How to open a frozen lock: top working methods

Condensation often accumulates in padlocks and mortise locks, which quickly freezes at low temperatures. The mechanism is ice-bound, and the lock becomes impossible to open without preheating. If such a misfortune happened, you need to warm it - there is no getting away from it. But what to heat? This will be discussed further. Today we will talk about several effective ways to warm the castle. Which one to use - the situation will tell!

The surest and easiest way to foresee in advance!

If you've had problems with your locks in previous winters and haven't fixed them, get a regular lock defroster. Keep this specialized tool with you if necessary. It is inexpensive (from 50 to 200 rubles), but it works for sure. When a defroster lies in the pocket or glove compartment of a car, all frozen locks will open in front of you!

Other improvised ways

But sometimes, or rather, always, there is a frozen castle in front of you, but there is no special equipment. Blowing/breathing is not an option: when it’s minus 20 outside, the pairs will only increase the amount of ice in the mechanism. What to do? Improvise!

Lighter, burning paper, open flame

The lock to the house can be opened by preheating the key. In order not to burn your hands, it is advisable to wrap the key head in a cloth or keep it with gloves. Heat the key leg over the open flame of a lighter or burning paper, insert it into the core, wait 15–25 seconds and turn. The lock did not succumb - repeat the procedure. This is a very effective method: in frosts down to -10 it opens the locks the first time, and at a lower temperature from 3-5 attempts. If metal door and an open flame will not harm it, heat the lock cylinder directly with a lighter.

A garage or padlock can be heated in more radical ways: with a blowtorch, gas burner.

Antifreeze, antifreeze, antifreeze washer fluid, WD-40

If you are a non-smoking motorist, that is, you drive a car, but do not have a lighter, you will most likely have one of the items listed above in the trunk of your car. How to use it? We explain!

Well, with WD-40 everything is clear. This aerosol must be generously poured / sprayed into the key slot of the lock, wait 1-3 minutes and open the lock. If it is very cold outside, start the car, put a can of WD-40 under the running stove and heat it up to 30–40 degrees (so that it feels warm to the touch). Next, also sprinkle the lock on her and open it!

Is there alcohol in the first aid kit? This is great - it will also help in thawing the castle. It, like WD-40, needs to be heated from a car stove and somehow poured into the castle. Ideally - with a syringe, if, of course, there is one.

With the rest of the liquids, the algorithm of actions is as follows: pour antifreeze, antifreeze or non-freeze into a plastic bottle. Make a small hole in the bottle cap first. Next, place the bottle on the engine to warm up the contents (don't put it on the manifold so the plastic doesn't melt). After the reagent is heated, pour it into the keyhole through the hole in the bottle cap. The heated components of the liquid will instantly melt the ice in the castle.

A bit of exotic

Automobile exhaust gases can also be used to warm up a dead castle. How it works? First, let's imagine a case suitable for this: you arrived at the dacha, its castle was tightly frozen, and you have no lighters, no neighbors from whom you can ask for fire or boiling water. In general, drive the car as close to the castle as possible, look for a watering hose in the shed, insert it into the exhaust pipe and wrap the junction with a rag so that the smoke does not go anywhere. Next, start the car, bring the other end of the hose to the door and rest the outlet against the keyhole. The heated exhaust gases will warm the lock for a couple of minutes. But do not forget to ventilate the house after such an environmentally dirty way to defrost!

Have you experienced frozen locks? Write in the comments how you did the defrosting!

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