In the life of any person, a situation may occur when a door latch fails due to the user’s negligence or old age. Therefore, the question of how to repair a door handle remains very relevant. This is exactly what the editors of HomeMyHome will talk about in detail today. In today's publication you will learn about possible breakdowns and how to fix them.
If the lock inside the door breaks, do not rush to break it out, there are ways to fix the problem PHOTO: ps-resource.ru
Possible causes of failure
The following types of handles are installed on entrance structures, such as stationary (they simply serve as a handle), push (they are a lever that opens the lock when pressed) and rotary.
Stationary ones break due to weak fastenings or too much load, as well as due to mechanical damage.
If the handle on the front door, belonging to a push or turn model, breaks, then the cause of the breakdown is most often a malfunction of the mechanism. Since the causes and methods of eliminating breakdowns are directly related, it is necessary to understand the types of breakdowns. There are several options here:
- When pressing (turning) resistance is felt, the handle is difficult to move. The cause of the malfunction in this case is most often a lack of lubrication in the lock or looseness of the mounting bolts.
- After pressing (turning), the handle does not return to its original position. Such a breakdown occurs due to a malfunction of the return spring (it can fly off or burst).
- The fastening remains in the canvas, and the handle breaks off. This is due to deformation or displacement of the retaining ring.
- The tongue jams and stays in place when pressed (turned). This phenomenon is associated with a malfunction of the tetrahedral pin (square).
The last problem can also be caused by several reasons.
The tongue is jammed
If the tongue does not move, then the problem may be that the square is too short. Due to the inappropriate length, the pin moves freely in the mechanism and presses against the latch, preventing it from working correctly.
Also the square may be broken. This phenomenon is not very common, and it is associated with the low quality of the material from which the door handle is made. In such a situation, you will most likely have to change the mechanism completely.
general information
Before proceeding with any steps to eliminate the consequences of a faulty door handle
, let's find out about this element
of door design
in more detail.
There are several types of handles for external doors. The most popular type is products from China
for two lock options - with automated locking and a standard closing procedure. This product is protected from malfunctions by an armored cup, but the overall quality of such handles is not encouraging.
Handles on cylinder strips are distinguished by the correct fastening mechanism to the door structure and the higher quality material used during their manufacture. Italy is considered the key manufacturer of such pens.
The next type is a lever-key version. A very specific type; if there is a malfunction, it will be necessary to determine the brand of the lock and therefore replace it.
Designs with a separate base stand out for their versatility and richness of color solutions, but this is the second category of handles, after Chinese ones, that are much more prone to failure. Such products are often simply torn away from the door structure because they were attached incorrectly from the very beginning, or the breakdown of the lock forces them to put in extra effort to open the doors. Also, these structures quickly lose their beautiful appearance and in this case also require replacement.
How to disassemble the handle
Before you begin repairing the front door handle, you must remove its mechanism. However, if the handle breaks off, you won’t have to remove it, you just need to disassemble it.
Push design
To change the pressure model, you don’t need any special tools—all you need is one screwdriver. First you need to remove the decorative rosette, which can be screwed on from below with a small screw. The socket is removed through the handle. Then you need to unscrew all the other screws and screw ties that secure the mechanism. Now all that remains is to remove the handle and remove the mechanism.
If a structure is installed that is one large overlay (such products are often found on Chinese models), then it is removed differently. On the inside of the blade under the lining, you need to unscrew the fastening screws (there are 2 of them), after which the handle is completely removed along with the lining, sometimes from both sides at once.
Rotary model
If the rotary model breaks, then in addition to a screwdriver, to dismantle such a product you will need a thin metal object (an awl, a knitting needle, etc.). First you need to remove the decorative rosettes. A technological hole will open on the side. You need to insert the sharp end of a thin metal object into it and move the pin. After this, you can remove the handle and the entire broken mechanism.
Required Tools
Door handles on metal doors can be repaired yourself. The main thing here is to follow the instructions and use high quality materials/tools. Only if these conditions are met will the result not disappoint the home craftsman.
Before starting such repair work, it is necessary to purchase certain tools and devices, such as:
- screwdrivers or screwdriver (using these tools it will be possible to unscrew all fasteners);
- hex keys;
- electric drill;
- hammer;
- marker for preparing the necessary marks;
- sandpaper/brush for working on metal.
It is advisable to use only high-quality and reliable tools that work properly. Only with such devices will repair work be carried out quickly and without problems, and the result will not disappoint you.
How to remove
Repairs to the door handle of the front door are carried out only after it has been removed. Depending on their shape (round or standard stationary bracket), such products are removed in different ways. The methods for each product are described in detail below.
Round
Often round models are equipped with a key locking mechanism on one side. This handle always comes with a special key with a stop for disassembling the mechanism.
You need to remove the round model from the side of the door where there is no hole for the key that closes the lock. Take a flathead screwdriver and pry the decorative trim covering the fasteners with it, then remove the trim from the latches. Press the opened stopper with a special key, at the same time pull the handle, and it will be removed. Unscrew the 2 screws on the side of the removed handle using a suitable screwdriver (flathead or Phillips depending on the mounting) and remove the remaining handle halves on both sides of the door. Then remove the latch by unscrewing the screws securing it.
Stationary
Removing the stationary model is easy. To do this, use a screwdriver to unscrew the fasteners on which the handle is attached and remove it from the door. Moreover, the shape of the product does not have much significance here: decorative round handles and “bracket” handles are removed in the same way.
The problem lies with the latch itself
Tools for working with door handles.
The most common problem with locking mechanisms for interior doors is the latch. This design detail may not be screwed in completely. When you press the door handle fully, it still continues to stick out from the end of the product. Thus, if you press the door well into the frame or push it with force, you can push this very latch into the groove of the door frame so that that very protruding part of it will not allow the structure to open again. Even if the door handle is unscrewed, it is round or lowered all the way. These very few millimeters of this part will be able to tightly secure the canvas in the box, preventing it from opening.
In this situation, you need to use a screwdriver or other hard object to press the door leaf away from the frame, simply lifting it.
Repair
Repairing a door handle is primarily about eliminating the causes of the breakdown, so you must first identify the problem. The list of main breakdowns comes down to two: the entire mechanism does not function fully or the door does not open, although the handle is working. If the handle is in working order, then how to repair the door handle of the front door with your own hands is described in detail below.
If the stationary model is loose, the problem can be solved simply: you need to tighten the fasteners (bolts or screws) securing the handle, or simply change it.
If the handle is working, but the door does not open, then you can solve this problem by removing the locking ring and installing another one. To do this, you need to remove the handle elements from the door according to the instructions above and simply replace this part with another.
If the handle is difficult to press or turn, or an attempt to open the door is accompanied by creaking of parts, then you need to disassemble the handle and lubricate its elements with oil.
If the latch breaks, you will have to purchase another square. First, you need to completely disassemble the device, remove it from the door and replace the pin (square) with another one of suitable length.
When the handle does not lock into place, the spring needs to be replaced. To do this, you will need to remove the mechanism from the front door, remove the old spring and replace it with another.
Types of springs
A spring is an element of a mechanism that, due to deformation, temporarily accumulates mechanical energy for its subsequent release. A simple spring is a smoothly curved metal wire or strip.
Springs can be screw (cylinder-shaped) or spiral (flat-shaped).
The mechanisms use conical (for shock absorbers), plate (for springs), disc and other types. Some devices replace metal with gas or liquid.
These elements operate through compression, tension, torsion and bending. They can have constant and variable hardness. To attach to other parts of the mechanism, the ends are bent in the form of loops or at right angles to form a stop.
Devices are used in a variety of mechanisms that require moving elements without a drive. In particular, these parts are inserted into locks with a metal handle lever.
The return spring for door handles is a spiral type that accumulates energy through compression and releases it when returning to its original shape. It is also called a “snail” because of its external resemblance to a mollusk shell.
Replacement
If repairing the mechanism is impossible, then it is necessary to replace the front door handle with another one. To begin with, a latch is inserted into the end hole, which is screwed with self-tapping screws on both sides. After installing the latch, you need to clear the hole from construction debris. This can be done using a stream of air, such as a hairdryer.
Then the pin (square) is inserted into the corresponding square hole of the latch. A handle is attached to a pin on both sides. It is important not to confuse which side the left side of the handle should be on and which side the right should be on. The correct opening of the door will depend on this. Then the handle is screwed to the door with self-tapping screws. Now all that remains is to disguise the fastenings. This can be done using decorative overlays.
Key left in the lock on the opposite side of the door
This situation is a common problem. People accidentally lock each other out, or small children may lock themselves in a room and not know how to open the lock.
The solution to such a situation often does not involve any destructive actions either for the lock or for the door leaf. The method for solving this problem is easy and familiar to many who have already encountered closed interior locks.
First you need to slip paper or fabric under the canvas.
Installation diagram for double-sided door handles.
Using a knitting needle, a thin twig or wire, you can try to push out the key, which is located in the opposite part of the mechanism. When the key is finally pushed out, it will fall onto the previously placed cloth or paper, with which it can be pulled to the other side.
This method is applicable only in a situation where the design of the locking mechanism provides for the presence of a keyhole in both planes of the interior door, and only under the condition that the key on the opposite side is not turned.
How to open a door if the handle is broken
If the tongue is stuck, you just need to move it away. In this case, you can open the door quickly enough. To do this, you need to insert some thin, durable object, such as a screwdriver, between the door and the latch, and then try to press the tongue, pushing it inside the lock. This is not always easy to do, so if this is not possible, you can use another method: disassemble the handle on one side. Most often, this is enough to remove the mechanism completely and open the door.
What can you do with a lock or latch?
Most often the latch fails, so deal with it as described above, squeeze it out. If being a security guard is too much for you, we call a locksmith and they will open and even replace the lock.
If the reason is the tongue, then it is best to open it from the beveled side, trying to push it inside the lock. This can be achieved using a plastic card or other device.
If the lock malfunctions, you will have to drill it out. The easiest way is if the lock has a cylinder, then it can be carefully drilled out and replaced.
The cylinder can be knocked out with a hammer, or whatever comes to hand.
If you are installing a non-English type of lock, you will have to inspect the handle itself. It is necessary to remove the screws and disassemble the entire locking mechanism. If it doesn't work out.
We look with a thin object (an awl, a screwdriver) to see how the mechanism works, and try to control the handle from the outside.
The handle should be in the down position, push the door towards its opening. Don't try to do it in the opposite direction.
Who should I contact for help?
In cases where the problem cannot be solved on your own, you need to call a specialist. In most cases, this will be cheaper than trying to open the door yourself by breaking the lock. Do-it-yourself actions often lead to the key breaking in the keyhole, and this in any case leads to calling a technician and completely replacing the lock.
Our staff will open the lock with special tools. Prices for their services vary in different cities and companies, and depend on the source of the problem. The craftsmen will try to preserve the integrity of the lock if possible, but if this is not possible, they will offer an additional service to replace the mechanism on site. The average time for emergency opening of locks is 15-20 minutes.
If the lock breaks, there is no need to panic. Some problems with the door can be solved independently. The main condition is that if you can’t fix it, you need to contact a specialist.
Broken door handles, including those on the entrance structure, are a common problem that you can easily deal with on your own. There are several ways to fix a broken handle on the front door with your own hands, but first you need to determine the cause of the breakdown.
What tools are needed for the job?
To repair a metal door, you will need the following tools:
- a set of screwdrivers or a screwdriver for loosening and tightening fasteners;
- self-tapping screws;
- a set of hex and socket wrenches;
- an electric drill for drilling out the lock fastenings or creating new holes for its installation;
- hammer;
- building level;
- marker - necessary for marking places for new holes;
- foam for installation in a cylinder;
- sandpaper and a metal brush if the paintwork will be restored.
