Ideally the opening of the tube will be small enough to fit inside of the lock.
How to fix a stuck front door lock.
You can tighten a simple interior mortise lockset like the one shown at left as follows.
Insert the tip into the latch.
1 loosen the setscrew on the knob s shank.
Insert the straw into the opening of the lock.
2 hold the knob on the other side of the door and turn the loose knob clockwise until it fits snugly.
Release the button quickly try sliding your finger off the button so the pressure is maintained up until the precise moment of release with no backing off.
Then press the opening of the tube in the lock.
You may want to spray wd40 or other lubricant on the lock mechanism.
Push and hold the button in.
Filing the strike 1.
In most cases the problem is now fixed.
If this works then you can open the door and it s time to replace the dead latch.
A latch bolt that sticks in the strike often leave tell tale.
Place the end of the straw into the opening of the lock where you normally insert your key.
3 if this does not help remove the knob.
Now go to the hardware store and buy you a new dead latch.
Equip a rotary tool with a carbide tip bit.
Do not over tighten the screws or you may strip break them.
Troubleshooting a stuck door latch.
Try to open the door while it is shut.
Guide the straw as far in as you can to make sure you re hitting every part of the locking mechanism that might be sticking with the wd 40.
To take yours out just use your phillips screw driver again to take out the two screws in the face plate.
If the gap between the door and jamb is angled then the door isn t square.
Adjust the hinges so that the door is straight.
Tighten the screws that go into the door and the screws that go into the door frame.
Start by cutting the tube of powdered graphite at an angle and covering the ground under the door with paper towels to catch extra graphite.
Sometimes the cause of a stuck deadbolt is a misaligned or out of square door.
Start by trying to push the lock button.
Take note of the type of resistance.
The knob will not turn to retract the stuck door latch.
Spray the entire mechanism with spray lubricant and wait for at least 10 minutes before you reinstall it.
If you break off a screw head or strip it use an inexpensive device called a screw extractor to remove it.
The door latch is not extended before rotating the knob.
Open the door wide and put on a pair of safety glasses to protect your eyes.
