Twenty Myths About Replacement Door Handles: Busted

Twenty Myths About Replacement Door Handles: Busted

How to Replace Door Handles

The door handles in your home are an important element of your interior design. A new handle will bring your home's decor modern.

Over time the knobs on your door may become stiff or even break. These are indicators that it's time to replace the knobs. This guide will help choose the best door handle replacement for your home.

Door Knobs

The handles on your doors can enhance the look of your home and make it easier to shut and open them. They come in a wide variety of finishes, colors and types to match your decor. If yours have started to show signs of wear or require an upgrade, you can change them in just a few simple steps.

You'll need to find the shaft, or spindle through which the knob is attached to the door. Some knobs have a tiny hole that you can put the screwdriver with a small diameter to release the set screws holding the handle in place. Some have a tiny slot or hole that allows you to press the spring-activated detent pin using a flathead. This pin releases the latch mechanism and allows you to pull or push the knob.

Once you have the spindle or shaft, in your hand Remove the knob and replace it. Make sure to align it properly and then test to see that the latch works properly before tightening your new set screws.

After replacing the knob, hold the rod for latching over the hole in the door and interlock it with the rod mechanism on the second knob. Make sure the holes are in alignment, then tighten the screws for the latch plate.

Some people prefer a smooth or brushed metal finish for their door hardware to give their home a sleek and contemporary appearance. This can be matched with their furniture. Others prefer a more rustic design, which pairs well with farmhouse-styled spaces. If you have a member of your family who has mobility issues, you may prefer a lever style or rim lock, which requires less pressure to operate.

Other factors are being looked at more and more when it comes to the design of door handles. Accessibility and control of infections have been key issues when it comes to developing new handle designs. For instance certain handles can be operated with an arm.

Latch

The latch that keeps your door handle open can wear out from age and use. It is simple to change the latch on your door handle. This will make a big difference in how it opens and closes.

Depending on the type of knob you are using depending on the type of handle you have, the latch may be part of the knob or it might be an independent piece attached to the door itself. In either case, you will follow the same steps for removing and replacing. The process of removing the old latch of place is fairly easy particularly if your door handle has what's known as a "magic button". This little pressure-slot, located on the side knob, is what you will have to press to remove the latch of the handle.

If your handle doesn't have this magic button you'll have to take off the cover plates that are placed over the latch plate. These are usually circular or rectangular and can be removed by using a screwdriver to pry them off of the handle. Some have a slot in which you can insert your screwdriver, while others simply snap off.

Then, loosen the machine screws that secure the plate's inner and latch to the door handle. You'll need to keep these shorter screws with an angled tip in a safe location in order to reuse them later. After the screws have been removed, you are able to remove the latch plate and the mechanism from the hole and set it aside.

You can now begin working on the new latch. Insert the latch plate into the door hole and secure it using the hardware supplied. Make sure the square pin that is on the interior of the latch is pointing towards the latching mechanism inside the handle, and that it lines up with the other screw chambers inside the door handle. Then, push the outside latch plate on and secure it with the provided screws.

Strike Plate

It is common to replace a door handle because it is loose or doesn't lock properly. This is often caused by incorrectly aligned parts in the latching mechanism, like an unbalanced strike plate that is too small or shifted up or down on the doorjamb as time passes. This project allows you to replace your old strikeplate with a more substantial one, which can provide more security for your door and keep it closed.

To determine if the issue is due to the strike plate, apply some lipstick or similar marking material on the latch bolt. Close the door, and then try to latch it. If the mark is lower than the strike plate's hole, it indicates that the plate is too small and the door won't latch. If the mark is above or below the strikeplate hole, the strikeplate may have been moved up or downward on the doorjamb.

Depending on the door you have You may be able to attach the new strike plate in the door over the old one with the screws that come with it. However, you might need to drill holes first, and then chisel out some of the wood to make sure it's a good fit. If this is the case, be cautious not to chisel too much or you may ruin the strength of your doorjamb.

Installing a new box-style strike plate will give the lock a stronger hold on the doors and will require more force to open them. Typically it requires two long screws to secure the strike plate to the door frame. To do this, you'll need to remove the existing strike plate, then drill and chisel the wood to make room for the new one.



upvc door handle repairs clacton Repair My Windows And Doors  is designed to be used with rim locks from the past, and is made of sturdy solid brass in a heavy duty thickness. This kit includes both wood screws and machine screws so you can choose the right hardware for your requirements. Just remember that wood screws have a sharp tip, whereas the machine ones are more blunt.