What to do when the lock in an iron door has broken how to open it with your own hands

What malfunctions are most often the reason that the lock is jammed in the door of the apartment?

• Lack of proper care of the locking device. At least once every two months, the mechanism must be purged and lubricated with a special agent.
• The result of hooligan actions - the keyhole was filled with matches, filled with glue, or simply turned the secret device with a screwdriver.
• An attempt was made to break into the door, as a result of which the locking structure became unusable.
• The locking mechanism has worn out, internal parts have worn out.
• The door was warped as a result of the building's settlement, which caused the lock to jam in the canvas.
• The constipation was installed in violation of installation techniques.
• The wooden front door was swollen with moisture, blocking the operation of the locking device.
• The key has broken in the larva, after which it is impossible to get it.

In reality, there are much more similar situations in which the lock of the apartment door is jammed. Our service technicians who go to calls to open locks and front doors have dozens of different problems they face.

Experts advise to pay attention to the fact that if the breakage of the lock is not the result of external interference, in most cases, the lock on the door gives "signals" about imminent failure. This is manifested by a creak, a grinding noise when opening doors, difficulties in entering the key into the larva, or jamming the door lock when opening and closing the door.

The most common reasons for a malfunction of the lock

The most vulnerable part of the lock is its mechanism. Crossbars, and even more so the case, break much less often.

Most often, the lock fails due to the following reasons:

1. Wear due to long service life. Even the most reliable mechanism deteriorates over time. But if it is not subjected to extreme stress, properly operated, regularly inspected, cleaned and lubricated, adjusted, then the lock will last much longer.
2. The actions of hooligans or burglars. If debris gets into the keyhole due to childish mischief, this will cause the mechanism to jam. The actions of burglars can cause even more damage to the device, the damage can be so severe that the lock will have to be changed altogether.
3. Poor product quality. If, in the manufacture of the lock, they saved on metal, used material of poor quality, then it will not last long. Any element in it is capable of breaking.
4. Errors when installing the lock. If the locking mechanism was mounted skewed, then the crossbars will not correctly fall into the holes intended for them, the lock will experience a significant load.

In addition, the reason that the lock is jammed in the iron door can be the installation of a product unsuitable for the climatic conditions: frost, high humidity or dustiness.

Also, incorrect installation of the entrance structure will lead to breakdown, when the hinges are too small to support the impressive weight of the metal sheet. Or the hinges are so pressing that the door itself is too hard to close.

To avoid such moments, you need to order the installation of a door and lock in a company with a long-term, proven reputation, not to skimp on the quality of the lock.

Preventive maintenance of the lock

In order not to face such a 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 the skewed door unit.
• Do not use low-quality duplicates and 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, enter the lock with great effort - you should immediately contact the master. Otherwise, you run the risk of detecting the jammed door lock 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 more advisable to call special help, whose specialists will be able to accurately open the lock. Most owners of private houses have the opportunity not to spend money on professional assistance if the lock does not open for any reason, the back door is provided in many cottages, and until the situation is resolved, you can use another entrance.

What to do if the lock fails?

Most importantly, when the lock on the iron door is broken, stay calm and not get nervous. You do not need to put extra effort to open the lock. If the mechanism is jammed, then this approach will not work.
In the case when the key can be taken out of the lock, then it is necessary to remove it and carefully examine it. Perhaps the reason for the jamming of the mechanism is that the tine on the key itself has broken. Then you need to use the spare key.

Trying to unlock the locking mechanism using the master keys on your own is not the best solution. Without special skills, this will lead to permanent damage to the mechanism. It is better to call a specialist: he has experience in this matter and the right tools. There are many services for opening locking devices. If the lock in the iron door is jammed, they will tell you what to do. In extreme cases, they will come. Professionals will carefully open the locking device, taking care not to damage it. If this does not work, then they will be able to replace its damaged parts or the entire product.

How to Deal with a Broken Door Lock?

Mortise lock device diagram.

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

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

First of all, unscrew the fastening screws, remove the door lock and lay it on a flat surface. Then they begin to disassemble the case itself, for this they remove the screws holding the cover. Opening it, inspect the inside of the device for broken or deformed parts. Immediately, you need to clean all possible places of dirt and dust with tweezers. 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 it is found that the bolt bar is bent, then 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 mounts will have to be reinstalled.

Before removing the parts, you should remember the diagram of their location, so that later you do not face a misunderstanding of where they were installed.

All removed elements must be rinsed with kerosene and wiped dry with a soft cloth. The assembled structure is lubricated with machine oil, then the cover is installed and the lock is returned to its original place.

What to do if the key is broken?

This also happens quite often. The most important thing is to remove the remnants of the key. If at least a small part of it looks out of the lock, then pliers or tweezers will help to get the piece.

When part of the key remains in the keyhole, it is much more difficult to get it. But having at least some experience in such matters (I'm not talking about breaking into someone else's apartment now), you can handle it completely. You just need to ask your neighbor for some tools.

The whole process consists of several stages:

1. First you need to get a very thin jigsaw blade.
2. It needs to be pushed into the well from below, with the teeth upwards.
3. Then you should turn the blade slightly to pick up the stuck part of the key.
4. After that, you need to get it out along with the jigsaw blade and then open the lock.

If there is a second key, then use it. When there is no duplicate (spare) one, then proceed according to the scheme of opening a broken lock without a key.

In the case when in no way it is possible to get the metal remnants of the broken key, you will have to unscrew the lock. If it is cylindrical, then you need to drill it and get the larva for replacement. When a part of the key is stuck in the well, the best option is to call the special service and say that the iron door is stuck.

Opening the lock by simple means

If you nevertheless decided to open the lock in a metal door with your own efforts, then a hairpin or a metal clip will help. These "tools" are not suitable for every type of device.

Opening the lock with a hairpin:

1. It is necessary to break a paper clip or a hairpin into two parts, insert one part of it into the well.
2. With the help of the second, you need to move the pins, while simultaneously trying to turn the lock.
3. You can take any suitable piece of wire for this purpose.
4. If a lever-type lock is cut into the door, then you must first pull the door to the maximum, and then insert the wire and move the levers.
5. It is important that in this case pieces of wire do not get into the mechanism itself and do not get stuck there.

If you have a screwdriver at hand, and the lock is cross-shaped, then you can try to open it with this tool. To do this, you need to remove the upper part of the product; you can make a hole above the keyhole with a drill. Then insert a screwdriver and turn the locking mechanism. This method is useful for opening doors in which the handle is broken. If necessary, slide the latch, you must first remove the front panel.

Breakage of the lever type mechanism

The lock of this type consists of a body, a set of levers, a metal lever and a reverse spring.Most often, breakdowns are caused by erasing the grooves of the lever plates or breaking the lever with a spring.

To gain access to the components, you will have to disassemble the case, remove the handles, decorative overlays and unscrew the fixing hardware on the end plate. This can be done if the door is not locked. Having taken out the lock case, it is enough to unscrew the case screws and remove the cover. To install the restored locking mechanism, the procedure is repeated in reverse order. If there is no access to the end side of the canvas, you will have to remove the decorative strip of the metal door.

The worn out slots of the levers can be corrected with a file, aligning their shape. Other metal parts are also amenable to manual restoration with the use of a tool. In the event of serious defects, it is necessary to replace components that can be found on the spare parts market. For example, you can purchase a new set of levers with keys instead of worn ones. This will cost several times less than buying a new castle.

If the mechanism is jammed, you should first lubricate the internal parts through the keyhole and other holes. This will help if the incorrect operation is associated with a lack of factory lubrication.

What to do if the lever lock is broken?

Many are interested in how to open an iron door if a lever-type lock is jammed. This type of mechanism is originally designed by the manufacturer so that it can be repaired by yourself. The cheapest models of locking devices, which were made in China or Russia, cannot be repaired after a breakdown. The reason is that the kit does not include spare levers. In such products, it is impossible to reprogram the secret. If such a lock has fallen into disrepair, then there is only one way out: throw this one away and buy a new one, of higher quality, since repairing such a device can cost much more than buying another.

In the case when the lever lock was of high quality, imported, then it can be repaired on its own without calling specialists. Included with such locking devices are spare levers, as well as step-by-step instructions that will help you replace them.

To do this, it is necessary, without removing the device from the door, to carefully open the lock case, then take out the broken or worn levers and, following the instructions, install new (spare) ones. After that, to open the lock, you will need to use the keys from the set that came with the set.

Jammed door lock: how to open it yourself?

Quite often, wanting to save money on calling professionals or not being able to contact the emergency service, the owners of apartments and private houses try to open the lock or door on their own. As a rule, this leads to an aggravation of the problem, which then has to be corrected by our masters. Therefore, we have developed a small guide on how to open a door or lock with the least damage.

• If the key does not turn in the cylinder or is difficult to insert into it, try treating the keyhole with WD-40 universal fluid. Then wait a few minutes and try again. If the door faces the street and the lock is iced up due to condensation accumulated in it, special defrosting products will help, which can be purchased at any hardware store.
• If a key is stuck or broken in the mechanism, it must be carefully pulled out with pliers. When this fails, you will have to drill it along with the core. Then only the secret part will have to be changed, and not the whole mechanism.
• A skewed door that has blocked the locking device can be lifted with a wooden wedge or pry bar, inserting it between the bottom of the door leaf and the threshold. After opening, the door structure will need to be leveled.

When starting to open yourself, remember that unprofessional actions usually lead to a complete breakdown of the locking mechanism, damage to the coating or deformation of the door leaf and subsequent repair or replacement.