Frozen dead bolt

richard5933 · February 05, 2018, 12:08:17 PM

Our entry door is held closed by a Yale dead bolt. It looks to be the original one installed by Custom Coach in 1974. The lock is a high quality lock, and it's not the lock cylinder itself I'm having problems with. When the sun warms the roof a bit and snow melt drips from the roof, it is working its way down the rubber gasket between the door and the jamb, and then it finds its way into the bolt mechanism.

When this happens I can turn the lock cylinder. However, the bolt will not retract and is frozen into the mechanism. It takes a few minutes with a hair dryer to get it to free up and then everything works as planned.

I've opened things up and sprayed liberally with lock anti-freeze/lubricant. It seems like the lubricant is really lightweight, and it almost totally evaporates after application. Must be some type of dry lube.

My thought is that I'm going to have to use something which will stay in place and help prevent the water from entering the bolt mechanism, but I'm afraid to use a regular oil-based lube since in the sub-zero temps it will turn to molasses and probably cause more problems than it fixes.

Any thoughts on some type of lubricant which will keep the moisture out but not thicken up to the point of non-functioning in the freezing temps?

Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM · February 05, 2018, 12:17:55 PM

Richard,

Generally you lubricate locks with dry graphite. This does not change as the temps do and it does not attract dust and dirt like oils do. You can also ask for lock lubricant and you will get the same thing.

richard5933 · February 05, 2018, 12:45:47 PM

Quote from: Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM on February 05, 2018, 12:17:55 PM
Richard,

Generally you lubricate locks with dry graphite. This does not change as the temps do and it does not attract dust and dirt like oils do. You can also ask for lock lubricant and you will get the same thing.

That's similar to what I'm using. The problem is that it does nothing to keep out the moisture/snow melt as it comes down the door jamb along the front of the gasket.

I'm hoping to find something that will act as some sort of moisture barrier without becoming thick and/or frozen itself.

chessie4905 · February 05, 2018, 01:31:23 PM

Try liberally spraying with silicone. Two of more applications. Also a small water diverted with some silicone gasket maker in black in a tube. Angle a small ridge directing water away from lock.

bigred · February 05, 2018, 03:38:49 PM

Depending on how big an aggravation this is to you ,you might could use a short piece of R V guttering above the door.It comes in white or black and might not be that big an eye sore!!

lvmci · February 05, 2018, 05:04:33 PM

Big red Is right, fabricate a piece of aluminum with double sided foam for car exterior logos, from 3M, lvmci...

eagle19952 · February 05, 2018, 05:19:42 PM

Quote from: lvmci on February 05, 2018, 05:04:33 PM
Big red Is right, fabricate a piece of aluminum with double sided foam for car exterior logos, from 3M, lvmci...

or seal the lock circumference ?

just don't use silicone.

Lin · February 05, 2018, 06:07:19 PM

Doesn't the WD in WD40 stand for water displacing? Maybe that could help.

Scott & Heather · February 05, 2018, 07:20:13 PM

I feel
Your pain. Our door keeps freezing shut from condensation. Can't really prevent it easily in the bitter cold up here. We just chip our way out every morning with a screwdriver

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Dave5Cs · February 05, 2018, 07:39:23 PM

Murphy's Oil on the door rubber. Another thing if hard surface is freezing rub candle wax on it, no more freeze.

luvrbus · February 05, 2018, 07:49:32 PM

Candle wax is what the locals in WY told me to use and to my surprise it worked

chessie4905 · February 06, 2018, 04:01:15 AM

WD-40 is watered down so bad any more, it doesn't work like it used to. It also won't displace a constant trickle of water he is dealing with.
He might try packing silicone grease into the space on the lock that deadbolt moves in and out of.

bigred · February 06, 2018, 06:39:53 AM

Quote from: Dave5Cs on February 05, 2018, 07:39:23 PM
Murphy's Oil on the door rubber. Another thing if hard surface is freezing rub candle wax on it, no more freeze.

Wonder if the Murphy's Oil soap would work on the rubber seals on the Fantastic Vent?? These things are the greatest but drive me crazy when the stick shut.

chessie4905 · February 06, 2018, 12:29:25 PM

Please try it and report back. Those kind of tips and results are always welcome and useful.

richard5933 · February 06, 2018, 12:43:17 PM

I've got a can of Fluid Film on the way to me. It's apparently used to shed water/ice from winter snow moving equipment. I'll run a quick test to see how it acts in an old deadbolt set I've got laying around to be sure it won't cause its own problems in the sub-zero weather, then I'll report back.