Broken keys happen to be one of our number one service calls. Can you imagine being a store owner, showing up to your store at four in the morning to open up for the day only to snap the key off in the lock? Not only are you stuck waiting for a tech to arrive, but you’re also at risk of losing business because you can’t get inside. It’s a lose/lose all around.

While broken keys are common, they’re actually fairly easy to avoid. Here are a few tips and tricks to consider, which will save  you a lot of unnecessary hassle.

Four Ways to Avoid Broken Keys

Don’t Pull

I’m guilty of this one myself, so don’t beat yourself up, but you should never put your key in your lock and pull on it to get the door open or closed. Your key is not a pull and doing this will only but more strain on it than necessary. If you or anyone on your team consistently does this, you will end up with broken keys and a very bad beginning to your day.

Resistance

If you notice any resistance while turning your key, it’s time to call a technician. During the course of time, cylinders can wear down, springs can weaken, and pins can sag. When the pins begin to sag this works against your key. If you continue to turn your key, it will eventually snap or the  lock will explode.

If you notice your lock beginning to stick, it’s time to call a technician.

Bent Key

This might seem like a no-brainer, but to be safe I’ve included it. If your key is bent, it’s definitely time for a new one. A bent key means it already has a very weak spot and the more you turn it in a lock, the closer you are to snapping it off.

Don’t Leave the Key in the Door

It seems like a simple thing, but leaving your key in your door when you’re not using it can lead to bigger problems. This is especially common in back-of-house doors. However, all it takes is for one rogue cart to crash into your key and snap it off while it’s still in the lock. There’s only one way to avoid it and it’s easy as pie—don’t leave your keys in locks.

See? I told you broken keys were an easy problem to avoid! However, if you have anymore questions, we’d be more than happy to help. Contact us anytime!