My uPVC Door Won’t Open! What Do I Do?

So, your uPVC door won’t open? Is the uPVC door latch not retracting properly? That’s a real annoyance. Especially if it’s your front door. Luckily, we’re here to help. This guide will provide you with some of the most common solutions to this frustrating problem. Including:

• Correcting the hinges
• Retracting the latch/hook rollers
• Fixing the door handle
• Fixing the lock
• Replacing the multipoint gearbox

Hopefully, something here will work for you.

Correcting the Hinges of your uPVC door:

It’s quite common for the hinges of a door to be the cause of a problem like this. If you remove the cap from the hinge you should see a shaped screw fit for an Allen key. By adjusting the screws, you may be able to free up the door. This issue is known as a locking system jam.

Retracting the Latch/Hook Rollers of your uPVC door:

If you look at the gap where the lock bolt would usually go into the frame of the door you may find the problem. Whilst looking through this gap, pull the handle down and you’ll be able to see the hook rollers. From there, the problem could be revealed as one of two things:

My uPVC door latch is not retracting fully

If it’s the latch that is not retracting, take a knife and use it in the side of the door to retract the latch.

My uPVC door hooks are not retracting completely

Alternatively, if it’s the hooks that aren’t retracting, you’ll need to manually retract the hooks with the door in the unlocked position which can prove to be quite tricky. If this is the case, you may be better off calling a professional.

Fixing the Door Handle of your uPVC door:

If you’re in a situation where the door handle has begun to move freely and seems almost loose then you should try and locate the ‘barrel’ or ‘cylinder’ part of your lock. The barrel part of your lock is usually the part of the door where the indent for the key is located. It will most likely need tightening up so try and find the screw that keeps the barrel in place. If you tighten up this screw, the barrel shouldn’t be loose anymore which (in most cases) should also apply to the handle itself.

How do you open a uPVC door when the lock is broken?

It’s also a possibility that the door handle is actually too tight. If it’s installed too tightly into the door, it could pinch the springs and prevent the mechanism from operating properly. If you think this is the case, try using a screwdriver to loosen the screws on the door handle. In this scenario, loosening the screws could help the door open more freely.

However, if neither door handle solution works, it’s possible that your problems lie deeper within the door’s mechanism…

How do you fix a jammed lock?

Your uPVC door won’t open, and it’s not the hinges or the handle? It’s time to take a look at the lock. The technique will of course depend on what design of door you have. But here are some general instructions for enlarging the strike plate hole.

• Use a screwdriver to remove the strike plate from the jamb
• Use a metal file to file down the lower lip of the strike plate
• File it down until the latch can slide comfortably into the door

Of course, it may not be that simple if you have a more complex locking system…

Replacing the Multipoint Gearbox of your uPVC door:

Many uPVC doors are fitted with a multipoint mechanism, used in the locking and unlocking process. One part of this mechanism, the gearbox, is prone to stop working correctly. Many stores and tradesmen stock multipoint gearboxes. However, the gearbox you’ll need is specific to the type of door you own. So, it can be a hassle to try and find the substitute part you need.

You can normally find out which gearbox will fit your door’s multipoint by looking for the manufacturer’s logo. For example, many of our doors are manufactured by Solidor. You can find this by looking down the lock or down the keep (the metal strip that runs down the frame of the door). It’s also worth finding out how many locking points your multipoint lock has and whether they’re rollers or hooks. You should also take measurements of the multipoint lock. This information will help you or a tradesman identify the gearbox compatible with your door.

Quality uPVC doors in Swindon, Bristol, Reading and across the South West

Did none of these solutions work for you? Or are you unable to purchase the tools and give up the time? In that case, it’s worth considering buying a new door instead. Even if you fix the problem, there’s an increased likelihood of it happening again after the first time. For a wide variety of doors that are sturdy and built to last, you can view what we sell on our website or contact us.

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A post shared by Emerald Windows and Doors (@emeraldwindowsanddoorssn) on May 10, 2020 at 8:51am PDT