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Why Your Door Won’t Latch—and How to Fix It

Doors that won’t latch can be fixed easily and affordably by a locksmith

Why Your Door Won’t Latch—and How to Fix ItHas one of the doors at your home or business stopped latching correctly? This can be more than just an inconvenience. On an exterior door, a latching problem can be a real threat to your security. After all, the best lock won’t protect you if the deadbolt can’t latch properly!

Sometimes, people’s first instinct for how to fix a door that won’t latch is to replace the lock. But in reality, door latching problems aren’t caused by bad locks. They’re almost always caused by these two problems:

Shifting Foundation: Over time, the foundation of your home may shift, causing your door and window openings to go out of square. The shifts may be particularly noticeable in an older home that has had more time to settle. You may have had trouble opening or shutting the door for a while before the trouble with the latching first started. Basically, what has happened is your doorknob is no longer lined up with the strikeplate on your doorjamb. The deadbolt can’t go all the way into the strikeplate so the door won’t latch.

Sinking Hinges: Another issue that can cause problems with door latching is sinking hinges. This may occur if you have a heavy door that is mounted on hinges that are too weak to support the weight of the door. The hinges can start to “sink,” as the door pulls down on them, resulting in the door pulling downwards at an angle to the jamb. Again, this will cause a misalignment between the deadbolt and the strikeplate.

We Can Provide a Quick Fix for Doors that Won’t Latch

Luckily for you, you don’t have call a contractor and address expensive structural issues with your property in order to restore your security. As your neighborhood locksmith, RBM Lock & Key can fix your problem quickly, effectively, and affordably.

Typically, all we need to do is move the strikeplate and expand the hole that the deadbolt fits into. This will accommodate the new position of the doorknob and deadbolt relative to the doorjamb and allow the door to latch properly.

If you need help repositioning a strikeplate, fixing a lock, replacing a lock, or completing any other task related to locks and keys at your home or business, you can rely on RBM Lock & Key for help. Our professional locksmiths are experts in commercial and residential locks and we can provide all the assistance you need to keep your property secure. Please call 909-980-3448 any time for assistance.

Posted on June 20, 2016
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RBM Lock & Key
RBM Lock & Key
2235 E. 4th St Suite B
Ontario , CA , 91764 USA
909-980-3448