How To Fix A Door Handle Latch

As a house settles door latches and strike plates sometimes become misaligned so doors won t latch shut.

How to fix a door handle latch.

If the latch does not reach the strike plate shim out the plate or add another strike plate on top of it remove the screws and run them through both plates. As you remove the pieces make sure you keep them all together they are pretty small and can disappear quickly. Continue removing metal until the door latch catches. The latch will not retract even when the knob is turned.

Then remove the inside door handle. Take note of the type of resistance. Once you ve removed the handle you can try to manually open the latch with either a pair of needle nose pliers or a large flathead screwdriver. Replace the plate fill the gap at the top or bottom with wood putty and refinish.

Shave off the inside of the strike plate with a rotary tool and a metal cutting carbide bit. Remove a small amount and test the latch by closing the door. Use your drill and unscrew the screws in the latch as well as the screws on the inside door handle. Ensure that the door is unlocked before doing so.

This can be done with a screwdriver flat or phillips to remove all screws of the door handle s plates. Troubleshooting a stuck door latch try to open the door while it is shut.