How Door Handles Fail

Door knobs and door handles are a staple part of residential and commercial spaces.

How door handles fail.

Often times you will find them affixed to interior doors and if they are used on exterior doors they are used in conjunction with a deadbolt or another secure locking mechanism that is used to bolster security. One of the first symptoms of a problem with an exterior door handle is a loose door handle. A worn or damaged exterior door handle can sometimes become noticeably loose in the door. Typically the problem is the result of a missing or loose screw in the house door plate.

The outdoor handle fell off a model 350 door due to the failure of the metal lip holding the door handle in place. Door will not open. Use masking tape to secure the door handle kit s template to the door at this spot. The locking mechanism on the house door handle might fail to properly open and latch the door.

The handle may hang noticeably loose when it is pulled on and may require more force than normal to open the door. Over time a house door handle can come loose and come off. It is a lousy design. The house door handle will continue to come off even after putting the handle back on.

Some door handle springs are handed for each handle on either side of the door and sourcing the right one can be confusing. Put your tape measure on the floor in front of your door and measure up 41 inches from the floor since this is the most common placement for door handles. Replacement may not always be straight forward. The circlip can break or weaken leading to premature future failure.

Installing a door handle is a relatively easy home project that you can do with a pre made kit. The larson door replaced one who was in place over 35 years as we wanted a pet door.