Front door handle replacement process

An important part of any door design is the handle. We use it every day to open and then close the door. Constant mechanical stress and pressure on this element of the door structure can lead to breakdown over time. By the way, door handles fail more often than locks. And if this happens, it is necessary to make a replacement.

Usually, only two types of handles are used for the front door. There are push products that serve for the necessary control of the latch in the lock, and there are stationary handles, whose task is to help open the door.

Lever handles, on the other hand, can be a little more troublesome. And first you need to determine the type of breakdown, and only then make repairs. Let's consider the main types of breakdowns.

• The handle has dropped off, but the part that secures to the door remains in place. This problem can be easily solved in just 15-20 minutes. Usually, such a breakdown indicates a poor-quality workmanship of the product.

• Inside the handle, a square may burst, as a result of which the latch will stop opening. This can happen if the manufacturer used silumin in the manufacture. This material is quite fragile and breaks down from constant heavy loads.

• The latch does not react and does not move, that is, it does not open due to sinking or wear of the square, but already the outer one, which performs the connecting function of the two handles on both sides and ensures the rotation of the latch. The square itself rarely wears out, therefore this type of breakdown is referred to as isolated cases.

• Basically, the latch stops responding and does not open when the length of the square is obviously not enough, that is, this is a marriage during installation and negligence shown during installation. In this case, the square will move towards the handle over time, and the other handle, which will remain without it, will stop opening the latch. It is not difficult to determine this type of breakdown: on one side of the door the handle will work, but on the other it will not.

• The swing arm is often loose. That is, the handle begins to sag, thereby negatively affecting the overall appearance of the door. The reason for the loosening of the lever is the stretched return spring, which, over time, simply cannot fully fulfill its direct functions. This type of problem can also arise from the "licking" of the edges of the inner square that holds the handle. Problems can also arise with a short stem, as the entire assembly will not function properly.

• Replacement of the handle for the front door may be required when the base of the product falls off its leaf. This can happen due to poor-quality or improper fastening of the panel with self-tapping screws, and not bolts. This, in turn, leads to the breaking of the holes and the complete or partial erasure of the thread. By the way, if the bolster is too tight, the handle can also fall off. Constant overloading of the unit fasteners when closing the sash can also lead to breakage.

It is quite possible to correctly replace the handles on the entrance metal door on your own, provided that the following factors are taken into account.

• First, you will need to pick up a new pad with levers, where the bolt holes are exactly the same as the previous version. To make a fitting, you will have to dismantle the old copy, so it will be easier to decide in the store.

• The shape of the door handle structure may be the same, while the bolts to the product may differ in length. This should also be considered when buying a new copy. It must be suitable for screed to a certain thickness of the door leaf. If the new fasteners are slightly shorter in length, you will have to use the old ones for installation. The same can be said for the plate that is used to pivot the additional bolt, usually located on the inside of the door.

• If there is information about the model name and the manufacturer of the door handles installed initially, it will be much easier to find a new copy.

• When picking up a new handle, you also need to remember that they can be both right and left. It will not be possible to fix this later, you will have to return to the store and change the product.

• If the lock is equipped with an additional latch, then the handle cover must have a special slot with a switch for it.

• Color and design are important selection factors. A door with a handle must be in harmony.

These simple tips will help you make the right choice, which will greatly facilitate the subsequent replacement of the doorknob.

Before dismantling the old handle and installing a new copy, you need to open the door and remove the key from the keyhole. The recessed bolt securing the pivot arm is unscrewed with a hexagon. This hidden knot is at the very bottom, in the center under the curve of the handle.

Next, you can start unscrewing all the tightening bolts that press the door handle plates. So it will turn out to remove each of the sides sequentially. If the square of the new specimen is shorter, you can rearrange the bar from the old structure, just before installing it you need to check it, there should be no erased edges. After that, a plate is attached so that the valve can be rotated normally.

Then, to replace the handle of the door structure of the apartment, you need to insert one part of it from the outside of the canvas. An identical part is attached to the reverse side of the sash and bolts are tightened. The pivot arm is attached to the protruding square. After finishing the installation, you need to check the dog: whether it moves with the handle of the door handle, whether it then easily returns to its original position. If, during installation, a drop of machine oil is used and the lock is lubricated, then the service life of the entire unit as a whole will increase.

For information on how to install the handle on the front door, see the next video.