How To Fix A Door Lock That Is Jammed

Wet lubricant tends to gum up the locks.

How to fix a door lock that is jammed.

If the door lock gets jammed first you should use graphite based lubricant rather than using wet lubricant. You can heat your key or use a blow dryer to thaw the door lock. Reinstall the lock cylinder and you re good to go. Then saturate the bolt mechanism with the spray lube and twist it back and forth with a flat blade screwdriver.

If the door lock button is stuck out keeping you from pressing it in jiggling the handle and moving the door is likely to shake the jammed parts together. You should start by spraying the lubricant simply on the door key. Repairs range from making minor latch adjustments to repositioning the door. Remove your key from the lock and poke the tip of your flathead screwdriver in it.

Check the alignment of the deadbolt against the strike on the jamb if the lock is difficult to turn when the door is closed or the door doesn t lock at all. You can slide the key into the lock lightly so that the lubricant can get inside the lock properly. Tap the lock with a small hammer or the end of a screwdriver while you turn the key. This will hopefully force back the latch and the door will open.

Slide in the card forcefully and play with it a bit while shaking the door a bit too at the same time. If lubing the lock cylinder doesn t free it you ll need to lube the bolt mechanism photo 2. The basics of how to fix a door lock that is jammed in this way comes down to heat. Use a file to widen the hole on the strike or remove the strike with a screwdriver and reposition it on the jamb.

If you exhaust the list of quick fixes and repairs to no avail you ll have to call a locksmith or replace a permanently jammed door lock. Remove the two screws that hold the lock cylinder and pull it from the door. Repeat the process if the lock is still jammed. A credit card between the door and the frame where the latch is located.

In some cases you will have to use a de icer on your locks to resolve the problem. If the latch does not catch close the door slowly to watch how the latch bolt meets the strike plate. Tighten the hinge screws and then try adjusting the strike plate by loosening its screws and shifting it slightly. The first thing you can try for opening a jammed latch is to slide a plastic card e g.

Coat your door key with powdered graphite or spray. If you cannot get the lock button unstuck with simple jiggling and the door is locked have no fear you should still be able to get the door open.