As colder winter weather settles in, it can affect your health, your home, and your car.

It may not be the most significant problem to experience, but near the top of the list of aggravations is having your car door locks frozen. It can literally leave you out in the cold. However, there are some simple preventative measures that can help you avoid this inconvenient circumstance.

Preventing Car Door Locks From Freezing

Keeping your vehicle's door locks from freezing in the winter isn't necessarily difficult. It does take some forethought, though. Here are some preventative actions you can take.

Apply Graphite Lubricant

Graphite lubricant is a dry lubricant that can keep door locks from freezing. The graphite lubricant should be sprayed into the locking mechanism.

Cover the Locks

Frozen car door locks result from a combination of freezing temperatures and moisture. Covering door locks with plastic when you expect freezing rain can help prevent them from freezing.

Apply a Silicone-based Lubricant

Silicone can prevent moisture from sticking to parts of the lock mechanism and keep them from freezing together. A quick occasional spray into the door locks can pay off in cold, wet weather.

Park in a Garage

Parking indoors is a straightforward way to prevent car door locks from freezing. This will generally keep your vehicle dry and above the freezing point.

Thawing a Frozen Car Door Lock

Even with the best of intentions, locks may still freeze. In this section, you can find a couple of tips to try should this occur.

Warming the Key

Exercise caution if you decide to heat a car key to thaw your frozen car lock. You could sustain a burn, damage the key, or even harm the locking mechanism. Heat the key, insert it, and attempt to turn it gently. This could take multiple attempts depending on the degree to which it is frozen.

Use De-Icer

De-icers can melt ice when sprayed into a frozen lock. This, too, can take several attempts and some patience.

Are YOU Prepared for Winter Driving?

While modern design, engineering, and technology have made key mechanisms less likely to freeze in windy, rainy, and frigid wintry weather, you can still be in for a nasty little surprise. The real key is being prepared.

When winter approaches, prepare your vehicle, ensure your tires have plenty of tread and road grip, keep your washer fluid container full, and check your battery and anti-freeze. Take these simple steps above to ensure you're ready to solve the problem of frozen door locks.

With winter comes more hazardous driving conditions. This also makes it an opportune time to review your auto insurance policy. Your National General independent agent can help. Reach out and contact an agent today to discuss your coverage and obtain a potentially money-saving quote.