We’ve all had the stubborn door knob that will turn but won’t open. No matter how many times we spin it around, it still won’t grant us access. You may be wondering if you’ll have to replace the entire door to fix your door knob. Fortunately, a quick diagnosis of the issue is all that’s needed, and you can most likely fix it yourself. If you’re not confident in fixing it yourself, you can search “locksmith near me” and hope you pick the right professional, or you can give Firstline Locksmith in Hamilton a call. In the following post, we’ve laid out the common issues with a spinning door knob that won’t open.
Door Knob Turns But Won’t Open
A knob or a handle typically uses a spring-loaded latch to function. When the lock is at rest, the spring is fully extended. When you turn the knob or handle, the spring should compress and open the lock, allowing you to open your door. However, a spinning knob or handle means something is wrong with your spring, latch, or both. Your handle or knob is not properly interacting with the spring and/or latch, which is causing the spinning without opening.
The problem could be with various connections inside the door handle or lock. You will need to remove the door handle to begin testing what may be wrong. Here are the general steps to remove the handle and lock from the door and test the retraction mechanism:
- Take knob/handle off the door.
- Remove the thru spindle.
- Place flat-head screwdriver in the gap you removed the spindle from.
- Twist the screwdriver to see if the mechanism engages properly.
If the above steps causes the latch to retract properly, then the issue is not with the latch. The issue may be with the handle or spindle. In this case, you’ll want to address the connection between the spindle and the latch mechanism. Does the spindle properly turn when you engage the handle? Does the handle properly engage the spindle? You will most likely need to tinker with the components to discover which is not working properly.
You may notice the latch mechanism does not retract properly. This means there is something wrong with the latch housing. The issue could be with the spring or a smaller component. You can dig deeper to find which component is causing the issue or take the easy route and replace the entire housing. For most people, a small component replacement is too tedious. If it makes sense, replace your entire housing and/or handle to resolve the issue.
Your Locksmith in Trenton: Firstline Locksmith
Do you have a door knob that spins but won’t open? You can try to fix it yourself or call a locksmith near you. Firstline Locksmith has been serving Trenton and the greater New Jersey area for more than 25 years. If you’re in need of a locksmith services, give us a call today!
Read part two of this blog post series and learn more about stuck, jammed, or broken locks!