How To Fix A Stuck Front Door Lock

Equip a rotary tool with a carbide tip bit.

How to fix a stuck front door lock.

You can tighten a simple interior mortise lockset like the one shown at left as follows. The latch will not retract even when the knob is turned. Start by trying to push the lock button. Take note of the type of resistance.

Start by cutting the tube of powdered graphite at an angle and covering the ground under the door with paper towels to catch extra graphite. If the gap between the door and jamb is angled then the door isn t square. Ideally the opening of the tube will be small enough to fit inside of the lock. Adjust the hinges so that the door is straight.

Then press the opening of the tube in the lock. Place the end of the straw into the opening of the lock where you normally insert your key. Insert the straw into the opening of the lock. Open the door wide and put on a pair of safety glasses to protect your eyes.

Spray the entire mechanism with spray lubricant and wait for at least 10 minutes before you reinstall it. Now go to the hardware store and buy you a new dead latch. If this works then you can open the door and it s time to replace the dead latch. In most cases the problem is now fixed.

Do not over tighten the screws or you may strip break them. 1 loosen the setscrew on the knob s shank. Tighten the screws that go into the door and the screws that go into the door frame. Inspect the strike plate on the edge of the door frame.

Release the button quickly try sliding your finger off the button so the pressure is maintained up until the precise moment of release with no backing off. A door knob lock button stuck has a few quick fixes that you can try out. The door latch is not extended before rotating the knob. Sometimes the cause of a stuck deadbolt is a misaligned or out of square door.

3 if this does not help remove the knob. Troubleshooting a stuck door latch. You may want to spray wd40 or other lubricant on the lock mechanism. A latch bolt that sticks in the strike often leave tell tale.

Guide the straw as far in as you can to make sure you re hitting every part of the locking mechanism that might be sticking with the wd 40. 2 hold the knob on the other side of the door and turn the loose knob clockwise until it fits snugly. Filing the strike 1. If you break off a screw head or strip it use an inexpensive device called a screw extractor to remove it.

Push and hold the button in. Try to open the door while it is shut.