PVC door locking mechanism jammed

MGAstra

I have got a photo, but how do I get it onto this page?

robowen

send it directly to me. my email address is in my profile.

Rex_Mundi

Your best bet would be to get the company in that fitted the door (if possible). Locks in PVC doors are normally one big mechanism. They need to be for the handle/lock to be connected to all the locking pins/hooks. If any of the bars connecting the pins/hooks to the handle has snapped (sounds a possibility). The whole locking mechanism will need to be replaced. Getting the door open in this instance can be an absolute !!!!!! of a job. I would recommend getting in people in that know what they are doing in this case.

The company that installed the door will know where the door was made. It will be easier for them to get hold of the right locking mechanism for your door (there are many many different makes/types/sizes). Unless the hinges have a removable pin, I would advise you not to try mucking around with them. You may end up causing more damage and needing new hinges as well. This will increase the repair bill.

arkonite_babe

I have encountered this problem before and tried all of the above. I was living in rented property, an upstairs flat, this caused a major health and safety risk for me. The landlord tried all of the above suggested and eventually had to call out the company who installed the doors to replace the locking mechanism. However, the company accessed the lock, not by the hinges but by removing the centre panels of the door. This was done by using a blunt screwdriver or chisel and removing the long strips holding the inner part of the ddor, rather like the laths on a window pane. This allowed access to the inner panels which basically lifted out intact, exposing the outer ring of the door allowing them to release the locking mechanism. They decided to replace the mechanism in my case but you may be anle to clean and grease the lock in your door. When you return the centre part of the door, please remember to fit the top and bottom strips first, as the side strips will bend easier to assist fitting. Cost £200!!

Good Luck!!

MGAstra

Here is a picture of a similar hinge.

http://www.globalsources.com/MAGAZINE/HW/0407/IMAGES/0407DIY013.JPG

From this angle you can see what look like caps to the top and bottom that could be removed. But from the other side of the hinge, the whole unit looks to be completely factory sealed! Maybe a special tool is needed to remove the caps at a certain angle?!?

After spending lots of time trawling websites I think i will call the 'experts'.

Better just give it a few weeks to save up first tho

gatra_2

Just kick it.

straight up I mean it it will sound brutal but the hooks are just very soft metal and will shear off just make sure the door handle is down so as the door bolt doesn't foul the keep then all you need to do is to fit new hooks. they are cheap anyway.....

sound like the lock has worn and not freeing off

I'm a pro carpenter and been in the job for 30 years, and the bulk of my job was gaining entry for the police for the council.

gatra_2

Only do the above if you have the type of hooks that look like a U that screw to the frame if you have the sort that mortice in to frame DON'T KICK IT... It won't go anywhere.

arkonite_babe

MGAstra wrote:

Here is a picture of a similar hinge.

http://www.globalsources.com/MAGAZINE/HW/0407/IMAGES/0407DIY013.JPG

From this angle you can see what look like caps to the top and bottom that could be removed. But from the other side of the hinge, the whole unit looks to be completely factory sealed! Maybe a special tool is needed to remove the caps at a certain angle?!?

After spending lots of time trawling websites I think i will call the 'experts'.

Better just give it a few weeks to save up first tho

That's the same hinge as was on my door. You can't go in through the hinge and the locking mechaniosm does not allow the door to pivot from the locking side. I had thought of the hinge too but the professionals went in through the centre leaving just the outer hard frame of the door in place, imagine the centre of the door being a formed PVC piece of glass and it's a window you are replacing.

Rex_Mundi

I've worked in the glass trade nearly 25 years, and would not recommend you try kicking the door in! If you damage the frame, you could end up with a whopping bill for a new door/frame.

You say that the hooks at the top of the door are stuck. This does sound to me that the bar from the handle that links to the top locking hooks is either jammed or snapped. When you lift up the handle, can you still lock/unlock the hooks at the bottom half of the door? If you can, then it would point more to the fact that the top connecting bar has snapped. If this is the case. The whole locking mechanism will have to be replaced.

I really do recommend in this case, that you get people in that know what they are doing.

MGAstra

When the handle is lifted, the hooks at the bottom do move outwards but not as much as usual. Then when the handle is pulled down they move back but again not as much as usual.

I will leave it to the experts and port back on here to let people know the conclusion.

Thanks to all.