How To Unstick A Locked Door Handle

It s extremely aggravating to engage in a constant wrestling match with your door lock not only are you stuck outside in the cold but if you re not careful you could either break the key off inside the lock which can make matters much worse or damage the surrounding parts of the door making the entire lockset loose and unsafe.

How to unstick a locked door handle.

More force is needed to turn the knob and unstick the latch. Ensure that the door is unlocked before doing so. This is a short video to demonstrate how easy it is to remove a door handle view what s inside and repair the failed latch. If the lock still feels a little sticky hit it again with a few more blasts of powdered graphite.

Try lifting on the handle as you turn the key. The door latch is not extended before rotating the knob. To do this you ll need access to the inside of the door so hopefully you have another way to get into the house. Once the door is open try to actuate the door latch with the handle.

This usually means the barrel is wedged against the jamb. Once the graphite has distributed through the lock it will begin to clear away the gunk that s been hindering the lock s movement leaving you with a fully functioning hassle free door. The idea here is to remove your door s handle and trying to pull the latch back from within the latch mechanism to get the door open. Listen to the sound the door makes as you open and close it.

Disclaimer this video was crea. Simulating opening the door without the latch extending into and retracting out of the strike plate. Lubricate the hinges with petroleum jelly. This can be done with a screwdriver flat or phillips to remove all screws of the door handle s plates.

Test the lock after each application. Forcing a key can cause it to break off in the lock so take a deep breath. In most cases when a single door will not open it s due to a broken latch which will require replacement. It can also help to run a piece of heavy stock paper around the door when it s closed.

The culprit could be just a loose part of the lock assembly a sharp burr or ridge on a new key or a bend in an old one. A stubborn sticky door lock can definitely be a nuisance. If you can hear squeaking this means that the hinges need to be oiled. To figure out how to unstick your door you need to find out what the issue is first.

Start by removing the door handle. The handle or knob must be jiggled to unstick the latch.