UK Heatwave Melts Your Door? Locksmiths Swamped.

Britain’s heatwave is causing more than just wildfires and cracked pavements. It is now breaking the nation’s doors. Alan Hickman, a locksmith based in Bournemouth, has had a busy Thursday. He is currently working around the New Forest, though he is avoiding the area between Ringwood and Eastleigh. That route is closed due to forest fires. His first job of the day is a man whose patio doors will not close. Hickman suspects the heat has caused the frames to expand. Next, he is installing a lockbox for an elderly woman so her carer can access her home. His final stop is in Westbourne to fix a composite door that cannot lock. The problem is simple. High temperatures cause metal and plastic in door frames to swell. This expansion makes doors stick or misalign, preventing them from locking properly. According to Hickman, these "expansion issues" are becoming a common callout. And while summer heat is the current culprit, he warns that winter can bring its own set of door-related difficulties.