If you’re having trouble opening, closing or locking your door, there could be a few possible causes for this.
- The locking mechanism
- The locking barrel
- The door handle is broken
- The door seals/frame
- The door hinges
There are a few things you can try to ensure it’s working as it should be.
If you’ve noticed your door isn’t locking as it should, this may be due to a problem with the locking mechanism, or the handle itself. If the door isn’t closing, you might notice that the hinges or the frame of your door have been damaged, causing an obstruction that means your door can’t close correctly.
The first thing to do is have a look around the perimeter of your door, as well as at the various points that it connects with the frame. Most Anglian doors will have multi-point locking, so make sure there’s nothing obstructing each bolt.
You’ll also need to check the drainage holes for blockages, and remove any debris that you come across. More information on how to clean your door can be found here. Once you’ve checked the door and frame, make sure you have a look underneath the door. There could be something stuck, such as part of a door mat, at the bottom edge of the door, stopping it from closing.
My door has expanded in the heat, or contracted in the cold
During particularly cold or particularly hot months, your uPVC door or frame may have contracted or expanded slightly, causing it to not close properly. If you think this is the case, when the weather’s hot take a cold, damp cloth and wipe around the top, side and bottom edges of the door. In cold weather, do the same with a warm, damp cloth. Let your door dry for about ten minutes, and repeat if necessary.
How to fix a sticky door lock
First check that there isn’t anything obstructing they key hole. It’s important to check this on both sides of the door.
Once you’re sure there aren’t any obstructions, you can try rubbing the surface of the key with a graphite pencil. The powdered graphite can lubricate the workings on the lock. Rub the pencil on the key, inserting and removing it from the cylinder several times. This will help the movement within the cylinder.
The barrel of the door lock is coming loose
If the barrel part of your lock is starting to come loose. Don’t worry, you can tighten this up again. First, locate the screw that secures the barrel on the long side of your door. It should be level with the lock or nearby. If there’s more than one screw here, it’ll most likely be the larger one. Tighten it up and your barrel shouldn’t be loose anymore.