Nobody thinks about a lock until the key refuses to turn at eleven at night, or the bathroom door gets stuck with a child inside. Doors and locks work hard every day, and like everything that moves, they wear. The good part is that they give plenty of warning, and most of it can be dealt with in minutes.
Signs worth noticing
- The key goes in or turns stiffly, or you have to pull the door to lock it.
- The door rubs against the frame or the floor, or no longer closes without a push.
- A creaking hinge, or a door that drops slightly when opened.
- The handle feels loose or does not spring back.
- The main door lets in a lot of dust or light around its edges.
Why doors in Madinah stick
Dust is the main reason. It gets into the lock cylinder and the hinges and works like sandpaper over time. Wooden doors also move slightly with the heat, and a door that closed smoothly in winter may rub in August. Neither is a disaster, but forcing a stuck door or key is how a small problem becomes a broken lock.
Simple care
Lubricating the hinges and locks a couple of times a year makes a clear difference. Use a lubricant suitable for locks rather than cooking oil, which collects more dust. Tighten loose handle and hinge screws, and keep the door threshold clean. A door stop or a seal at the bottom of the main door also keeps out a good share of the dust.
When to replace the lock
Replace the cylinder when the key keeps sticking even after cleaning and lubricating, when you have lost a key, and whenever a tenant moves out. The last one is often forgotten, but it is simple: a new tenant should not share keys with the previous one.
Lubricating doors and locks is part of Mawadda’s Comprehensive package, and lock and door repairs are in the shop with their prices. Gates and roll-up garage doors have their own periodic maintenance.