Some People Wrap Their Door Locks In Aluminum Foil During Winter — And This Is Why

Seeing a crumpled piece of aluminum foil on your neighbor's front door may be confusing, but during winter there's a practical intention behind this seemingly silly hack. When winter weather rolls in, snow and rain bring lots of moisture. If a little bit of water gets inside a lock on an exterior door, low temperatures can cause it to freeze and get stuck. One reason why people are putting aluminum foil on their doorknobs during winter is to try to stop their locks from freezing.

Some people find that wrapping door locks in aluminum foil helps to keep the moisture out and prevent them from freezing. While there's no firm scientific evidence that foil will stop door locks from freezing, it will cover the lock and possibly keep snow or rain from wetting the doorknob. There are a lot of ways to try to stop winter weather from affecting the locks on your exterior doors, such as using a lubricant, but aluminum foil may help to insulate the mechanisms and keep them dry.

This metal foil is inexpensive and most people already have it in their kitchens, making it a staple for tons of genius aluminum foil home hacks. Aluminum foil does have some insulating properties, as it reflects and conducts heat, and it is sometimes thought to keep door locks slightly warmer and stop them from becoming frozen. Covering door locks that are prone to freezing with insulating items, such as thick socks or towels, is also sometimes recommended by locksmith companies; however, there is not much proof that the aluminum foil trick is guaranteed to work or that it's superior to other covers.

While it might be worth it to try covering your exterior door locks with foil if you have trouble with them freezing, there are more trusted methods to combat door lock problems in cold weather. Before temperatures drop, you can prepare your locks by spraying them with a graphite lock lubricant to prevent water from getting inside. If you have consistent issues with your doorknob being snowed or rained on, covering it to keep it dry is a good option. Magnets can also be a simple way to securely cover a lock to keep moisture out of the mechanisms. If your lock is already frozen, antifreeze sprays will help to safely melt the ice.