How to Fix a Door That Will Not Lock

Door locking problems almost always originate in the door latch, not the locking mechanism. The striker fails to penetrate into the door jamb because the door or the door jamb has become warped, or the screws have loosened and the plate has moved. When the door is shut, the striker doesn't slip past the striker plate into the receiving hole in the jamb, or it goes in but doesn't bottom out, preventing the door from locking. A homeowner with basic DIY skills and tools can fix a door that won't latch.

1.      Open the door. Examine the striker plate. That's the small rectangular brass plate on the jamb that the striker slips into. The striker plate is mortised into the jamb. If it is loose or has slipped out of the mortise, place it back in the mortise and tighten the screws with a Phillips screwdriver.

2.      Shut the door and try to lock it. If it won't lock open the door. Tap the end of a chisel under the door stop on the striker side of the jamb. Pry up on it until it comes loose and remove it. Use the chisel to remove the door stop on top as well.

3.      Remove the nails from the door stop using diagonal pliers. You can reuse the nails. Place the door stop back on the jamb. Set it back 1/4 inch from it's original location. You should see a distinct line in the paint, stain or varnish where it came off. Use this to align the door stop. Nail the side and top piece of door stop back on. The door should now shut and lock normally.

Things You Will Need

Phillips screwdriver

Chisel

Hammer

Tip

If your doorknob mechanism fails internally you can't repair it. The complete lockset, including the doorknob, needs to be changed.

Warning

If your door is badly warped, it may not seal properly even when you move the door jamb. Check the draft after fixing the door. If it's bad you might want to consider replacing the door.

For more tips, visit How to Fix a Door That Will Not Lock.

First home buyers told to earn more money if they want to secure property

A Victorian MP has found the solution to Australia’s housing crisis after telling struggling Aussies to go and get a “highly paid job”.

Coalition MP Michael Sukkar – the Assistant Minister to the Treasurer – said the easiest way to curb the growing housing crisis encumbering many young Australian’s from owning their own home is for recent university graduates to simply secure lucrative employment.

"We're also enabling young people to get highly paid jobs which is the first step to buying a house, it's not the only answer but it's the first step," Mr Sukkar told Sky News last night after pointing out how he was able to buy two properties by the time he reached the age of 35.

"I want to see young people like me, leave university, I was a terrible university student, but I left university because the economy was so good, I got a great start and I was able to forge a career," he said.

Mr Sukkar, who has been tasked with tackling housing affordability, has two mortgages in Canberra - one an investment property and another on a residence he lives in, Fairfax Media reports.

The assistant minister, who makes more than $200,000 a year, reportedly claims his $273 per day parliamentary living allowance is how he pays off his investment property.

The Victorian MP’s comments shadow those of former treasurer Joe Hockey, who claimed more Australians just needed to “get a good job that pays good money,” if they want to buy their first home.

That current average wage in Australia is $78,832 per annum coupled with an almost million dollar median price tag for a home in Sydney.

© First home buyers told to earn more money if they want to secure property

Safety Tips For Heating A Frozen Door Lock

A frozen door lock can be very intrusive when you are locked outside in the cold. Home security and the security of your vehicle make it necessary to lock your doors and in the winter months can lead to some drawbacks. Whether it is the car door lock that is the problem or the door to the house that has issues, the tips that are discussed will be helpful in both situations.

Tip #1 - Warm The Key

Use a lighter or a match to heat the key for the lock. Once it is hot slide it into the lock and wait a couple of minutes for the hot key to do its work. You might need to repeat this step a few times depending on how much solid ice has built up around the locking mechanism. It is also recommended that after you defrost your frozen door lock that you spray or apply a lubricant to the locking mechanism, in cars be sure to include all of the moving door parts as whole doors will freeze up as well not allowing you access no matter how hot you get the key or how hard you pull on the door handle.

Tip #2 - Blow Dryer

If you can get to your blow dryer or a neighbors plus an extension cord then this can be a decent way of heating up a frozen lock as well. You will need to put the dryer on the hottest setting. This will take a bit longer than the hot key since there is not direct contact with the frozen mechanism. However; placing the blow dryer right against the door lock and possibly trying to open the lock with a toothpick or other small device will help to decrease the time involved.

Tip #3 - Blow Torch

Using a blow torch can be dangerous if you do not know how to use one, however it does provide an alternative to heating the door lock. You will need to set the torch on the lowest setting and make quick swipes over the surface of the lock or the key. You can heat the key like with the lighter or you can heat the lock directly. You do not want to damage the paint or the door handle so do not keep direct contact for long periods of time.

Tip #4 - Deicer

Using a deicer for your frozen lock does not heat the lock but there is alcohol and lubricant in the mixture that will have the same effect as melting the ice off of the door lock. They include a small straw that you connect to the nozzle to get the chemical inside of the lock where it needs to do its work.

No matter which route that you take with heating your next frozen lock remember that you can do preventive maintenance on locks to keep them from freezing in the first place. Make sure that they are clean, use spray graphite and the key to clean the lock and lubricate it with a lubricant that won't freeze easily. Knowing these few simple ways to unfreeze your lock will allow you to be inside and in warmer weather before you know it.

Find it useful? Read more at Safety Tips For Heating A Frozen Door Lock.