LockRite were recently approached by The Guardian for an article looking at the sharp rise in doors sticking, warping and refusing to lock properly during the UK’s hot weather.
The Guardian spoke with LockRite locksmith Alan Hickman, who has covered Bournemouth and the surrounding areas with LockRite for 14 years.
Alan described a recent run of jobs involving swollen uPVC and composite doors that won’t lock, as well as patio doors affected by the heat. Speaking to the Guardian, he explained:
“We’re getting what feels like double the amount of calls a day because customers’ doors just aren’t able to open, or they can’t close them at the end of a hot day until they’ve cooled down again.”
Alan Hickman
Extreme summer temperatures cause materials like uPVC, composite, and timber to expand, sometimes just enough to throw a well-fitted door out of alignment.
If you’ve noticed your own door sticking, dragging, or refusing to lock properly in the hot weather, we explain why it happens and what to do about it in our guide to Common Door Lock Problems.
We’ve also covered the wider home security risks a heatwave can bring, including how a door that won’t lock properly is as much a security issue as it is an inconvenience, in our Heatwave Home Security page.
We’re proud to have LockRite’s experience recognised in a national news story and to see one of our locksmiths contributing his first-hand knowledge of the problems affecting homeowners across the UK.
Read Alan’s full interview in The Guardian here: Why dodgy doors are the latest casualty of the UK heatwaves