Why is the latch on my front door not working?
Don’t feel bad though…as it turns out, the latch bolt missing its target is actually a common problem that, in most cases, is a simple issue of door misalignment. Makes sense, right? The latch bolt MUST align with the center of the strike plate opening when you close the door.
Is there a way to adjust the latch on a door?
Well, there are actually a few ways, and they all lead to adjusting the door either up or down slightly so it properly aligns. Sure, you could do this yourself each time you close the door, e.g., lift up on the door as you close it to force the latch bolt up into the latch bolt hole, but let’s do the right fix and do it one time! 1.
Do you have to align strike plate with car latch?
The latch bolt MUST align with the center of the strike plate opening when you close the door. And you thought you only had to get your car tires aligned! Now, if you’re daring enough you can actually get a flashlight, bend down to where you’re eye-level with the door handle and watch the latch bolt as you close the door.
What’s the difference between a door latch and a fitting?
We all know that when we turn a door handle and close a door, we’re actually making a little bolt about the size of our thumb move into a slightly larger hole that’s been bored out in the door jamb. This bolt is called a latch bolt (fitting, since its job is to latch a door closed and unlatch a door to enable opening it!).
Why is my door knob not latching properly?
A very common problem that is associated with door knobs is that they do not latch properly. When this happens the door does not shut and opens up at any time. You can make sure that it is the latch by looking at the strike plate and noticing if the tongue sets in the strike plate correctly.
What should I do if my door latch is not aligned?
If door latch doesn’t align, adjust the position of the strike plate. When possible, it’s easiest to file the slot in the strike plate a little bit so that it will receive the latch. For less than a 1/8-inch misalignment of the latch bolt and strike plate, file the inside edges of the plate to enlarge the opening.
How is a door latch supposed to work?
The latch bolt slides through a hole in a flat piece of metal called a strike plate that is attached to and covering a hole in the door jamb. The idea is that for a door to latch properly, the latch bolt must make its way completely through the strike plate opening and rest snugly in the latch bolt hole.
Why is the lock on my front door not working?
Of course, if it’s on an exterior door, you’ll want to do this when the weather is nice and when it’s safe to leave the door unlocked. When a door latch doesn’t click into position, it usually means the latch and the strike plate are out of alignment.