Calling all PH thieves
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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Help please.
I'm locked inside my own house.

To cut a long story short my front door has broke and the handle just spins aimlessly doing nothing. The lock itself is fine but just not the handle. So at the moment I have to use my garage as a new front door...


The black marks are grease marks from when I was messing with the lock a few mins ago... I'm not a scruff....

So how the hell do I get this door off without using a battering ram or some C4?
Last option would be calling someone out who will charge £100 callout, £100 per hour labour and £10000000 in parts.

Thanks guys

jacobpalmer05

451 posts

193 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
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ewenm

28,506 posts

276 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Does turning the key in the lock also work the handle latch? It does on ours, so try turning the key beyond unlocked to open the latches.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
ewenm said:
Does turning the key in the lock also work the handle latch? It does on ours, so try turning the key beyond unlocked to open the latches.
No it doesn't I'm afraid.



AcidReflux

3,211 posts

285 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Aren't there screws on the inside part of the handle plate that hold the two handles together, sandwiching the door? After I fitted new handles to our front door, the square rod used to drift horizontally until the outside handle span pointlessly like yours, but removing the inner handle allowed me to reposition the square rod so that it worked again. (In the end I've had to wedge something into the hole in the handle to stop the rod drifting out of position.)

wildoliver

9,322 posts

247 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Remove handle usually 2 phillips screws from inside. Hopefully you will find the square shaft has broken. If not it must be the actual latch assembly.

Paulbav

2,144 posts

266 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Paint scraper or chisel in the seam of the retaining bead around the glass, tap it in the centre of the seam and it should pop the bead out a bit, grab it and pull it out and repeat for the other three beads it gets easier each one you do, remove glass and hey presto access to the inside (if you're very small) refit by doing the reverse.

ETA

really didn't read the OP did I rolleyes

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
AcidReflux said:
Aren't there screws on the inside part of the handle plate that hold the two handles together, sandwiching the door? After I fitted new handles to our front door, the square rod used to drift horizontally until the outside handle span pointlessly like yours, but removing the inner handle allowed me to reposition the square rod so that it worked again. (In the end I've had to wedge something into the hole in the handle to stop the rod drifting out of position.)
I'm not going to mess with it tonight as I know no one can get in or out for that matter but I'll have a proper look tomorrow when there is daylight.

All suggestions would be greatly appreciated though and I'll try them tomorrow. All the ones that I can anyway...
Keep them coming thumbup

Cheers in advance PH.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Cut around the inside of the door and fit a new, smaller door inside the broken one.

Mysterious, and a good conversation starter, probably.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Nyphur said:
Cut around the inside of the door and fit a new, smaller door inside the broken one.

Mysterious, and a good conversation starter, probably.
May be cheaper for a 'man' to come and fix it but I'll keep it this idea in the back of my head.

RevYob

3,560 posts

205 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Nyphur said:
Cut around the inside of the door and fit a new, smaller door inside the broken one.

Mysterious, and a good conversation starter, probably.
Genius.

wolves_wanderer

12,959 posts

268 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Nyphur said:
Cut around the inside of the door and fit a new, smaller door inside the broken one.

Mysterious, and a good conversation starter, probably.
bow

Simpo Two

93,068 posts

296 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
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Shall we call the police and say there's a cannabis farm at your address? They'll have that door down in no time hehe

stevensdrs

3,265 posts

231 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Remove the screws from the cover and the whole handle assembly can be withdrawn. You can then check if the turning bar is spinning in the handle or not. If it is you will need a new handle assembly. If the bar is broken you can replace it with any square bar that fits. If the latch assembly has detached from the lock assembly (unlikely) then you are in the poo.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
stevensdrs said:
Remove the screws from the cover and the whole handle assembly can be withdrawn. You can then check if the turning bar is spinning in the handle or not. If it is you will need a new handle assembly. If the bar is broken you can replace it with any square bar that fits. If the latch assembly has detached from the lock assembly (unlikely) then you are in the poo.
The actual latch bit where the thing came up and down has snapped and I have no idea how.

Rickyy

6,618 posts

250 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
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Can you pry off the quadrant beading holding on the PVC panel at the bottom and remove the panel?

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Rickyy said:
Can you pry off the quadrant beading holding on the PVC panel at the bottom and remove the panel?
This'll be one of those things I have to look at tomorrow.

B160 AVE

665 posts

203 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
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You won`t get a credit card down to release the latch due to the overhang on the door edge.

If you have a pot of yoghurt in the fridge, munch it then cut off the bottom and the top rim and cut straight up from top to bottom, so you basically have a flexible but tough plastic square rolled up.

Now turn it inside out and feed it behind the door ledge, it will automatically follow the curvature of the door and is strong enough to release the latch.

Good Luck thumbup

elanfan

5,527 posts

258 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
PSB - the answer has already been given in part. DO NOT try to take any beading or glass out - it is a pointless exercise. Remove the outer gold covering of the lock mechanism (looks as though there is a screw under the bottom of the lock barrel). This should give you access to where the handles are attached to either side of the door via square section metal bar. The problem is that either this has broken or more likely it has 'rounded' within the square section of the handle - in which case you will need new handles. First port of call the manufacturer of your door for a replacement handle set. If not take it your local UPVC wholesaler and get a near match taking the old handle with you for reference.

I'd lay money on it being a very cheap and easy repair - if somewhat inconvenient.

Good Luck

Edited by elanfan on Wednesday 21st September 22:39

FraserLFA

5,083 posts

205 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Nyphur said:
Cut around the inside of the door and fit a new, smaller door inside the broken one.

Mysterious, and a good conversation starter, probably.
If everyone in this thread chips in, OP, you have to do that!