How to Replace Door Handles Door handles are a crucial part of your home's decor. A new handle can bring your decor and space up-to-date. Over time the knobs on your door may become stiff, or even break. These are indicators that it's time to replace them. This guide will help you select the best door handle replacement for your home. Door Knobs The handles on your doors will enhance the look of your home and make it easier to shut and open them. They come in a wide variety of finishes, colors, and styles to complement your decor. If https://www.repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk/hayes-windowrepair/ is beginning to appear worn or just need an upgrade replacing them is simple and can be done in just a few steps. You'll need to find the shaft, or spindle, through which the knob is inserted to the door. Some knobs have a small opening that you can access with a screwdriver to remove the set screws that keep the handle in place. Some have a slot or hole in which you can use a flathead screwdriver to press on a spring-activated pin, also known as a detent. When you press the pin and the latch mechanism opens, it releases and lets you pull or push the knob. Once you have the spindle, or shaft in your hands take the knob off and replace it. Make sure you align it properly and verify that the latch works correctly before tightening the new set screws. After you've replaced the knob, place the rod for latching over the door's hole and interlock it with the rod mechanism on the second knob. Make sure the holes are lined up, then thread in the screws for the latch plate and tighten the screws. Some prefer the smooth or brushed finish on their door hardware for a sleek, contemporary look that matches other furnishings in their homes. Some people prefer a rustic style that is perfect for farmhouse-style rooms. If you have members of your household who are unable to move, you may be interested in the rim lock or lever-style door knobs, which require less pressure to operate. While aesthetics are traditionally the main consideration when it comes to door handle design, other factors are being taken into consideration too. Accessibility and control of infections are two major issues that have led to the creation of innovative new handle designs, such as ones that can be operated using a person's forearm. Latch The latch that opens your door will wear out due to the wear and tear of use. It is simple to replace the latch on your door handle. This will make huge differences in how it opens and closes. Depending on what kind of handle you choose the latch may be a separate piece or an integral part of the knob. In either case, the same process to remove and install is applicable. It's easy to remove the old latch, especially in the case of doors with a "magic" button. This little pressure-slot, located on the side knob is what you need to press in order to remove the latch of the handle. If your handle does not have this magic button you'll have to take off the cover plates that are placed over the latch plate. They are typically circular or rectangular and can be removed by using a screwdriver in order to remove them off the handle. Some have a small slot in them that you can slide your screwdriver into, while others snap off. The next step is to unscrew the two machine screws that secure the latch and inner plate to the door handle. You will need to store the screws that are shorter and have an angled tip in a safe place so that you can reuse them later. After these screws are removed, you can take the latch plate and mechanism out of the door's hole and put it away. You can now begin working on the new latch. Install the latch plate into the door hole and secure it with the hardware provided. Make sure that the square pin on the inside of the latch is pointing towards the latching mechanism inside the handle and that it lines up with the other screw chambers inside the door handle. Then, secure the exterior latch plate using the screws provided. Strike Plate It is common to replace a door handle when it feels loose, or isn't locking properly. This is often due to malfunctioning components of the latching mechanism, such as a strike plate that's too small or has moved upwards or downwards on the doorjamb as time passes. This project lets you replace your old strikeplate with a longer one, which can provide better security for your door and ensure it stays shut. To determine if the issue is due to the strike plate, apply some lipstick or a similar marking material to the bolt that is used to latch. Close the door, then try to latch it. If the mark is located below the strike plate hole this indicates that your door isn't latching because the plate isn't long enough. If the mark is higher or below the strikeplate hole the strikeplate is likely to have been moved upwards or downwards on the doorjamb. You may be able simply to screw the new strikeplate into place over the existing one using the screws that come with it, depending on the door you have. However, you may need to drill holes prior to drilling and then chisel out some of the wood to make sure it's snugly fitted. If this is the case, be careful not to chisel too much or you may damage the strength of your doorjamb. Installing a brand new box-style strike plate will give the lock a stronger grip on doors and require more force to open the doors. It usually requires two longer screws to fix the strike plate in the frame of the door. You'll have to remove the old strike plate before drilling and chiseling the wood to make room for the new one. This strike plate is made to work with rim locks from the past, and it's made from robust solid brass with an extremely thick. It comes with wood screws and machine screws, ensuring that you have the correct equipment for your task. Make sure to note that the wood screws have a pointy tip, whereas the machine screws are more blunt.