A door latch that doesn’t click into position usually means the door latch and the strike plate on the door jamb are out of alignment. To fix this issue, tighten the door hinge screws and adjust the strike plate if necessary. The most likely cause for a latch that won’t spring back out is either lack of lubrication in the latch or a build-up of dirt, dust, or rust stopping the movement of the latch.
To determine if it’s a latch issue, watch the mechanism in action by opening the door and pressing or turning the handle. If the latch moves quickly and smoothly, it’s a latch issue. If the door shakes when the wind blows or the inside air pressure changes, it may be a loose door latch.
Tighten the hinges using a screwdriver if the latch contacts the strike plate too high or too low. If that doesn’t solve the problem, try removing one of the screws on the jamb. If the latch contacts the strike plate too high or too low, make sure all the door’s hinge screws are tight. If that doesn’t solve the problem, remove one of the screws on the jamb.
Sagging doors are more common for doors to sag at the hinges as gravity pulls the door down. Close the door and carefully examine where the latch meets the striker plate to ensure it’s aligned with the recess in the sticker plate. If the misalignment isn’t visually apparent, do the “lipstick test” by rubbing red lipstick onto the edge of the door. Take the door assembly apart, separate the latch from everything else, and spray it liberally with WD-40.
📹 Is your “door latch” sticking?
Http://www.VideoJoeKnows.com How do you fix a sticking door latch? Watch “joe” as he shows you how to “unstick” a sticking …
Why is my interior door suddenly not latching?
A door that won’t close properly can be frustrating. To fix this, adjust the alignment of the strike plate in relation to the door latch. Begin by tapping the metal tab in the strike plate with a screwdriver and hammer to bend the tab slightly. If this doesn’t work, loosen the screws on the strike plate and tap the entire plate toward the door opening. If this doesn’t work, loosen the screws holding the plate and tap the whole unit toward the door or possibly remove it altogether and remount it closer to the casing edge.
How do I know if my door closer is broken?
To prevent door slamming, ensure the door, frame, pivots, and ironmongery are fitted correctly. Test the door’s ease of closing by disconnecting the closer arm and ensuring it can be easily pushed closed with one finger. Choose a door closer with a power size suitable for the door’s maximum width and weight, with fire doors set at no less than EN3 to meet building regulations. Air pressure can also contribute to door slamming, so adjust the latching action valve to slow the door’s closing in the last 10-15 degrees of the closing cycle. This will help prevent door slamming and ensure a safe and secure environment.
Do door latches go bad?
A door lock is a crucial component of your home, and a quality lock can last for decades. A lock should last about seven years when installed correctly, as even the best lock can fail if installed incorrectly. Proper maintenance prevents future repairs and improves performance. The lifetime of a typical residential door lock depends on the lock’s quality, usage frequency, and location. For example, a 100-year-old mortise lock may need to be replaced after 50 years, while a high-quality pin tumbler lock can last tens of thousands of key turns without needing repair or replacement. In summary, a well-maintained door lock can prevent future repairs and ensure a secure and functional home.
How do I know if my door latch is broken?
To determine if a latch issue is a problem, observe the mechanism in action by opening the door and pressing the handle. If the latch moves smoothly, it’s likely the door issue. If the handle doesn’t work, identify the source of resistance by checking if the latch stays out, stuck inside the door, doesn’t turn or depress, can be moved with extra force, or moves when pressed directly. If these signs are present, it’s likely the door issue.
What causes a door latch to break?
It should be noted that the latch and mechanisms are not designed to withstand significant lateral and horizontal forces.
Why is my internal door handle not turning latch?
To repair a tubular latch, check for wear or damage, such as loose springs or sticking parts. If the latch bolt tongue cannot be pressed inwards, it’s likely broken and beyond repair. Additionally, check for debris blocking the lugs in the door handle, as this can prevent the lock follower from functioning properly. If the borehole width was too small during the handle fitting, make it wider using a screwdriver or drill. To avoid issues, avoid completely unscrewing the grub screw, as they are easily lost due to their small size. Instead, turn a quarter or half a turn and remove them.
Why is my door latch not working?
The door’s closing is likely due to the latch not engaging properly with the strike plate, which is crucial for proper interaction. If the door doesn’t make a sound, it’s likely to swing open again. Two solutions are to replace the latch set with a new one, which can be done with a screwdriver and a new latch set. Alternatively, widen the gap in the strike plate with a mill file, a small saw file used for sharpening blades.
This doesn’t require removing the strike plate, but can be done by opening the door, placing the mill file inside the gap, and filing away at the inner edge until it’s large enough to accommodate the latch.
Why would a door stop latching?
The door’s closing is likely due to the latch not engaging properly with the strike plate, which is crucial for proper interaction. If the door doesn’t make a sound, it’s likely to swing open again. Two solutions are to replace the latch set with a new one, which can be done with a screwdriver and a new latch set. Alternatively, widen the gap in the strike plate with a mill file, a small saw file used for sharpening blades.
This doesn’t require removing the strike plate, but can be done by opening the door, placing the mill file inside the gap, and filing away at the inner edge until it’s large enough to accommodate the latch.
Do door latches wear out?
Door locks are not designed to last the entire lifetime of the door, and even the highest quality locks need replacement around seven to 10 years old. If you find yourself leaning heavily into the door, jiggling the key, or maneuvering front to back, it’s time to replace. Older locks tend to become finicky and tricky to use, indicating a defective lock. Burglars often walk right through unlocked doors, and if your home has been broken into, it’s likely that your locks were tampered with. Some locksmiths may offer burglary repair services, but it’s likely that you need to fully replace the lock.
How to fix a door that isn’t latching?
To fix a door that won’t latch properly, first inspect the door and identify the problem. Gather tools, tighten hinges, shim the hinges, sand the jambs, enlarge the strike plate hole, and move the strike plate. Common reasons for door not latching include old hinges, improper installation, or issues with the door jambs. Ensure the door is properly installed and that the latch is perfectly aligned with the striker plate. These step-by-step instructions will help you fix your door quickly and effectively.
Why won’t my internal door latch retract?
A misaligned strike plate is a common cause of a door latch not retracting easily. The strike plate hole may not align correctly with the latch, causing the latch bolt to hit the edge instead of sliding smoothly into the hole. To fix this, remove the screws securing the strike plate to the door frame, reposition the hole, adjust the strike plate using a chisel or rotary tool, fill previous screw holes with toothpicks, reattach the strike plate, and test the door to ensure smooth retractment.
Another common cause of a stuck door latch is a defective or in need of basic maintenance. This is easier to fix than a mechanical problem like the strike plate, but it can not only repair a stuck door latch but also prevent it from happening.
📹 How to Quickly Fix or Replace a Broken Door Latch
Here is a quick video tutorial showing you how to take off a doorknob and inspect the latch for repair or replacement.
Hey Joe, Thanks for the advice. I did take my doorknob apart and look at it, based on your advice, but it looks like I’ve actually got a little bit of a different problem: Even with a non-sticky latch, my latch isn’t opening far enough. Looking at my backstop, it’s pushed against by a curved piece of metal — and it looks like the backstop has actually worn away enough that it can’t push the latch back enough anymore. I realize that this is probably pretty uncommon, but I wanted to mention it as another possibility for people who might run into something like this: sometimes your backstop is just no longer functional.
Many thanks for your replies! I actually put a new knob on today, and it’s doing the same thing.. I think maybe you’re right about the hollow door… it may just be old and warped. I may try to use the door knob drillbits (not sure of their technical term) to “freshen up the holes. I’ll let you know!
@cgarwood Not sure why you cannot remove door handle. Where you removed the door handle…look inside & see if the door latch edge has broken or has been wedged in causing the door latch to not spring back allowing the door to open. Look in there with a flashlight if you have to. It’s got to be something like that since you should be able to pull the latch back so the door can then open….unless it’s a really old lock..it could be different than how I am explaining it. Let me know. Joe :0
You might have a metal piece broken inside the door latch….or it could be something else. Take a crummy credit card….or the one you spend too much money on!!…lol & bend it & wedge it between the door stop at the same height as your door latch. You might be able to slip the credit card behind the door latch & push it in to then open the door. You won’t be using the plastic card again as it will be damaged, so pick wisely. Joe :0
Hi my door latch got stuck in the door so when i removed the handles the latch was still in and the door wouldnt open so i used a knife to pull it open after some hard work.. do you know what could be the problem? the long metal bar that joins the handles togther seems like not turning with the handles but the handles work fine :s
Try wedging a thin flexible putty knife between the door edge & the door jamb. Pull back with a little pressure on the door, as you try to pull the side door latch, back into the door. Can you take a screw driver & put in where you removed the door knob & try to put that in the door latch piece & turn that to open the door latch? Sounds like you have to replace the door lock anyway, so do what you need to do, to the inerts to slide the door latch back. Joe :0
@punisher5836 Is the center piece stuck to the paint on the door face? Take a putty knife & tap around it to see if you can loosen it. Is there a set screw under the center piece that you’re not seeing? Can you take a screwdriver & put in the center piece & turn it so that will release the door latch? There should be some way you can pull the door latch back into the door. Keep looking & working on it. Don’t start that chainsaw just yet!!….lol. Joe :0
Your latch might be so worn that it’s ready to be replaced. It could also be broken inside & maybe that’s why it’s still sticking. If the 3 ways I explain, won’t do the trick, it might be time to replace the entire door handle assembly. Thanks for sending me a line. Good luck with your project! Joe :0
Hi Joe we bought new door handles to replace our old ones and all was well until we tightened the screws of the screw set as soon as we get anywhere near having the handles flush with the door the latch retracts using the handle the handle springs back up but the latch stays in. we cannot loosed the screws as that will mean the handle is not fastened to the door solidly in fact it will be 1/8th of and inch away from the door itself thansk
Joe, my door latch is locked in the open position. Meaning… when the latch is fully extended, I can NOT push it in with my thumb (nor will the latch recede when you close the door). Instead, I MUST turn the know to recede the latch before closing the door. If I do not do this, the latch simply hits the wall (the latch does face the correct direction and it worked fine for 7 years). Any ideas?
Hi Joe . I have a pvc door and the catch is stuck half way in and half way out .also the key is stuck in the lock ??? i have managed to take the handles off and sprayed some wdforty in but it is not shifting . also i would like to change the cylinder any ideas how to replace as i cant get the key out .. otherwise lock works fine . thanks
Hi Joe, i dont know if you are still keeping track of these articles, but i am trying to fix this door for my parents, its our front door, the inside is a normal door knob, but the outside is like a push down, and outside one is stuck down, and the latch is stuck inside, anything idea of what i have to do to get it unstuck, i have tried alot of stuff people in articles are saying to do but nothing is working
Sounds like you may have a broken part in the handle assembly, that is preventing the latch to press back into the door. You may need to put a screw driver in the inerts & start prying to see if you can disengage the latch then. If you do this however, you may damage the lock but it may be time to replace this whole door knob anyway, depending on how old it it. Joe :0
Our front door opens with a key and the latch goes in and out just fine. But going from the inside of the house to outside, the latch just stays inside the mechanism when you turn the handle. The door then won’t stay closed. How is it that one side works and the other side doesn’t? How do I fix this?
Good job your Pops was around to help you out. Thanks for the update. I would say it’s time for a new door handle assembly. They don’t cost that much plus you won’t have to worry about your latch sticking again or some other parts breaking, inside your old lock. Thanks for commenting. Much appreciated. Joe :0
I am having the same problem which is why I am here – trying to find out how to get that middle piece out, its stuck in the door. The door will not open…not sure why, I haven’t done anything to it. I went outside and when I came back the knob would turn but the door wouldn’t open. I took the knobs off but can’t get that center piece out and the door is stuck shut. HELP! ; )
Thanks for the article, Joe. I’ve sprayed with WD40, and it seemed to help for a little while, but my door latch continues to get stuck inside the door. (I must confess that I haven’t taken it apart because I’m afraid I won’t be able to put it back together again.) Here are the details: I have a front door with a thumb latch. When I use the outside thumb part, and press it down completely, it sort of “clicks” and shifts downward inside (I can see it happen) and the door latch gets stuck inside the door. It doesn’t happen every time. When I use the interior handle (it’s a lever), the door latch sometimes gets stuck, but not as often as it happens with the thumb latch. When the latch gets stuck, it’s impossible to secure the door. I’ve been using a screwdriver to “pop” it out so that I can latch and lock the door. (When it’s stuck I can’t use the deadbolt which may be how this mechanism always works; I don’t know.) Any ideas for a quick fix, or is it time for a new mechanism? Thanks so much for your help!
@safiii786 The inside of your assembly might be all gummed up with years of use, or there might be a broken part in there. Can you remove the bar? Loosen up the 2 screws that hold the assembly tight to the door. Move that around & see if the latch pops back out. Also spray some silicone spray in there & around the latch. Use WD 40 if you don’t have the silicone spray. You might have to remove the entire assembly from the door, then spray more lubricant & put back on door. Try that. Joe :0
Try spraying some WD-40 on the sticking latch & press it a few times. If this does not loosen it up, you would then need to remove the door handle unit & see if there are any broken parts or the side groove might have come out. Something is binding in there. Find it. Spray more WD-40 in there & move around. You can then look more closely at the side latch too. If you have silicone spray, use that rather than the WD-40. Let me know how it goes. Thanks for your question. Good luck. Joe :0
Can you put a screw driver in there & use that, to turn in there, that will pull the latch back into the door? You could also try using a thin putty knife & slide in between the door & the door jamb, up against the latch….pull back on the door then use the putty knife to slide the latch back into the door. Just a little then pull on the door so the latch doesn’t slip back…then use the putty knife some more & little by little you should be able to pull the latch into the door. Joe :0
If you have to remove the door latch, remove from the door & then see if you can free it up. If you can’t, you might have to take to the hardware store so you can match it up with a new one. You should be able to get a door latch at your locat hardware store. If your door handle is really old, it might be time to replace the entire door handle assembly with a new one….Here’s your chance! Thanks for commenting. Hope this helps. More questions?….let “videojoeknow”!! :0
@therottenboss Your door knob may be stuck to the surface of your door since the paint on the door may have not been 100% cured before someone installed the door knob. Tap all around the door knob trim piece. Be careful not to hit the actual door. Your latch could need to be repositioned once you are able to remove the door knob. Then spray again with lubricant. Could the latch be broken/defective? Possibly but you won’t know until you remove the door knob. Try again & let me know. Joe :0
joe, i have ashed door that opens out, all winter long, the lock cylinder has not worked, not turning all the way. i was advised on here to get some graphite grease, but i cant find any, so i used lithium grease,still the same problem, moisture is getting in, ived used 3 cans of lock de icer so far, how can i fix this? dick bailey
Go ahead & still spray some lubricant in there as well & see if that helps. Just make sure the notch in the door latch, is securely in place with the rest of the door assembly. I got one crooked one time & only one side was actually in. It seemed to work fine until I tightened the screws then it did the same thing yours is doing. Not saying that is your issue.. you could remove the unit & cut some little wood blocks & slip in so the door doesn’t squeeze together, as a thought. Joe :0
If you have a hollow core bathroom door, if you tighten the screws too much, you are then squeezing the hollow door together just a bit too much. Try backing off the screws a little. Make sure the screws are still snug…but not too tight. If it’s still binding, loosen back up a little & see if the lock is pulling the latch back properly, to make sure everything is aligned properly. Check that & let me know if you are still experiencing issues. Thanks for your question! Joe :0
Once you have the door open, you can then look in where you removed the door knobs & see what’s going on. Once you completely remove the door knobs & associated trim housing, you should then just have a hole in the door, with the side door latch going into this door hole. Is the latch still pushed in & won’t come out (at the side of the door)? if your latch is till stuck, you may have to replace your door latch. Spray some WD-40 on it & see if you can free it up. Joe :0
I got the same problem kinda joe im stuck in my house lol cant open the door the knobs turn all the way but the bolt or what ever its called is in the wall still so the door cant be opend i took the knobs off but i still cant get the center peice off i think its the bolt,so the door is stuck in place and this chainsaw looks very soothing >.<
Try spraying some WD-40 on the sticking latch & press it a few times. If this does not loosen it up, you would then need to remove the door handle unit & see if there are any broken parts or the side groove might have come out. Spray more WD-40 in there & move around. You can then look more closely at the side latch too. If you have silicone spray, use that rather than the WD-40. Let me know how it goes. Thanks for your question. Good luck. Joe :0
Hi Joe! It seems the latch on the side of the door doesn’t go in all the way when turning the door knob fully. We always have to turn the knob in the opposite direction and sometimes it still gets caught on the door jamb metal plate. Not sure what is going on or how to fix except to take a hammer to the metal plate. (I hope this all makes sense!) Any ideas other than to completely replace it (it’s 4 years old)? Thanks in advance!
Your lock mechanism could be gummed up on the inside. Remove the unit from the door & spray a silicone spray inside the unit & turn the handle back & forth & put more spray in there. If you don’t have a silicone spray then use WD40 (silicone spray preferably). Also spray the side door latch, the inside of the door latch & spray some in the end too (moving back & forth). wipe of excess lubricant & reassemble unit. Make sure everything is sliding together properly & retighten. Joe :0
@william32ca Sure you can send me a short article with the oor problem. Just come back to this area for comments but instead of actually sending me a comment, look & see & I’m pretty sure youtube still has the area where you can send a ‘video response’ rather than a ‘comment’. Try that & see if it will work. Joe :0
Hi Joe and Happy New Year! My front door handle latch suddenly became stuck in the withdrawn position…staying inside the door. No amount of handle turning, WD40 or screwdriver insertion would move it. Took it all apart and the latch finally broke free but that was when it was disassembled. I found some small parts that don’t LOOK broken off of anything. I guess I’ll have to replace the whole door handle unless someone sells latches separately. But since this handle has been in there at least >10 years, replacing the whole handle makes sense. Can you give me any idea why the latch would freeze up? Thanks..
I had a doorknob handle that was loose and came off we think it was bent inside and wouldn’t hold the screw anymore so we went to Lowe’s and bought a new one same brand only it was a regular kwikset and not a smart key like it had been before installed it but I didn’t think that would make a difference, and we now have 2 problems facing the front of the door turning it towards the right it sticks like bad both sides of the door also turning the lock from the inside is almost impossible (I’m scared to force it afraid it’ll break)and slightly tough with the key (afraid the key is going to break sooner or later) feel like we did something wrong but can’t figure out what, can you help us?
That slider on the backs of a lot of keylock door knob latches. It seems that when that slider is depressed, the latch can’t be pushed in except by turning the knob, rendering card slides unable to open a door. So, my question is this, if that slider is designed for the purpose of being depressed to keep cards from being able to push open a latch, then why is there no mechanism for keeping those sliders depressed? I’ve looked and looked fro something on the door frame, on the plate around the latch for something designed to keep that slider depressed, but I have found nothing. What I ended up doing was filing the plate so that it would fit over the latch reversed, and thus will hold down that slider. It just seems rather silly to have a slider like that and then neglect to design a mechanism to keep it depressed for those that want to prevent cards from sliding the latch open.
Hey Joe, On my Kwikset doorknob, on the door latch, there’s this small thing that you can push in. I was really bored so I pushed it all the way in and it locked, so I wasn’t able to turn the handle or unlock it. How do I fix this? I tried unscrewing and taking apart the handle but the spindle gets stuck and I can’t remove the exterior knob (I tried using lequid’s method but it didn’t work. I don’t know if I got the right “tab”). Thanks!
Hi Joe. My door is stuck shut, something has busted in the mechanism and it won’t release the latch, hence I can’t get into my own toilet :/ I took the outer handle part off and some broken casting came out. I can slide the handle and activating bar back in and it seems to get some traction when I turn but latch won’t release and door won’t open. I’m a bit stuck, can you help?
Joe, my bathroom door handle had a problem where I couldn’t tighten the screws without the the handles “binding”. Basically, if I tightened the screws on the non-locking side, the handles would be harder to turn, and the latch fails to come back out… I’d have to manually turn the handle to bring the latch back out. So, I bought a new handle, and it’s doing the same thing! It must be something to do with the door, right?
Ok, I finally fixed it. I took the door into the garage and drilled out fresh holes using the hole saws (drill bits). What I think was the problem was the wood on the door may have absorbed small amounts of moisture over time, and perhaps became soft. Each time I would sufficiently tighten the screws, it would warp just enough to bind up the motion. The metal would just catch on itself. Well, that’s my theory, anyway. Thanks for your repies!
Thanks for the article, Joe. I’ve sprayed with WD40, and it seemed to help for a little while, but my door latch continues to get stuck inside the door. (I must confess that I haven’t taken it apart because I’m afraid I won’t be able to put it back together again.) Here are the details: I have a front door with a thumb latch. When I use the outside thumb part, and press it down completely, it sort of “clicks” and shifts downward inside (I can see it happen) and the door latch gets stuck inside the door. It doesn’t happen every time. When I use the interior handle (it’s a lever), the door latch sometimes gets stuck, but not as often as it happens with the thumb latch. When the latch gets stuck, it’s impossible to secure the door. I’ve been using a screwdriver to “pop” it out so that I can latch and lock the door. (When it’s stuck I can’t use the deadbolt which may be how this mechanism always works; I don’t know.) Any ideas for a quick fix, or is it time for a new mechanism? Thanks so much for your help!
I’d like to offer something which has worked well for me.When it comes to lock lubrication,I have found a dry wax based lube called “Du Pont Teflon Multi-Use Dry Wax Lubricant” to be terrific. It goes on as a liquid & leaves a fine dry wax lube behind that keeps working for years after one or two applications. Of course You need to address any mechanical problems first. I think You will be pleased with it’s longevity.