Once you have the door handle off you can now try to open the latch manually with either a large flathead screwdriver or pair of needle nose pliers.
How do you fix a door handle that won t lock.
Make sure the lock is unlocked before you do this.
Letting the components sit fully submerged in a vinegar of about 5 acidity will do the job of separating the gunk from your metal.
You can do this by using the phillips head screw driver to unscrew both screws on the door handle.
The long screw will grab the wall framing and draw in the whole doorjamb slightly.
Repairs range from making minor latch adjustments to repositioning the door.
Remove the two screws one on either side of the handle and remove the knob.
Tighten the hinge screws and then try adjusting the strike plate by loosening its screws and shifting it slightly.
These screws generally run all the way through the door and secure to the lockset mounting plate on the opposite side.
Remove the handles including the thru spindle.
If it won t lock open the door.
If that doesn t solve the problem try this trick.
Tap the end of a chisel under the door stop on the striker side of the jamb.
Leave the striker bolt in place.
To fix the door knob figure out where the connections have gone awry.
Door lock doesn t latch properly when a door latch doesn t click into position it usually means the latch and the strike plate are out of alignment.
Take the handles knobs off of the door.
Lubricate the inside of the mechanism if the lock still does not function.
If you find that the latch contacts the strike plate too high or too low make sure all the door s hinge screws are tight.
The fix in instances with a door latch stuck because it is jammed by rust and other materials it is always best to disassemble the lock and do a bit of cleaning.
Tighten the long screws that secure the lockset s mounting ring to the door.
Remove one of the screws on the jamb side of the hinge and drive in a 3 in.
Pry up on it until it comes loose and remove it.
15 to 30 minutes this video will guide you through the process of repairing replacing or tightening your door handles at your home.