How to Replace Door Handles The door handles in your home are an important part of the interior design. A new handle will elevate your home's decor and bring your decor up to date. Over time the knobs on your door may become stiff, or even break. These are indicators that it's time to change them. This guide will help choose the right door handle replacement for your home. Door Knobs The handles on your doors can enhance the look of your home and make it easier to shut and open them. They are available in a variety of colors, finishes and types to match your decor. If yours is beginning to show signs of wear or requires an upgrade You can replace them in a couple of easy steps. You need to locate the shaft, or spindle through which the knob is attached to the door. Some knobs have a small opening that you can access with a screwdriver to remove the set screws that hold the handle in place. Some have a small slot, or hole, that you can use to press a spring-activated detent pin with a flathead. The pin opens the latch mechanism and allows you pull or push the knob. Once you have access to the spindle or shaft, remove the old door knob and replace it with the new one. Check that the latch functions properly before tightening the set screws. After replacing the knob, put the rod for latching over the door's hole and lock it in place with the rod mechanism on the second knob. Make sure the holes are aligned then tighten the latch plate screws. Some people choose a smooth or brushed metal finish for the door hardware to give their home a sleek and contemporary look. This will match their other furniture. Others prefer a more rustic design which is great for rustic-styled rooms. If you have members of your household with mobility limitations You may want to consider choosing a rim lock or lever-style door knobs, which require less pressure to operate. Other factors are being looked at more and more when it comes to the design of door handles. Accessibility and infection control have been major considerations in the development of new designs for handles. For example, some can be operated with an arm. Latch The latch that holds the door handle open will wear down as time passes. It is simple to change the latch on your door handle. This will make an enormous difference in the way it opens and closes. Depending on the kind of handle you have depending on the type of handle you have, the latch may be a part of the knob or it might be an independent piece that is attached to the door. In either case, the same process for removing and reinstalling will apply. https://www.repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk/thamesmead-windowrepair/ to remove the old latch, especially if you have doors with a "magic" button. This tiny pressure-slot, found on the side knob is what you need to press in order to pull the latch out of the handle. If your handle isn't equipped with this button the first step is to take off any cover plates that sit over the latch plate. They are typically circular or rectangular and can be removed by using a screwdriver in order to remove them off of the handle. Some have slots where you can place your screwdriver. Other handles just snap off. Then, unscrew the machine screws that attach the inner plate and latch to the door handle. You will need to store the screws that are shorter and have sharp tips in a secure location to be able to reuse them later. Once these are off you can remove the latch plate and mechanism out of the door's hole and put it away. Then you can begin to install the new latch. Place the inside of the latch into the hole in the door, and secure it using the provided hardware. Make sure the square pin on the interior of the latch is facing the latching mechanism inside the handle, and that it lines up with the other screw chambers of the door handle. Then, push the outside latch plate onto the handle and secure it with the provided screws. Strike Plate One of the most frequent reasons to replace the door handle is because it feels loose or isn't locking properly. This is usually due to incorrectly aligned parts in the latching mechanism, such as an unbalanced strike plate that is too small or shifted upwards or downwards on the doorjamb over time. This simple fix allows you to replace your old strike plate with a longer, new one that can provide greater security and will keep your door shut. Apply a lipstick or other marking material on the latch bolt to determine if it's the strike plate. Close the door and attempt to latch it. If the mark is below your strike plate hole, it means that the plate is too small and the door won't latch. If the mark is above or below the strikeplate hole, the strikeplate may have been moved upwards or downwards on the doorjamb. It is possible to install the new strikeplate in the one you have already installed using the screws included with it, depending on the door you have. It is possible that you will need to drill holes first, and then chisel some wood out to ensure a tight fit. If this is the case, you must be cautious not to chisel too hard or you'll damage the strength of your doorjamb. You can also try installing a new box strike plate that provides the lock with a stronger hold on the door and requires more force to open it. It usually requires two larger screws to anchor the strike plate to the frame of the door. To do this, you'll have to remove the existing strike plate, then drill and chisel out the wood to make space for the new one. This hard-to find strike plate is made of solid brass and comes with a heavy-duty thickness. It's specifically designed to be used with antique rim locks. It comes with both machine screws and wood screws, ensuring that you have the correct equipment for your task. Be aware that wood screws have a sharp tip, whereas the machine ones are more blunt.