Troubleshooting a stuck door latch.
How to fix a stuck front door lock.
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.
1 loosen the setscrew on the knob s shank.
Push and hold the button in.
Now go to the hardware store and buy you a new dead latch.
Do not over tighten the screws or you may strip break them.
To take yours out just use your phillips screw driver again to take out the two screws in the face plate.
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.
If the gap between the door and jamb is angled then the door isn t square.
You can tighten a simple interior mortise lockset like the one shown at left as follows.
A door knob lock button stuck has a few quick fixes that you can try out.
Equip a rotary tool with a carbide tip bit.
Start by trying to push the lock button.
In most cases the problem is now fixed.
Place the end of the straw into the opening of the lock where you normally insert your key.
Sometimes the cause of a stuck deadbolt is a misaligned or out of square door.
Try to open the door while it is shut.
Take note of the type of resistance.
Adjust the hinges so that the door is straight.
Open the door wide and put on a pair of safety glasses to protect your eyes.
3 if this does not help remove the knob.
Filing the strike 1.
The latch will not retract even when the knob is turned.
Tighten the screws that go into the door and the screws that go into the door frame.
Ideally the opening of the tube will be small enough to fit inside of the lock.
Insert the tip into the latch.
Then press the opening of the tube in the lock.
A latch bolt that sticks in the strike often leave tell tale.
If this works then you can open the door and it s time to replace the dead latch.
Insert the straw into the opening of the lock.
The door latch is not extended before rotating the knob.
You may want to spray wd40 or other lubricant on the lock mechanism.
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.
Spray the entire mechanism with spray lubricant and wait for at least 10 minutes before you reinstall it.
If you break off a screw head or strip it use an inexpensive device called a screw extractor to remove it.
