Safety comes before any inspection
Before you think about locks, think about the building. Do not enter a damaged home until local officials say it is safe. Watch for downed power lines, standing water that may be electrified, strong gas odors, structural cracks, sagging ceilings or loose debris overhead. If you smell gas, see sparks or suspect a structural problem, leave and call 911 or the appropriate utility. A door is not worth an injury.
If you are returning after an evacuation, expect that conditions may be difficult: no power, no lights, closed roads, debris and heat. Bring gloves, sturdy shoes, a flashlight, water and your keys. Take photographs as you go, with the date visible, since you may need them for an insurance claim. Do not discard damaged hardware until the insurer or adjuster has seen it, unless it is a hazard.
This guide is for the period after a storm in Broward and Palm Beach counties, when a homeowner or tenant is checking doors and locks. It explains what to look for and when to ask a professional. It never offers instructions for getting past a lock, and it avoids steps that put you near live electricity or unstable structures. If you are unsure whether something is safe, stop, and ask someone qualified.
First look from the outside
Approach the house and look at the exterior doors before you touch them. Is the door still in its frame? Are there gaps, bent edges, or a frame that has pulled away from the wall? Is the glass in a sidelight or sliding door intact? Is there debris leaning against the door, and is the threshold full of water or sand? Notice whether a shutter or panel has shifted or detached.
Look at the lock from outside. If the cylinder is loose, the escutcheon is bent or the bolt is visibly out of position, note it and take a photograph. If the door is open or ajar when you did not leave it that way, think about whether someone could be inside. After storms, opportunists sometimes visit damaged properties. If you suspect that someone entered, do not go in alone, and call 911.
Walk around to the other openings. Check the back door, the patio slider, the garage entry and any gate. Make a list of what appears damaged, what appears fine and what you cannot tell yet. A frame that has been pushed by wind pressure may look straight but bind when you try to close it, so a gentle test is worth doing once the area is safe.
- Look for frames pulled from the wall, bent edges and broken glass.
- Check for water, sand and debris at the threshold.
- Note loose cylinders, bent plates and displaced shutters.
- If someone may have entered, step back and call 911.
Water, humidity and swollen wood
Heavy rain and flooding saturate wooden doors and frames. Wood swells, sometimes enough to make a door stick or refuse to latch. Swelling often eases as things dry, but it can also leave a permanent warp. Do not force a stuck door with a heavy tool or a shove that damages the frame. A door that must be pried open can lose its alignment for good.
Metal parts take a beating too. Salt-laden wind and water can leave a film on cylinders and latch bolts, and rust may appear within days. A lock that was smooth before the storm can become stiff or gritty. Our page on door frame and jamb problems in humid climates explains how moisture affects doors in this region, and the page on salt air and lock corrosion describes the hardware side.
If a lock was soaked, avoid operating it repeatedly while it is full of grit. Rinse the outside with clean water if you can, wipe it dry, and use a small amount of a dry lock lubricant, not a heavy oil. If it is still stiff, or if the key feels rough, ask a locksmith. A technician can check whether the lock can be cleaned and kept in service or whether replacement is the safer choice.
Shifted frames and doors that no longer close
Wind pressure and flying debris can push a frame out of square, and a door in a frame that is even slightly out of square may not latch, may rub or may leave a gap along the edge. Watch for a bolt that no longer lines up with the strike plate, a latch that does not click or a deadbolt that must be forced. These are signs that the frame or the door has moved.
Do not try to solve it by hammering the frame or planing the door right away. The cause may be in the framing or in the wall itself, and the right fix depends on what moved. A carpenter or door installer can assess a frame, and a locksmith can check how the lock and strike are working with the door as it is. Where the work involves an impact-rated door or window, the installer or maker should be consulted, because those products have specific installation requirements.
A door that cannot be secured is an urgent matter. If you cannot lock a damaged exterior door, you may need a temporary measure, such as boarding or a temporary latch, and a prompt appointment with a professional. Take photographs before and after any temporary step, and tell your insurer. Our page on strike plates and door reinforcement explains the parts involved.
Locks that jam, spin or will not turn
After a storm, a common complaint is a lock that will not turn. There are several possible reasons: a swollen door that is pressing on the bolt, a frame that has shifted, debris in the keyway, corrosion inside the cylinder or a bent latch. Each has a different remedy, and forcing the key is the wrong response to all of them, because a broken key makes the problem worse.
Try a simple test. With the door open, operate the lock. If it works smoothly with the door open but sticks when closed, the problem is the alignment of the door, bolt and strike, not the lock itself. If it is stiff even with the door open, the lock mechanism is at fault. If a key breaks in the lock, stop, and see our page on a broken key in a lock. If the key will not turn at all, see a lock that will not turn.
If you are locked out because of storm damage, a locksmith can help, with proof that you live at or control the property. Do not attempt to break in or to force the door, which may damage the frame and complicate your insurance claim. Our page on locked out in hurricane season describes what to expect.
- Operate the lock with the door open to see if the mechanism works.
- Close the door gently and see where it binds or rubs.
- If the key sticks, do not force it; stop and ask for help.
- Photograph any damage before any repair.
- Call a professional if the door cannot be locked securely.
Electronic locks, keypads and openers after an outage
Power failures, surges and water can disable keypads, smart locks, gate operators and garage openers. A keypad lock that fails to respond may need fresh batteries. If it was drenched, it may need to dry out, or it may need replacement. Do not take a wet electronic lock apart and do not attempt repairs near any live circuit. Use the manual key backup, if it has one, and ask the maker or a technician about the electronics.
For garage doors, use the manual release only as the maker describes, and be careful: a door may be under spring tension, and its springs are dangerous. Do not try to repair springs or cables yourself. A door that has come off its track or a broken spring requires a garage door professional. A garage door that is partly open also leaves the home exposed, so arrange a secure temporary solution.
For gates and shared systems, report the problem to the association or manager, and keep a record. If a system failed open or closed, ask what the plan is and when it will be repaired. In the meantime, treat entrances as unsecured, and be cautious about leaving valuables behind.
After damage or a break-in: keys, rekeying and records
If a door was damaged, whether by the storm or by someone who took advantage of it, you may need to secure the property and document the loss. Photograph everything. Call 911 if a crime may have occurred. Tell your insurer, and ask what documentation they need before work is done. Keep receipts for emergency repairs.
If keys went missing in the evacuation, or if the home was open for a time, consider rekeying the locks once the door is repaired. The reasoning is the same as after any other loss of control: you cannot know who has a key, or who has seen the inside of the house. Our page on rekeying after losing keys explains what is involved, and a lock broken after a break-in describes what to do when a lock is forced.
If you rent, tell the landlord at once about damaged doors and locks, in writing, and ask who will arrange repairs. Do not pay for permanent changes to a rental without agreement. If you own a condo, check with the association about common doors and the approval of any lock change.
Authorization, scams and choosing who to let in
After a storm, people looking for work arrive in a neighborhood, and some are not what they claim. Before letting anyone work on a door or lock, ask who they are, check their identification and how they are connected to the business, and ask for a quote before work begins. A reputable locksmith will tell you the charges by phone, and will ask you for proof that you may authorize the work.
Be wary of anyone who demands payment up front, refuses to explain the work or insists on drilling a lock without looking at alternatives. Our pages on how to avoid locksmith scams and how to verify a locksmith at your door give practical checks.
Quotes are given by phone only. Complicated jobs need an on-site visit, and a service call charge applies, explained before dispatch. Do not expect an arrival promise after a storm, since roads, power and demand can change quickly.
A short post-storm list and when to call
Once you are cleared to return, move in a calm order: check safety, look at the outside, test each door gently, note what binds, sticks or fails, and photograph everything. Keep the list simple and tick items off. Do not force doors, locks or keys. Do not leave a damaged exterior door unsecured if you can avoid it.
A locksmith can help with stuck or broken locks, lockouts caused by damage, rekeying after lost keys or unsecured entry, and checking whether hardware should be replaced. A carpenter or door installer should handle frames and doors, and a garage door professional should handle springs and tracks. A good technician will tell you which job is which.
When you are ready, call, describe what you see, and ask what documents to have ready. The technician will explain the next steps before anyone is dispatched. If your concern is the storm that is coming rather than the one that has passed, see hurricane season lock and door preparation.
Questions people ask
Is it safe to try my locks right after a storm?
Only after officials say it is safe to return and you have checked for hazards such as downed lines, water and gas smells. Then test doors gently, with the door open first. Do not force a stuck lock or key. If anything seems unsafe, leave and call 911. A door is never worth an injury.
My door sticks after the rain. Is the lock broken?
Often it is the wood that has swollen, not the lock. Try the lock with the door open. If it works smoothly, the issue is alignment or swelling, which may ease as things dry. If it is stiff with the door open, the lock needs attention. Do not force or plane the door in a hurry.
What should I do if I cannot lock a damaged exterior door?
Photograph the damage, tell your insurer and arrange a temporary way to secure the opening, such as a carpenter's board or a temporary latch. Then get a professional to repair the frame or door. If you suspect a break-in, call 911 first. A locksmith can help secure the lock once it is safe.
Should I rekey after a storm?
Consider it if keys were lost during an evacuation, if the home stood open or if someone may have entered. You cannot know who holds a copy, and rekeying removes those keys from use. A locksmith can explain how it works and quote by phone. Renters should speak with the landlord first.
Can I fix my own garage door springs or cables?
No. Springs and cables on a garage door are under tension and can cause serious injury. Use the manual release only as the maker describes, and call a garage door professional for broken springs or a door off its track. A locksmith does not replace that professional for spring and cable work.
Will a locksmith need proof before helping after a storm?
Yes. Expect to show photo ID and something that connects you to the address, such as a lease, closing papers or a recent bill. Renters may need the landlord's approval, and condo owners the association's. The technician will explain the process by phone before anyone is dispatched.
Describe the situation by phone and we will tell you what the job involves. Quotes are given by phone. Jobs that cannot be quoted without seeing them need a technician on site, and the service call charge is explained on the phone before anyone is dispatched.
Related pages
Salt, sand and grit working inside the lock
Coastal storms push more than rain. Wind-driven spray carries salt, and sand and fine debris can find their way into keyways, latch openings and the moving parts of a deadbolt. After the weather passes, you may notice a key that feels gritty, a latch that sticks halfway, or a handle that no longer returns smoothly. These are early signs that contamination is sitting inside the mechanism. Pushing harder or forcing the key can turn a minor nuisance into a broken key or a bent part, so a gentle approach and a pause to assess is wiser than muscle.
A simple look can tell you a lot. Check the keyway with a flashlight for visible sand or crusted residue, and see whether the strike plate on the frame is packed with debris that stops the bolt from seating. Wipe exterior surfaces with a damp cloth to remove salt, then dry them thoroughly. Avoid spraying products into the lock without knowing what is appropriate for the mechanism, since some leave a film that attracts more grit. If the lock remains stiff after cleaning the visible areas, it is time to have a professional look at it.
Keep in mind that salt damage is cumulative. A lock that survives one storm may corrode more quickly the next time, especially on doors facing the water or exposed to constant wind. Take the opportunity after a storm to note which doors seem to suffer most, and consider whether the hardware suits the exposure. A technician can explain the options for sturdier or better-suited parts, along with the tradeoffs, and the scope and any quote are discussed before work begins. Catching wear now is usually kinder to your door and your schedule than waiting for a failure.
Temporary measures while repairs wait
Storm recovery often means long lists and limited availability, and a damaged lock may have to wait. If a door will not lock properly in the meantime, think about practical temporary protection. Move valuables out of sight, use any secondary latches or interior barricades that are working, and consider sleeping in a part of the home that is easy to secure. Tell trusted neighbors that the door is compromised so they know to look out for unusual activity. These steps are not a replacement for repair, but they reduce risk until someone can address the hardware.
Be cautious about improvised fixes. Wedging a chair or stuffing material into a latch might seem helpful, yet it can hide a real problem or make a later repair harder. Avoid driving screws or nails into a frame without knowing what you are fastening to, particularly if the wood is damp or swollen. If you must leave the property while it cannot be locked, take photographs of the door and frame first, because a clear record of the condition helps with later conversations about repair or claims. Whatever you decide, you will know what was done and why it was done.
When you do call, describe the symptoms in plain terms and mention the weather event so the dispatcher can anticipate what might be wrong. Call us to confirm availability, since demand can be unusual after a storm. Have the address and your authority ready, whether you own the home, rent it, or manage it for someone else. Ownership or authority is checked before any lock is opened or changed, and the scope will be explained before work begins, so you know what to expect. A steady, unhurried approach usually protects both the hardware and your peace of mind.