The turning of the handle retracts the latch by pulling on the spring and compressing it. If this lock is on an exterior door, just be sure that any other of your locks are open before addressing the door knob that turns but won’t open. Unfortunately most people overlook this sign and end up with a key that keeps turning in their door lock. This is also quite an issue because you cannot get your door open as easily as you could with a door knob that has broken. The key may be worn or damaged so it will not work in the cylinder. Because the rest of the latch is not there you can try to use a small screwdriver and push between the door and the jamb and wiggle it sideways so it clears the latch. When a door knob turns but won’t open, there is a good chance you will be doing some replacing. My Door Knob Turns But Won’t Open. Go buy a new latch either from a local store or the internet. Between those fixes, the four main issues that are outlined above can be pretty well sorted. Using a phillips-head screwdriver tighten all door hinges so that none is loose. We are trying to open the door but the knob won't open the door. The lock button is something relatively specific to interior door handles. First off, if you can see and interact with the stuck lock button, you will be able to address the set screws or twist-off rose. Reasons Why a Door Latch Won’t Retract One possible problem is that the latch has fallen into the strike hole and gotten stuck. Tighten the screw, using the appropriate flathead screwdriver or hex wrench. Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since 1975. This is an extremely dangerous situation, as your security will be limited until the issue is resolved. If you cannot get the lock button unstuck with simple jiggling and the door is locked, have no fear, you should still be able to get the door open. The rod passes through a spring-loaded mechanism that connects it to the barrel, and when you turn the handle, the rod turns the mechanism which retracts the bolt. 6 Simple Ways To Get A Broken Key Out Of A Lock, I Locked Myself Out Of My House! If it still opens without turning the door knob (meaning it didn’t latch completely), then go to step 2. Now, take that piece of plastic and try to insert it into the door from the outside directly where the latch is. In most cases, this turns out to be a loose set screw within the door handle or door knob. For instance, if you insert your key into the lock, and the key turns but the lock doesn’t open, the lock is clearly busted. Paint on the edge of the door sometimes prevents the barrel from retracting. I assume you can't open the door, not that you can't slide the bold out. When the lock is at rest, the spring is fully extended. I have what I hope to be an easy problem. Alternatively, if you can't see any screws, look for a notch under one of the rosettes. In the resting state of the lock, the spring is extended. When it comes to discovering exactly what is going wrong you can look at a couple different factors and how they might be influencing your situation. The solutions and severity of this issue will differ depending on what type of lock it is. I just purchased an Elk M1K kit and my goal is to ensure that all house exits are locked when the system is secured at night. When it is … handleset latch not fully retracting: by: almosthandy: posted: Wednesday - December 12, 2012: My front door's handleset (a nice one, about 5 years old) has a thumblatch below the deadbolt. 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). Insert a flathead screwdriver into the notch and pry off the rosette to expose the screws. How much a locksmith costs will vary depending on the work you need, but prices should be competitive, so just be sure to look for the right locksmith for you. If the problem is occurring with a door knob, you can try the pen knife trick in the previous paragraph. Your best option is to call a locksmith. The most pressing will be when your deadbolt door lock is stuck in the open position because your deadbolt provides the real security for a building. Recently the door won't open from the outside because the thumblatch pressure doesn't retract the latch fully. If nothing happens when you turn the knob, it's usually because the set screw holding the knob to the rod has worked itself loose. In older homes, a door that won't latch is often the result of a latch that sticks. If the door opens out, and you can see the lock bolt between the door and door frame, use a pen knife or similar tool to push the lock bolt back into the door. However, a spinning knob or handle means something is wrong with your spring, latch, or both. All Rights Reserved. Door Knob Turns But Won’t Open. If the bolt moves, but not enough to allow the door to open, the mechanism probably needs lubrication. A door knob, or door handle, uses a spring-loaded latch. When the key turns but the lock doesn’t open, that indicates a number of potential problems. There are a lot small specific problems that you can encounter with your lock. Door Knob Turns But Latch Is Stuck – If you are checking around for the perfect knob for the kitchen cabinets then you need to be looking for the maximum quality knobs and pulls possible and then try to discover the best price possible. Spraying lubricant on the end of the barrel will also help restore operation. You will need to address that connection. Look for the set screw on neck of the knob, between the handle and door. Don't forget to tighten the set screw on the handle that you removed. One door into our living room has a knob that turns clockwise toward the jamb to open it, but any attempt to twist it otherwise leads to an inflexible clunk. If the latch bolt doesn't move and is fully extended, the issue is with the strike plate. Lubricate the inside of the mechanism if the lock still does not function. You could also jimmy the lock given the space you have or pull the pins and remove the door. Chances are, it does not need to be fully replaced. There are some solutions for a broken lock that work in many different instances. if that doesn't work, try using a credit card or something to push the latch back into the door so you can get it open..option 3. kick the door knob … Turns out it was because the door wasn't latching just right--it held the door shut, but kept the knob from turning until a piece of the latch moved into place. How to fix a stuck door latch will vary, because the issues can vary, but you first need to get the door open. How Much Does It Cost For Car Key Duplication? How to Adjust a Doorknob So That it Will Stay Shut, How to Install a Deadbolt Lock on a Door Without Cutouts, Don Vandervort's Home Tips: How Doorknobs Work, How to Change a Deadbolt Lock in a Metal Door. Chances are there is something wrong with the spring or some other small component. Look for the set screw on neck of the knob, between the handle and door. Fiddle around in the big hole and you should feel the mechanism move. Remove the two screws, one on either side of the handle, and remove the knob. It appears that your latch is missing some parts or something broke off which is why putting knob back on did not work. If the door lock button is stuck out, keeping you from pressing it in, jiggling the handle and moving the door is likely to shake the jammed parts together. Pull the spindle from the center of the latch if applicable. The door could be misaligned so that, although the door can be “unlocked” while the door is ajar when closed the door cannot unlock. In the resting state of the lock, the spring is extended. Some of those are on the left and some are on the right of the doorway. The thing that turns is usually a sort of long u shaped post. A resource for consumers, locksmiths, and security professionals. It may be on the underside of the knob. If the bolt moves, but not enough to allow the door to open, the mechanism probably needs lubrication. Spray the mechanism with spray lubricant while you operate the barrel with the other handle. Items are getting hung up on one another so they cannot retract properly. Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. My Door Knob Turns But Won’t Open. This is for when the door lock button is stuck in, as this is often the most common type of door button sticking. Fixing your problem yourself is not always the best possible avenue for addressing your door lock. If the set screw on the handle is stripped and difficult to tighten, replace it with a new one. It is unlikely that such fine-tuned part replacement and diagnosis will be feasible for most people. The lock cylinder may be broken so that you cannot use your key or anything else to move your door lock into the unlocked position. If this is the problem, you can try to fix it by closing the door and closing the handle of the knob simultaneously. we got the handle off but the thing in the middle of the knobs won't move and I have no other way of getting the knobs off and that part without opening the door. Sometimes the lock button being stuck is endemic of the latch bolt freezing, so you might not be able to take advantage of spring loaded latch through the gap between the door and the frame. Firstly remove the handle from one side this will allow you to access the bar and see whether it has broken and that does happen. Double check by standing on the hinge side of the door and close it until the latch bolt just hits the strike plate. Rekeying vs. Copyright © 2021 United Locksmith. While locked, it doesn't move much at all, as it should, but unlocked, it'll turn slightly more than when it's locked. Category: How To's, Residential, Safety & Security. Here Are 10 Things I Did To Get Back In, 15 Best Security Cameras That Are Simple And Easy To Set-Up. The part of a doorknob that you grasp with your hand connects to a rod that extends though the door to the knob on the other side. Take a 2 liter coke bottle and cut out a strip about 2 inches wide and 4 inches long. But where you may have broken your own lock with too much force, when a lock is jammed in the locked position, it often has to do with wear. Replace the handle and tighten the screw. I've removed the door knob and tried to manually move the [whatever the latch is called that moves in and out and sticks inside the strike plate], but it won't budge. Taking the lock of the door is often simpler than it would be to take a deadbolt or exterior door knob lock of the door. As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies. You might need to really finagle the lock after taking it apart in order to get the lock out of the door to even get it open. With your door lock stuck in unlocked the position, your home can be made vulnerable. Take the latch and knob off of the door and clean them. If you cannot clean the lock properly, or to the extent you feel comfortable with, replace it entirely. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Use a tool (a flathead screwdriver will work) to twist within the gap the thru spindle inserts into. When the knob and latch are in their resting state, the spring is extended. After you unlock the door, you press a thumb latch on the handleset to open or close the door. To open a door without a door knob may seem impossible, but it can be done. The lock cylinder may be broken so that you cannot use your key or anything else to move your door lock into the locked position. There are a few different ways to get the door open using simple tools found in most tool boxes. If you’re lucky, this will force the latch back. If there is no damage, make sure that the handles are secured to the door with enough pressure so that their turning manipulates the spindle. The friction can make the latch unable to retract. When a deadbolt lock is stuck in the locked position, this is very similar to when you have a door lock stuck in the open position. A deadbolt is not spring loaded, so you need the lock to actuate in order for it to open. This is a long shot but it is worth trying. The turning of the handle retracts the latch by pulling on the spring and compressing it. Loosen the set screw on one of the handles and remove the two screws holding the knob together, using a Phillips screwdriver. If the knob turns but the door doesn't open then usually one of two things have happened. Most of our doors are either of the lever-open variety or the open-by-doorknob-that-twists-either-way varity. If that does not solve the issue, depress the lock button rapidly (do this like an arcade video game button). Repairs range from making … If the latch does not retract, there is something wrong with the latch housing. Tightening the hinges is good though, so no harm done. The problem might be with the spindle, the handles themselves, or the pressure that keeps them in solid contact with one another. If the knob is old, the screw may be stripped or stuck. A door knob, or door handle, uses a spring-loaded latch. I know we'll end up needing a new knob but how can I get the knob off so we can put a new knob on. 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