Dealing with a Broken Key in Your Lock: A Guide to Swift Solutions
Dealing with a Broken Key in Your Lock: A Guide to Swift Solutions
Imagine it now, a terrible situation that many of us dread, that can absolutely happen in the winter - you insert your key into the lock, turn it, and suddenly, snap! The key breaks, leaving a portion lodged in the lock. Before you panic or contemplate drastic measures, take a deep breath. In this blog post, we'll guide you through the steps to handle a broken key in your lock like a pro, ensuring a smooth resolution without causing damage to your lock or door.
Stay Calm, Assess the Situation and Do Not Force Anything.
Make calm decisions and don’t force anything.
Stay Calm and Assess the Situation: The first step is to remain calm. Panicking may lead to hasty decisions that could worsen the situation. Assess the extent of the breakage and determine how much of the key remains in the lock.
DO NOT TRY TO SUPER GLUE PEICES TOGETHER IN THE LOCK. IT DOESN'T WORK AND WILL MOST OF THE TIME DESTROY THE LOCK! WE TELL YOU THIS FROM EXPERIENCE!
Do Not Force Anything: Avoid the temptation to force the broken key or use excessive pressure to turn the lock. This can further damage the lock mechanism, making the extraction process more challenging.
Avoid the Temptation to DIY: Keep in mind that attempting to remove the key may end up damaging the lock beyond repair. You may be best off to remove the lock and take it to Beishir Lock and Security to let the professionals remove the broken key with the tools in their professional toolkit, or call (314) 842-4500 for an on-site technician to come remove the broken key at your location. If a portion of the key is protruding from the lock, you may gently try to grasp it with needle-nose pliers or tweezers. Carefully pull the broken key out, maintaining a steady hand to avoid pushing it further inside, but even this can be risky.
Beishir, Can you help?
Call Beishir Locksmith (314) 842-4500 for help
Call a Professional Locksmith: If your attempts to remove the broken key are unsuccessful, it's time to call in the professionals. A skilled locksmith has the experience and specialized tools needed to extract the key without causing damage to the lock.
Preventative Measures: Once the key is successfully removed, take the opportunity to inspect the lock and ensure there is no damage. Consider having a spare key made to avoid future incidents.
Replace the Lock if Necessary: In some cases, the lock may be damaged beyond repair. If this is the case, consult with a locksmith about replacing the lock to ensure the security of your property.
While a broken key in a lock can be a frustrating experience, handling the situation with a calm and methodical mindset will increase the likelihood of a successful resolution. Whether you choose to tackle the problem yourself initially, or call us right away for help, the key (pun intended) is to handle the situation with care to avoid additional damage to your lock or door. Reach out to us anytime to discuss how to proceed.