Patio Door Locks Repair
The locks on your patio doors are an integral part of your home's security. If they're not functioning correctly, you could put your family and belongings at risk.
Fortunately, a few simple steps can fix problems with patio door locks and ensure your home is secure. This fast fix involves lubricating and cleaning the lock.
Check the Lock
Patio doors are an essential security feature. They must be capable of surviving the elements and keep burglars out. However, wear and tear, cold and hot weather and dust can take their toll on the door's frames, hinges, and locking mechanisms, and eventually, they stop functioning as they should. It is best to be proactive about dealing with these issues and regularly inspect your sliding door locks for signs of damage and make the necessary repairs.
Some of the most frequent problems with patio door locks include difficulty locking or unlocking them, a stuck latch and keys that don't turn smoothly. It is possible to adjust the lock mechanism or tighten screws according to the issue you're experiencing.
If the issue with your patio door lock is that it is stuck in the open position, you can try using credit card or a screwdriver with a flat head to break it loose. If neither of these methods work, you should consider calling a professional locksmith to help you open the lock without causing damage to the door frame.
Sliding uPVC patio doors usually come with a mortise lock that uses a handle and a cylinder to secure the lock. The locks are safe, but can be damaged or bent in the force of a closed patio door. You should inspect the mortise locks and handles for signs of wear, such as scratches or bends before they break and you have to replace them.
You can also take a photo of the lock to determine its size and location. This will enable you to communicate these details to a vendor when you're seeking a replacement lock. This will ensure that you receive a lock that fits the door and is compatible to the existing mounting setup. If not, you'll face a difficult time installing a new lock that's not compatible with the current hardware. That could lead to further issues later on.
Clean the Lock
Patio doors are the most common entrance point into the home, making them a prime target for burglars. As such, it's crucial that the locks on your patio doors are functional and conform to Police & Insurance standards.
Fortunately, there are some easy steps you can take to resolve a lock that is refusing to cooperate. Whether you need to realign the patio door, clean the lock or even replace the lock, these four steps will ensure that your doors are operating correctly and provide the security you'd like to have.
The first thing you must do is give the lock a good clean using hot soapy water and a damp, clean cloth. You'll need to get rid of any dirt or stains that have built up on the lock. After this you can use a dry cloth to remove any excess water and let the lock dry completely before trying to insert it again.
Next, you should be sure to lubricate your lock. This is especially important for patio doors made of uPVC because they can become extremely squeaky with age. Use WD40 or petroleum jelly to lubricate keyways and internal mechanisms. After applying the lubricant to your key, clean it off to prevent spreading any dirt that has been accumulated.
After your uPVC patio doors have been cleaned and lubricated, then test them. Check if the door slides effortlessly into and out of its frame. Also, make sure that the hinges and locking points are aligned correctly with the frame of the door. You can see alignment marks along the edges of the frame. It is easy to fix these by re-aligning your doors to the frame.
Lastly, it's worth noting that there are various types of uPVC patio door locks, and you may have to replace the lock if it is damaged or broken. If you have E2011 patio door locks, you'll have to replace them in order to be safe with E2469 and E2487 lock assemblies. These assemblies are made up of three parts, including an E2014 mortise lock, an escutcheon, and a lock hasp.
Lubricate the Lock
The lock mechanism for the majority of patio doors is concealed within the door. If your key cylinder is wearing out or you want to upgrade your lock to increase security, you can buy an upgrade kit from many home improvement stores or locksmiths. These kits cost between $10 and $20 and include an opening tool for the lock and an extra cylinder. The instructions included in the kit will tell you how to take apart and clean your old lock. Install the new lock. It is possible that you will need to adjust the cylinder slightly to ensure it is operating properly based on how tightly it fits in the lock hole in the door frame.
If you want to lubricate your lock dry graphite powder is an easy and affordable alternative to liquid lubricants which can draw dust and clog the mechanism. It is available at hardware stores or model train shops as well as some office supply stores. If you choose to use it, make sure the dry graphite chunk is free from tiny bits of wood stuck to it. You can also purchase an industrial graphite lubricant that is available in spray form. When applied to the lock, the solvent in the spray evaporates and leaves a layer of dry graphite which lubricates the lock without attracting dust or accumulating moisture.
You can also apply lubrication to your lock by applying several sprays of WD-40 directly into the keyway. Inject your key out several times to spread the lubricant throughout the lock. After some time, try the key again and see if it turns effortlessly. If the key does not turn, try the lock again after a few days, when the WD-40 has had time to dry.
Change the locks on your patio door is a straightforward task for most homeowners, but the process can be more complicated if you have a sliding door with an invisible latch as well as a deadbolt lock built-in. If www.repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk comes with an invisible latch, it's necessary to take off the decorative interior cover by removing the screws that hold it in place. If your patio door is fitted with a deadbolt, you'll need to remove the bolt from the edge of the door. After removing the deadbolt and the knob assembly, you can put in the new lock.
Replace the Lock
It's not common for patio doors to fail. They are an essential security feature for your home. Debris can get lodged inside the lock mechanism, or it could simply wear out due to the use and age. A damaged or broken patio door latch can pose an extremely dangerous security risk to your home. Regularly checking your patio door locks will help to keep them in good working order and will allow you to solve any issues that occur.
If you can't fix the problem it's time to replace it. Many homeowners can handle this task on their own. However, it is essential to go through the directions to ensure that the new lock is compatible with the old lock. You can also bring your old lock to the store to help find the right replacement.
To replace the handle on a patio door, remove the handle. This can be accomplished by removing screws that keep the handle in place. After the handle is removed, you will be able to gain access to the screws that hold the lock body in place.
Once the screws are removed after which you can slide the latch body out of the door frame. Make sure you fix the lever using a graphite pencil as it could slide into the frame and be lost if not secured. The next step is to take the door strike from the jamb. This will reveal the hole the lock hook goes into when the patio door is closed. After removing the door strike, you can screw in the new one.
It is crucial to use screws with longer lengths when replacing a door strike. These will be used to fix it to the frame. Make sure that the new strike is aligned with opening of the door frame, and then tighten both of them.
There are many different locks for patio doors. The most commonly used is the central rail key-operated locking system. They bolt the doors to the frame at several points, and when the key is inserted, all points must lock simultaneously. These locks provide a higher level of security than basic locking systems and may result in discounts on homeowner's insurance.