How to Replace Your Patio Door Lock

People always take care of the security of their home door locks normally, while, they also ignore the problem of other locks at home, like patio lock. It also needs to be replaced when it is broken or blocked. Do you know how to replace the patio door lock at home?

 

How to Replace Your Patio Door Lock at Home

Open The Patio Door at First

When it comes to many of the different patio door locks, you will be able to remove them without having the door open. And in some instances, the lock itself will not need to be open. Locks can be opened once they are partially disassembled or opened by virtue of being removed. You will just need access to the interior of the home, which is only a problem if you are locked out of your house.

 

If you are using a mortise latch lock, you will have to get the door open in order to continue with the patio door lock replacement. Opening the door will be very similar to unlocking a bathroom door lock, as this latch is not designed for security. But if the lock is broken, call a locksmith so you do not run the risk of damaging the door.

 

You should not have to worry about unlocking the door without a key because you should have access to the interior of the home where a key is not used. In the event that you are locked out of the room, you will need a locksmith’s lockout service. It is not recommended that you try to force the door open, especially if it is a sliding glass patio door.

 

Disassembly the Patio Door Lock

When it comes to patio door lock replacement, things can start to truly go wrong during the disassembly process. In the case of sliding patio door lock replacement, you want to be very careful not to have your lock picking tools hit the glass. Excessive pressure from power tools or slipping tools can damage or even break the glass.

 

Besides being gentle, there is also the concern of losing track of parts. Springs and latches that may have broken loose can fall into the door and create all kinds of headaches. Mortise locks installed inside vinyl sliding doors are at risk of falling through/inside the door, so steps must be taken to hold them in place as set screws are removed.

 

On the optimistic side of things, the disassembly aspect of patio door lock replacement gives you the opportunity to see how your lock works. During this step, you may find that the lock cylinder is removable and you will have the option of rekeying or replacing your lock. Though it is possible that rekeying will not solve the problem with your lock.

 

Installation

The lock installation aspect of patio door lock replacement can either be the most complicated or the least depending on what you are trying to achieve. The least complex version of installing a new patio door lock is achievable by replacing the broken lock with the exact same style and brand.

 

The most complex patio door lock replacement comes from using a new lock, which requires new holes or changes to the patio door. If you have opted for the simple patio door lock replacement, you can reverse the disassembly steps and the lock should install correctly.

 

When in doubt, just refer to the documentation that came with your new patio door lock. Be sure not to completely tighten one screw until every screw is partially inserted. One screw fully tightened before others can lead to issues with the lock fitting properly.

 

Complex patio door lock replacement is best left to a residential locksmith. If you have to make significant changes to your door, you need to do it correctly the first time, or you run the risk of needing a full patio door lock replacement. If you insist on doing this work yourself, the best advice I can give would be to measure twice and cut once.

 

Test

Lock and unlock the door several times to make sure the issue you were experiencing before the patio door lock replacement has been fixed. You may find that the door lock sticks or only turns when excessive force is applied. This is very common, especially after sliding patio door lock replacement where an external latch lock is used.

 

The solution should be less complex than when a door knob is stuck, and only requires you to adjust the tolerances on the lock so everything is less tight. You may also find it necessary to shorten the tailpiece on the cylinder or add a spacer to give a bit more distance between the tailpiece and lock actuator.

 

People can follow the guidance to know how to replace patio door lock and you had better do this with the help of locksmiths. They can instruct you to make right decisions in the process of installation.