Does salt air damage lock cylinders?

Yes. In Torrevieja and all along the coast the air carries salt and damp, and over time that corrodes the parts of the cylinder and seizes it up. The key starts going in stiffly, it gets hard to turn and one day it jams or snaps.

It happens most to doors that face the street, the terrace or the garden, and to houses that stay shut for months, because the cylinder is not used and nobody notices it deteriorating.

What helps:

• Lubricate the cylinder from time to time with a suitable product, never with oil.
• Wipe the escutcheon and the keyhole with a cloth.
• Do not force the key if you feel resistance.
• Choose cylinders that stand up well to the weather.

If yours is already stiff, see lock repair.