How to Replace Door Handles The door handles in your home are an essential part of the decor. A new handle will bring your home's decor and interior up-to-date. Over time your doors' knobs can start to feel stiff and even break. These are indicators that it's time to replace them. This guide will help you choose the best door handle replacement for your home. Door Knobs Door handles enhance the appearance of your home, while making it easier for people to open and shut doors. They are available in a range of colors, finishes, and types to complement your decor. If yours has begun to show signs of wear or requires an upgrade it is possible to change them in just a few easy steps. You need to locate the shaft, or spindle, through which the knob is attached to the door. Some knobs have a tiny hole that you can put the screwdriver with a small diameter to loosen the set screws that hold the handle in place. Some have a small slot or hole in which you can use the flathead screwdriver on a spring-activated pin, also known as a detent. When you press this pin and the latch mechanism opens, it releases and allows you to pull or push on the knob. Once you have access to the shaft or spindle, remove the old door knob and replace it with the new one. Be https://www.repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk/ewell-windowrepair/ to align it properly and test to see that the latch works properly before tightening your new set screws. Once you've replaced the knob, put the rod of the latch over the hole in the door and then lock it using 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 people choose an brushed or smooth metal finish for the door hardware to give their home a modern and sleek look. It will complement the furniture they have. Others prefer a more rustic design that is a good match for farmhouse-styled spaces. If you have one of your family members with mobility issues, you may want to choose the lever or rim lock that require less pressure to operate. Other aspects are being looked at more and more when it comes to the design of door handles. Accessibility and control of infections have been major considerations in the creation of new designs for handles. For example, some can be operated using the arm of a person. Latch The latch that holds the door handle open can wear down over time. It is easy to change the latch on your door handle. This will make huge differences in how it opens and closes. Depending on the kind of handle you have depending on the type of handle you have, the latch may be part of the knob itself, or it could be an individual piece attached to the door. In either case, you will follow the same process for removing and replacing. Getting the old latch out of the way is relatively simple, especially if your door handle has what is known as a "magic button". The tiny pressure-slot, which is located on the side knob is what you will need to press in order to pull the latch out of the handle. If your handle isn't equipped with this magical button, the first step is to take off any cover plates that rest over the latch plate. They are typically rectangular or circular and can be removed with the aid of a screwdriver. Some have a small slot in them where you can insert your screwdriver through, while others simply snap off. The next step is to remove the two machine screws holding the latch and the inner plate to the door handle. These are the shorter screws with a pointy tip - you will be required to keep them in a safe place to reuse them in subsequent steps. After the screws have been removed, you can remove the latch plate as well as the mechanism from the hole and put it aside. You can now begin working on the new latch. Insert the inside plate of the latch into the hole in the door and secure it with the hardware provided. Make sure that the square pin on the interior of the latch is facing the latching mechanism inside the handle and is aligned with the other holes for screws in the handle. Then, secure the exterior latch plate using the screws supplied. Strike Plate One of the most common reasons to replace the door handle is because it is loose or doesn't lock properly. This is often caused by incorrectly aligned parts in the latching mechanism, like a strike plate that's too short or moved upwards or downwards on the doorjamb over time. This project allows you replace your old strikeplate with a more substantial one, which can provide greater security for your door and keep it closed. Apply some lipstick or other marking material on the latch bolt to check if it is the strike plate. Close the door and try to latch it. If the mark is lower than the strike plate's hole, it indicates that the plate is too small and the door will not latch. If the mark is above the strike plate hole, it's likely that the strike plate has been moved upwards or downwards on the doorjamb. You may be able simply to install the new strikeplate in the existing one by using the screws supplied with it, depending on the door. However, you may need to pre-drill holes and then chisel out some of the wood to make sure it's snugly fitted. If this is the situation, be careful to not cut too much wood or you could damage the strength of the doorjamb. You can also try installing a new strike plate which gives the lock a much stronger hold on the door and requires more force to open it. Typically, it requires two longer screws that anchor the strike plate to the door frame. To do this, you'll have to take off the existing strike plate and then drill and chisel away the wood to create space for the new one. This strike plate is made to work with antique rim locks, and it's made from sturdy solid brass in an extremely thick. It comes with wood screws and machine screws, so you'll have the right hardware for the job. Make sure to note that the wood screws have a sharp edge, whereas the machine screws are more blunt.