The importance of a great door lock is high as it protects your house, and overall, your life. The misalignment, rust, broken keys, and gunk in mechanisms, though, could lead to a jammed door lock and lower protection of the house. When we have a door with a jammed door latch, the first thing we tend to do is to buy a new door. However, you can make your door usable again by finding out the causes of jammed door latches. You’ll fix yours right away, then.
1. Latch jamming
If there’s a significant buildup of dirt and various particles in the lock, it might be the major reason why your door latch is jammed. Moreover, rust might also become the cause of excess friction that could affect the moving parts of the door latch. Although this cause isn’t as serious as the problems with internal parts, it still could trigger issues with your door. In order to solve this problem, disable your door lock and carefully but thoroughly clean it. Use wax or special door lubricant to ward off jamming or rusting down the road. Avoid using vegetable oil or any other types of oils since they could trigger other problems with your lock.
2. The misalignment on the strike plate
If a latch doesn’t get into the strike plate’s hole, friction is often the major cause of it. Friction also occurs because of the increased level of air moisture expanding the wooden door. It’s best if you find a professional to fix this issue. If you have trouble with your door late in the evening though, you can temporarily solve the problem. Just turn the strike plate in the right direction with the help of a hammer. However, be careful as you can damage it and make the problem worse. If you’re not sure about how to fix the misalignment on the strike plate, call a locksmith.
3. The problems with internal parts
Jammed door latches might also occur due to the poor quality of the door lock. The delicate machinery of the lock gets broken and when it’s of poor quality, the frequency of the latch issues can increase. When you move the door handle and the door latch gets stuck, it’s a warning sign that it’s time to seek help from a professional locksmith. Unless you know how to fix door locks, you might not be able to cope with an issue with lock or spindle hold without professional help.
Each problem can be fixed and a jammed door latch is no exception. In some situations, you can repair the lock yourself. In other cases, it’s best to ask a professional locksmith for help, especially if your door is new and expensive. Not only will they fix your jammed door latch, but will also show you how to prevent this problem. There are also multiple 24/7 emergency locksmith services available these days, which help people even at night. Find it out and keep their contacts handy in case of an emergency.
