Broken door handle
easy 15–45 min
Tools: Phillips and flat screwdrivers, hex key set, pliers, tape measure · Materials: replacement handle or lockset matching the backset (60 or 70 mm / 2⅜ or 2¾ inch), longer strike-plate screws
Steps
- Tighten first: on most handles the two through-bolts sit behind a cover plate on the inside rose, or under a tiny set screw on a lever — a wobbly handle is usually two loose screws.
- If the latch does not spring back, remove the handle, pull the latch bolt out of the door edge, and work some dry lubricant into it; a broken spring means the latch is replaced as a unit.
- If the door does not catch, check the strike: close the door slowly and watch where the latch hits; move the strike or file its opening so the latch drops in.
- Measure the backset (door edge to the centre of the handle hole) and the door thickness before buying a replacement so the new latch fits the existing holes.
- Fit the new lockset: latch first, then the exterior half with its spindle through the latch, then the interior half, and test it with the door open before closing it.
- Replace the strike-plate screws with 75 mm (3-inch) ones so the latch keeps lining up as the door settles.
Stop and call a pro if
- the door is a fire door or an exterior door where the deadbolt also fails — that is a locksmith visit for security
- the handle hole is torn out or the door is cracked around the lock
- the lock is a mortice type with a broken case inside the door
What a pro does that you can't
A locksmith replaces a mortice lock or a broken multipoint mechanism, keys the new cylinder to your existing keys, and repairs a door edge that has split around the lock.
DIY cost: $0–5 to tighten; $15–60 for a lockset