PVC door locking mechanism jammed

MGAstra

Hi all,

The locking mechanism on my back door has jammed. I think there could be some dirt (or bit of a stone/brick/rubble) wedged somewhere in it.

Does anyone know how to get the hinges off the door from the inside?

The bottom of the door has come free, but the hooks near the top are stuck so if The hinges could be removed, I think the door would be able to be carefully lifted clear from the frame.

Many thanks in anticipation.

Mark.

Pink.

Have you tried spraying some wd 40 into the lock?

Pink

MGAstra

Yes I've tried WD-40. I sprayed it from the top of the door as well, as It appears to be the hooks at the top the wont disengage. If it is dirt/small lumps of stone then I guess WD40 wont wont anyway. (Thanks very much for your reply tho pink!)

robowen

The hinges should be designed so that you can't remove them when it is in the closed position....else burglars would remove the hinges and gain entry.
Years ago you could knock the pin out and lift the door off.....but like I said..burglars started to do it too and changes were made.

If the top locks are jamming...try to put force on the opposite side of the door before you lower the handles. This should stop the lock bolt snagging on it's way down.

So, if your door opens inwards. Push against the inside face of the door adjacent to where the jamming bolt is ..then try the handle.

Try to remember how the bolts engage. Do the bolts go upwards when you lock the door or lift the handle ??
If they do, then it's possible that when you come to unlock the bolts they are not coming far enough down the clear the keep. Force the door in a downward direction to clear the bolts from the bottom of the keep.

If the bolts go downwards when you lock the door or lift the handle, you may need to raise the door to clear the top of the lock keep. This is easier to do, just get a crow bar under the bottom lip of the door. Be careful and only a small amount of force is needed.

The latter is more common and jams more as you put pressure down on the handle when opening. You need to pull down on the handle and lift up the door at the same time

HTH
rob

MGAstra

Hi Rob, I understand what you are saying about the hinges - that burglars would simply remove them if it was so easy, but these hinges are on the inside of my house, so I thought they could be removed.

Luckily (or not!) the other door is the same type, so I can see how the hooks engage. When the handle is lifted, the hooks move upwards and out from the door into the frame. The bottom hook is clear from the door frame. I can open the door at the bottom just enough to get my fingers around the edge and feel that the bottom hook hasn't quite fully disengaged. I think this will be the same for the top hook, except the way it is aligned is such that the top hook isn't quite free.

Maybe I could get acces to the locking mechanism if I take the glass panel out??

I have moved the whole door using the adjustments on the hinges but its still catching.

Another alternative is if I gently hit the door whilst pulling the handle downwards and this may cause enough vibration to dislodge the dirt.

I think I'll try lifting the door then lifting and lowering the handle to see if this could dislodge the dirt.

Thanks very much for your suggestions.

robowen

No point in removing the window. You can't get access to the back of the lock unless you cut out a section of the upvc behind where the lock is located after removing the window. You could always drill a large hole about (12mm)...carefully. Then use a wire coat hanger to pull the lock bolt up......it would be a bit 'hit and miss'.

Any cut outs or holes must be done on the inside of the window area behind the lock, so that when you replace the window everything will be covered up....obviously ! :rolleyes:

:think:

rob :think:

MGAstra

Not sure about drilling just yet. But I would rather try that first before paying a 'professional' a call out charge and repair bills if the lock mechanism has bent.

There seems to be some a plastic 'bung' on top of the pin in the hinge, and a metal screw underneath the pin (adgustable using an allen key). I wonder if that holds the pin in the hindge.

Nile

MGAstra wrote:

Not sure about drilling just yet. But I would rather try that first before paying a 'professional' a call out charge and repair bills if the lock mechanism has bent.

There seems to be some a plastic 'bung' on top of the pin in the hinge, and a metal screw underneath the pin (adgustable using an allen key). I wonder if that holds the pin in the hindge.

I was wondering if you inherited the doors when you moved to your home, or if you had the doors fitted yourself? It's a long shot but if you had the doors fitted, they could they still be under guarantee/warranty? The company might not hit you with a call out charge or repair bill.......if this is the case.

MGAstra

They were already fitted when I moved in and unfortunately they aren't under warrenty.

If I do have to resort to paying someone to fix this it will be the company that put them in. Hopefully they will know the construction of the door and any possible bits that can be removed/adjusted.

robowen

You haven't added a door chain have you ?

Sometimes people fix a chain on there and the screws interfere with the locking mechanism.

Can you send a good photo of the hinges. Try to get a close up.

rob

MGAstra

No there isn't a chain fitted. I'll try to get a photo of it, but may be a couple of days. Thanks very much!