and since digital locks rely on batteries to work, they are susceptible to malfunctioning in the cold.
A local Pop-A-Lock technician will first change the batteries to see if the lock works. In most cases, it is advisable to change the batteries once a year, and the this can be more frequent depending on the make and model of the digital keyless locks and how they perform in very cold weather.
Mechanical Issues
Every lock will at some point develop some mechanical issues. While keyed locks are known to face mechanical problems, the hot and cold temperature swings can affect how well a lock works, be it keyed or keyless.
That is the reason for ensuring the lock in your business or home gets some periodic maintenance checks. Take the proactive approach when it comes to locks. Oil the locks regularly to ensure the locking mechanisms never jam and to lower wear and tear thus promoting the functionality of the locks.
Access Code Jamming
With keyless locks, the user has to enter the appropriate unlocking code on a keypad to gain access. The keypad can get wet during hot and cold conditions and this can alter its effectiveness. Moisture can change into a liquid (water), or solid state (ice) and the latter can cause the buttons to jam or the entire pad to give a faulty command once the codes are entered.
It Boils Down To The Type Of Keyless Lock
The above issues go to show how keyless locks are not immune to the effects of the weather. However, they may perfect better in hot and cold settings than the keyed locks. Most brands are built with a high resistance to different weather conditions, so they rarely underperform or fail. Weatherproof locks are the best choice that most locksmiths recommend. So consider making such a change even after hiring a local Pop-A-Lock expert to work on your malfunctioning locks.
Most standard keyless locks are relatively pricey but not all are weatherproof and those that are cost slightly more. That additional cost often pays itself when it comes to facing any downtime arise from issues with malfunctioning locks. The weatherproof locks are highly durable.
All in all, the keyless locks cost more than the standard deadbolts and locks; the cost is often overshadowed by the convenience of using the locks. The convenience of keyless locks for vehicles or especially for businesses is exemplified in their functionality and resilience when facing fluctuating temperatures and other issues associated with harsh weather conditions.
In most cases, keyless locks are a worry-free option, but that does not mean that they can do without maintenance checks to ensure they work efficiently. Why run your business and put its security at risk by overlooking the need for doing routine maintenance checks for the door locks, whether they are keyed or keyless!
Keyless locks are the best of what today’s security technology has to offer in terms of locks. Get in touch with a local Pop-A-Lock specialist and learn more about the benefits of installing keyless locks and how they can be affected by the weather.
