How to open a door if the lock is jammed. How to open a door if the lock is jammed

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The most common problems with entrance door blocks are malfunctions of the locking mechanisms. The lock often jams. Such problems appear suddenly and for the simplest reasons, usually due to damage to the original key. There may also be problems in the locking block of the front door due to worn parts.

The most common problem with locks is malfunction of the cylinder mechanism. Therefore, replacing it in most cases is the main way to solve problems. Replacing the entire lock is rarely required.

Disassembling and replacing the lock

In order to correct the problems that have arisen, you need to know how to disassemble a lock installed on the front door leaf or embedded in it. The principles for disassembling locking mechanisms are somewhat different from each other and primarily depend on the placement of the device.

Regardless of the standard used to manufacture the cylinder lock, the common feature of their design is the ability to replace the cylinder mechanism. To disassemble the lock you will need a screwdriver.

Initially, the fastening screw of the locking mechanism is unscrewed. Most frequent place location of fasteners - on the end part of the lock plate. To remove the cylinder, unscrew the screw counterclockwise. Quite often, in order to remove the lock cylinder mechanism, you need to press it slightly with inside. Often special fastening clamps do not allow removing the mechanism. In order to remove the larva, if present, the key is slightly turned in the keyhole. This will allow you to easily remove the cylinder.

Despite the almost complete external identity of the cylinder cylinders, when purchasing a replacement device, it is imperative to compare their sizes. If the holes and dimensions of the mechanism do not match, its installation will be impossible.

When installing a new part, the cylinder is placed in the existing hole and secured with a screw. To accurately fit into the grooves, it is recommended to slightly move the secret in the lock block. However, this procedure must be performed with the key inserted into the hole and turned to the “closed” position.

Mortise

In mechanisms of this type, in case of malfunctions, it is not always possible to replace individual elements. Most often, a new lock is required to install on the front door. The reasons for this are the design of the device. Not all locks of this type contain removable elements.

To disassemble the device, you must have a socket wrench and a set of various screwdrivers on hand. The removal process consists of the following steps:

• First of all, you need to remove door handle. To do this, in most designs it is simply pulled out after removing the fasteners;
• The decorative trim is removed;
• When disassembling models with a missing insert, the fasteners on the end of the door leaf are unscrewed.

When choosing a replacement locking mechanism, it is much more convenient to purchase a device with similar dimensions. This will allow installation to be carried out immediately without the need for additional procedures for adjusting the hole.

Overhead

To dismantle the rim lock, the fixing elements located in the end part of the door leaf are initially removed. After this, the decorative trim is removed and the remaining fastening screws are unscrewed.

The installation process is carried out strictly in reverse order.

Mounted

Dismantling and disassembly process locking device mounted type is the simplest. To do this, use a suitable screwdriver to remove the fastening elements. Next is removed protective housing and the supporting mechanisms are removed. Some models of padlocks require the removal of a number of additional fasteners.

Thus, understanding the principle of dismantling and disassembling the mechanism, you can easily understand how to proceed in order to reassemble the padlock of the front door after replacing the failed parts.

To facilitate the process and control the correct location of parts, we recommend photographing each of the disassembly stages.

Common lock problems

Since no mechanism is perfect, it is possible for any of them to develop problems over time. The main reasons are not proper operation The locking mechanism is:

• Mechanical damage;
• Failure to comply with operating conditions;
• Warping or sagging of the door leaf;
• Failure to comply with door installation technology.

The main measures to prevent jamming of the locking mechanism are regular lubrication of structural elements and cleaning them from accumulated dust. Also, for durable and high-quality operation of the device, it is necessary to follow a number of rules:

• The use of protective pads is recommended. Their presence will provide protection against the ingress of various foreign objects and dust accumulation;
• The use of non-original keys, as well as duplicates of poor quality, entails jamming of the unlocking mechanism;
• Mechanical damage to keys resulting from improper use also causes breakdowns;
• Forceful manipulation of the lock, as well as sudden slamming of the door leaf, also negatively affects the operation of the mechanism.

Incomplete occurrence of the key

The main reasons for this phenomenon are:

• Dust accumulated in the mechanism;
• The presence of foreign objects in the well, including key fragments;
• Mechanical damage.

The first measure to remove contamination and restore proper operation of the device is to disassemble the lock and lubricate its elements. The best remedy A specialized WD-40 spray can be used to properly lubricate the front door lock. If it is not available, you can use machine oil or kerosene. Lubricants are poured into the keyhole hole using a pipette, medical syringe or oil can.

After the lubrication procedure, the key is gradually inserted into the keyhole in several passes and also carefully removed. After several approaches, you can try to open the lock. In some cases, removal of the decorative trim is required to fully insert the key.

If there are foreign objects, they are removed by scraping them out using a small hook or tweezers. You can also use a brush. However, you should use a product with stiff bristles so that during manipulation, hairs do not remain inside the mechanism.

The key won't come out

Problems of this kind most often arise as a result of breakdown of internal mechanisms. You can remove the key using WD-40 spray, which is used to treat the keyhole. After such manipulations, the key, slightly swaying in different directions, must be slowly pulled out. In cases where the key breaks right in the keyhole, it should be pulled out using pliers or another tool. To do this, you can first remove the lock mechanism cylinder.

To avoid recurrence of the problem, the lock cylinder must be replaced.

The mechanism jams when the key turns

In such a situation, several options are possible. If the device operates normally when the door leaf is open and problems occur when closed, it is necessary to bore the frame. Manipulations are performed at the point where the lock bolt enters the groove.

If the locking mechanism jams in both positions of the door leaf, it is necessary to clean the device from accumulated debris and lubricate the component elements. IN as a last resort The mechanism may need to be replaced.

The tongue is jammed

To initially eliminate the problem, use any available item that has sufficient flexibility and rigidity. A metal ruler, unnecessary, is perfect for such purposes. a plastic card or a knife.

The selected item is carefully and smoothly inserted in the area between the door and the frame at the location of the tongue. It must be pushed to a depth sufficient to touch the far end of the tongue. After which attempts are made to push through the jammed part.

Subsequently, in order to avoid recurrence of the problem, it is necessary to disassemble the device and clean and lubricate the parts. In some cases, it may be necessary to replace the motor elements of the structure.

There are different critical situations. No one is immune from them and they can happen to absolutely anyone. Of course, anyone may have the following questions:

• How to open a jammed door lock?
• What if the lock jammed?
• The key is broken, what should I do?

This article describes possible reasons the occurrence of such problems. Possible ways to solve them are also suggested here. We hope we can help you.

Eg:

The man returns home. Another hard day of work has ended. His imagination paints pictures of how he will rest and relax: a soft sofa, an armchair, a delicious dinner, a bed and a TV. Approaching the door, he discovers that the door does not open.

What to do if the door lock is jammed? Where to run? Should I contact specialists? It's not obligatory. Moreover, you should not panic. You can also open on our own without breaking the mechanism or damaging the door leaf. To decide on an action plan, you must correctly recognize the cause and nature of the breakdown.

Possible causes of lock failure

With regret, we have to admit that humanity has not yet invented ideal locking mechanisms. And he’s unlikely to invent it. A very common problem when front door lock stuck.

Locking mechanisms rarely break “suddenly.” Almost any locking mechanism gives signals that a breakdown is about to occur. For example, it jams a little, the key stops turning freely - it is quite possible that soon it will not open at all.

Below we will list you the main causes of failure, which can occur regardless of how high-quality the mechanism is, how expensive it is and what design features It has.

Main causes of failures:

• attempts to open using certain manipulations;
• foreign objects inside the keyhole;
• well contamination (large amounts of dust or metal shavings; a reason very typical for cylindrical mechanisms);
• absence regular care behind the mechanism (lubrication, washing);
• high level humidity, which causes swelling of the wooden door leaf;
• strong and frequent slamming of the door;
• there is a high risk of early breakdown if excessive force is often used on the door;
• the unlocking device is not used for its intended purpose (it can be used to open bottles or open various packages);
• skewed door leaf;
• a low-quality duplicate is often used;
• Pins could fall out of the mechanism, the tip could be blocked;
• manufacturing defects.

In general, to damage a lock or door, you can choose from large quantity options. And if the locking mechanism does not receive proper preventative care, then the fact that it does not “stick” is simply a miracle.

What to do if the lock is jammed?

How to open a jammed lock? The most important thing is that you should not make strong physical efforts, this can only worsen the situation. If standard effort is not enough, then “non-standard” efforts will only make the situation worse.

By the way, if the cause of the malfunction is a high level of moisture, then a basic hair dryer can help you out - great option For wooden doors. You can also use a heater.

If a lock in an iron door breaks down, then you should start from the type of lock itself.

Maybe the best option will call a technician, he will know exactly how to open the door if the lock is stuck.

• First of all, you can clean the door and lock slots with a stiff bristle brush (this way you can eliminate dust contamination or peeling paint);
• Then lubricate the mechanism with machine oil (WD-40, kerosene). The key may turn.
• If it doesn't turn over, we move on. We are trying to pull out the key using pliers.
• If the pliers do not help, the cylinder should be drilled out and replaced.

The above scenario for the development of events is quite radical. You also need to investigate options for shrinkage, skewed position of the canvas or damage to the hinges.

Let's take: wedge/flat screwdriver/chisel.

We do: We drive the tool into the place where the door leaf overlaps the frame. If the wedge is even slightly clogged in the slot hole, then we try to put the structure in place, using the wedge as a lever. At the same time, pull the handle to open the iron door.

Cylinder lock failure

It is also called larval.

What could happen (scenarios):

• the key cannot be pulled out;
• it takes quite a lot of effort to turn the key;
• A squeak is noticeable during revolutions.

Only a technician can remove a stuck key with minimal risk to the condition of the locking mechanism.

Damage to the suvalny lock

• To prevent the key from being inserted incorrectly, grind off the longitudinal protrusions (if the situation does not allow grinding, you can slightly press the well).
• Try inserting the key from the opposite side and try to open the door again.

How to remove a stuck key

The mechanism should be treated using silicone spray. Then, with careful movements, you can pull out the stuck key.

Important: if this is successful, the mechanism or its masque should be replaced so that such an awkward situation does not happen again. If the key is stuck, this is another reason to replace it.

There is another situation: complete serviceability is demonstrated when the door is open. But as soon as you start closing the door, the key immediately gets stuck after the first turn.

What to do: Try boring door frame file, drill or grinder.

For the more experienced: you can also use pins to open it. But this work requires a lot of time and careful preparation. In addition, there is a high risk that the studs will break and further aggravate the situation. And then you cannot do without radical measures.

What if the lock tongue is jammed?

When the door is not closed, but you cannot open it with the usual turn of the handle, it means that the tongue is jammed. You can use a flat and flexible object (for example, a card, a knife or a metal ruler) Place the object in the gap between the leaf and the lock box (where the tab is located), then you need to tilt the object towards the door handle and press it, then press the object away yourself (at the same time you need to press the door and pull it towards you).

The reasons why a key gets stuck in a hole or a lock is jammed are often common. No matter how high-quality a mechanism is, if it is used for a long time, it begins to lose its initial “sales appearance” not only externally, but also internally, qualitatively. Therefore, any mechanism requires attention, care and repair, and sometimes complete replacement.

Unpredictable problems can appear at the most inopportune moment. The situation is especially dramatic if the door does not open. Of course, I would like to solve this problem without drastic measures that would entail installing not only a new lock, but also a sash. What to do if the door is jammed? First of all, don’t panic and try to find the cause of the problem. In some cases, you can find an easy way to open metal door yourself if the lock is jammed. If the attempt is unsuccessful, maybe be able special service.

There are many reasons why a door lock gets stuck. Let's look at the most common ones:

• door or lock damage;
• misuse door lock or the door itself;
• the door and doorway were installed incorrectly;
• manufacturing defects;
• foreign objects getting into the locking mechanism;
• if a duplicate key made of low-quality material is used.

Each of these reasons brings with it a number of problematic cases that can arise at the most inopportune moment.

Do-it-yourself ways to fix a breakdown

Depending on what problem you are facing, you will find out that you can do to resolve the situation.

1. The key cannot be pulled out of the lock.

Such a nuisance can happen if the lock on the door breaks and its mechanism wears out. To get the key, you need to treat the lock hole with machine oil or kerosene. After this, you should very carefully, without sudden movements, remove the key from the cylinder. You definitely need to change the lock or cylinder in the near future, otherwise everything may happen again.

1. The lock jams when turning.

If the lock jams while turning the key, the cause may be a dirty cylinder. If you clean it from dust and dirt, the problem will be easily solved. You can also simply replace it. But if the measures taken do not bring results, and the lock still jams, only boring the door frame will help. The lock can also become jammed due to the use of a low-quality duplicate key.

1. The key won't turn , or it cannot even be inserted into the larva.

If you cannot turn the key, you should consider several reasons: contamination of the mechanism, a stuck piece of a key or other object, some mechanical damage. Initially, you need to clean the mechanism from contaminants using the same machine oil, kerosene, or simply olive or sunflower oil. After everything is processed, you need to insert the key and slowly move it into the keyhole. At the same time, you can tap the key a little so that it fits better. True, all these actions should be performed very carefully so as not to complicate the situation. After performing this action several times, you should try to see whether the key can now turn and how easily it fits into the keyhole.

To detect the presence of any foreign object, you must use a flashlight. You can remove the found object using tweezers or a thin wire bent with a hook.

1. Broken key stuck.

What should you do if the door does not open because the key has broken and part of it remains inside the lock? If the broken key is visible from the lock, it can be removed using pliers. If the rest of the key cannot be picked up using a tool, you will have to disassemble the lock and this is the only way to open the jammed door.

1. It turned out that someone left a key on the other side of the door

To remove the key from the opposite side, you can use a pin, thin nail or nail file. You may be able to solve the problem with these tools. The only caveat is that if the key in the lock is turned and positioned perpendicular to the entry, extraction in this way will be futile.

1. The next reason may be a breakdown of the mechanism spring (in the latch tongue), especially if you have an English-type lock installed.

These tabs turn out to be very weak, so it will not be difficult to squeeze them out with a knife or screwdriver. First you need to insert the knife into the place where the opening tab is located (between the door and the jamb). Then apply gentle pressure, but not too much, so as not to break the tool.

1. If the front door lock is jammed, you will have to disassemble it.

To understand how to open a jammed lock, you must first determine the cause. To do this, you need to unscrew the entire number of bolts and try to remove the lock itself. It may turn out that the reason is misalignment, damage from the hinge, or the frame is settling. To solve this problem, use wedges. They need to be driven in where the door leaf connects to the frame. If you don't have wedges on hand, then just use a regular screwdriver.

Alternative options for opening the lock

How to open a jammed door if the lock is broken and more gentle methods do not work? In this case, you will have to use “heavy artillery”:

• Removing the door from its hinges. This counts in a good way to preserve the integrity of the door leaf and the iron door frame itself. However, modern designs have protective bolts that may prevent you from using this method.
• Saw through the jammed locking tongue. It will take a lot of time and labor to cut it. This method will not work if between the frame and door leaf very small gap.
• Calling a specialist or the Ministry of Emergency Situations is the only way to open iron door, if all the above steps do not help. And in this case, there is hope that you will not have to completely change the doors or lock. After all, the master, with the help of his tools, will be able to deal with this problem much more carefully and quickly.

Preventative lock maintenance

To avoid this problem again, use some expert advice:

• To prevent debris or particles of any objects from getting into the keyhole, special protective pads should be used.
• Do not use the key for any other purpose. For example, opening bottles, packages or boxes.
• Observe the condition of the door to notice if the door block is misaligned.
• Do not use low-quality duplicates or foreign tools to open doors.
• Check the keyhole for debris.
• If you hear unusual sounds when turning the key, or notice that the key has begun to slip or enter the lock with great effort, you should immediately contact a mechanic. Otherwise, you run the risk of finding your door lock jammed again.

When the front door does not open from the inside or outside, there is not always time and opportunity to assess the complexity of the breakdown in a calm atmosphere and try to fix it yourself. In most cases it is better to call special assistance, whose specialists will be able to carefully open the lock. Most owners of private houses have the opportunity not to spend money on professional help if the lock does not open for any reason, backdoor is provided in many cottages, and until the situation is resolved, you can use another entrance.

Castle on entrance doors- This is such a familiar device for everyone that they stopped paying attention to it long ago. Every day, when we come home, we mechanically insert the key into the keyhole, without thinking that we also need to take care of the locking mechanism. And, unfortunately, after a while, when we once again enter the door and discover that the lock cannot be opened with the key, there is no one to blame. Let's discuss what to do in such a situation.

Why won't the key turn in the lock?

If the key does not turn in the lock, this is a sure sign of problems either with the secret mechanism or with the key. It is much easier to figure out the reasons for a key failure than a mechanism failure, if only because access to the inside of the lock is very limited. Before you begin to deal with lock malfunctions, you should determine the type of its secret mechanism. According to the type of secret, locks are divided into:

• level;
• cylinder;
• rack and pinion;
• magnetic.

Important! To determine the type of lock you don’t need to be an expert, just look at the key. Leveler keys are very different from cylinder lock keys.

Typical causes of lock faults

To open magnetic and rack locks, you do not need to turn the key, so we will not consider them. As for lever and cylinder locking devices, this problem is more than relevant for them. If the key in the lever and cylinder lock does not turn, then there may be reasons for this.

1. Key malfunction. Quite often, “flimsy” keys to cylinder locks break if they are used for other purposes: they are used to open bottles, used as a tool, or damaged by accident. It is highly not recommended to push a key whose tip has broken off or whose tooth has come off.
2. Getting debris and dirt into the secret mechanism. The cylinder lock is sensitive to dirt because its mechanism is miniature. Grains of sand, falling between the pins, stop them and prevent them from working. Dirt gets into the lock in different ways: it can be pushed in by an intruder, it can penetrate into the secret along with a smeared key, or it can accumulate in the form of compressed lumps of dust over time.
3. Attempt to break the lock. If an attempt to break into a cylinder lock is unsuccessful, the mechanism may “refuse to accept the original key.” In this case, you can freely insert it into the keyhole, but you may not be able to turn it or pull it back out.
4. Factory defect or incorrect installation. If you have just started using the lock, the inability to turn the key in it may be due to a defect that was caused by jamming of the mechanism. Or the locking device was not installed correctly.
5. Wear. It is not surprising that a heavily worn lock will fail at one not-so-wonderful moment. But such a refusal is usually preceded by numerous cases of biting the key. In this case, the malfunction is entirely on the conscience of the owner, because it was he who allowed such wear and tear and did not take any measures.

What to do if a lever or cylinder lock is stuck?

If you have the misfortune of inserting a defective key into a cylinder lock, then be prepared for the fact that it will not only not turn, but will also become firmly stuck in the keyhole. The first thing to do in such a situation is not to panic and not to try to make great efforts while trying to turn the key in the keyhole. A weak key may break in half, making the problem worse.

Take WD-40 fluid or, as a last resort, machine oil and lubricate the key and the inside of the lock as best as possible. Then, using a rocking motion, try to remove the key from the keyhole. Once this is done, inspect it for damage. If any are found, go to a key specialist and ask them to make a working duplicate. If parts of the old key are not stuck in the lock mechanism, then a duplicate will open it.

If the key in the lock does not turn due to dirt, then the cylinder lock, as well as the lever lock, must first be lubricated with WD-40. Plus, before trying to open it again, you need to try pressing or pressing the door leaf to facilitate the movement of the crossbars. Such a lubricant can help loosen the dirt in the mechanism and make it difficult for you to open it.

Important! After the lock opens, you will have to open its body and thoroughly clean the mechanism from dirt, foreign objects and thickened lubricant.

If they tried to open your lock with a master key and damaged the mechanism, then it will be impossible to open it with a key. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to immediately understand that they tried to open the lock. The only way out is to try to perform all the above actions, and only then resort to a rough opening.

A rough opening will help with any damage to the lock mechanism, when it is no longer possible to open it using manipulation methods. If the above problem occurs with the cylinder lock, you can resort to drilling out its cylinder. Take a drill and a thin blade screwdriver. Bend the tip of the screwdriver to create a tool called a roller. Insert a metal drill bit into the drill.

You need to drill out the cylinder very carefully at low speeds. The fact is that the lock cylinder can be protected with carbide inclusions, so high speed the drill can be easily broken. Having drilled out the cylinder, you can insert a screwdriver into it and remove it. After this, using a roll, you can move the bolt in the direction of opening the lock.

The lever lock can also be opened using a drill. To do this you need to damage fastener holding the bolt. The problem is that this mount is quite small and its location is not easy. It is best to find on the Internet a drawing of the lock model that you have installed and determine the location of the element you are looking for exactly according to the drawing, so there is less chance of making a mistake. Once the place has been found, you can drill through the door leaf and fasten the bolt through; as soon as this succeeds, consider the door to be open.

When faced with the problem of being unable to open a lock with a key, do not panic. Remember, there are no hopeless situations. As a last resort, you can always call a door opening specialist. Fortunately, there are plenty of companies that sell the services of such specialists.

An unpleasant surprise can await a person at the most inopportune moment. By inserting a key into the keyhole and waiting for the usual characteristic click of the door opening, you may be faced with a persistent reluctance of the mechanism to perform the usual action and urgently let the owner into the apartment.

What to do if and how to deal with the problem on your own, without waiting for the arrival of a specialist, who, even with an urgent call, can be slow? There are ways to resolve this situation, each of which depends on the specific reason for the malfunction of the lock.

How to deal with a broken door lock?

The door lock may be completely broken, and then the only option will be to dismantle and replace it, but most often the breakdown can be repaired on your own. The malfunction can manifest itself in two ways: the device does not open when closed door and doesn't want to close when it's open. In this case (when the door does not close), you need to make sure that the whole problem is in the lock, and not in the door leaf sagging on the old hinges or debris that has gotten into the hole for the tongue to enter. To do this, turn the lock handle several times open door, and if it is still confirmed that the lock is broken, then you will have to start disassembling the case and prepare the materials and tools necessary for the work:

• screwdriver;
• tweezers;
• a small brush with hard bristles (can be replaced with an old toothbrush);
• soft fabric;
• kerosene;
• machine oil.

First of all, unscrew the mounting screws, remove the door lock and place it on flat surface. Then they begin to disassemble the case itself; to do this, remove the screws holding the cover. Having opened it, they inspect it inner part devices to identify broken or deformed parts. Immediately you need to use tweezers to clean all possible places from dirt and dust. The reason may be in the bolt lever or springs, one of which serves to return the lever to its proper place, and the second holds the latch. If you find that the bolt bar is bent, you can straighten it by holding it in a vice. Broken springs will have to be replaced, and those that have jumped out of the fastenings will have to be installed in their proper place.

Before removing parts, you should remember the diagram of their location, so as not to later encounter a misunderstanding of where they were installed.

All removed elements must be washed with kerosene and wiped dry with a soft cloth. Assembled structure lubricate with machine oil, then install the cover and return the lock to its original place.

How to open a door with a broken lock?

More a difficult situation occurs when the door lock breaks while the door is closed. In these cases, even the most confident people fall into complete confusion and feel helpless. It becomes especially offensive when the key in the keyhole does not want to not only turn, but also to be pulled out of it. What to do if the key itself is broken and there are no available tools to remove it from the lock slot? The fact that to repair a device you need to at least open the door is clear even to a layman. There are several clever ways to do this.

You can try to press the door. You will need a screwdriver, a metal ruler or a regular plastic card. Any of these items is inserted into the gap between the door leaf and the frame exactly in the place where the tongue of the locking system is located. The tool is tilted towards the handle and they try to push it as deeply as possible along the tongue with a sliding movement. Then they try to move the latch with one hand, and with the other they pull the door in their direction.

If the design allows you to unscrew the visible bolts, then this can be done with a penknife or a nail file, and then squeeze out the locking mechanism. In particularly serious cases, knocking out the cylinder or drilling it out is applicable. The last way to deal with a jammed lock is to cut the door off its hinges using a grinder.