Getting doors and locks running again

When a door sticks, the lock is rarely to blame

Q: "Do I need to buy a new lock for this?"

"Usually an adjustment is enough. Sticking doors are far more often down to that than to a faulty lock. We readjust first and check the mechanism. Only if something is genuinely worn or broken do we talk about replacement, and we tell you before anything is ordered."

Q: "Can I not adjust the door myself?"

"The hinges on many doors can indeed be adjusted. The hard part is not turning the screw but knowing in which direction and how far. Adjust in the wrong place and you often just move the problem, and with multipoint locks there is the added job of getting several locking points to line up."

Q: "What should I oil the lock with?"

"Best to ask before you spray anything in. The locking mechanism and the cylinder need different products, and the wrong product in the cylinder can make things worse, because it holds dust and eventually gums up. We are happy to tell you what makes sense for your door."

Q: "How long does it take?"

"That depends on what we find. A straightforward adjustment is usually quick, a neglected multipoint mechanism takes longer. We will tell you how much time to allow once we have seen the door."

Q: "I rent my home. Who pays for this?"

"Maintaining the door is generally the responsibility of the owner, so it is best to agree it with your property manager or landlord. On request we invoice the management directly. If it is urgent we will still come out and make out the invoice so you can pass it on."

You have to lift the door to lock it. The key only turns if you push. The door no longer closes properly, or you feel a draught. These are almost always small things at the hinges, the strike plate and the locking mechanism, and they can usually be readjusted rather than replaced.

Request an appointment 03683 653 90 40

Usually an adjustment rather than a repair
Fixed price before any work starts
Based in Schmalkalden, no call-out fee within 10 km

Does any of this sound familiar?

Each of these signs says the door no longer sits where it should. The sooner it is put right, the less wears out.

You have to lift or press the door
To get the key to turn at all, you pull or push the leaf. That means the door sits crooked in the frame, and the locking mechanism works against resistance instead of running freely.
Typical after a few years, once the hinges have settled.
The key has become hard to turn
It catches, jerks or needs force. That comes from a door out of true or from a locking mechanism that has not seen any care in a long time. Keep forcing it and you risk snapping the key.
A snapped key costs more than the adjustment.
The door no longer falls shut cleanly
It springs back, or the latch only catches on the second try. Usually the strike plate no longer lines up with the latch, often by just a few millimetres.
Those millimetres are exactly what a motor fails on.
There is a draught, or the door no longer seals
If the door no longer sits evenly, it does not press the seal home all the way round. That costs heat, and in winter you get condensation inside.
Seals can be cared for before they go hard and crack.

Just describe what you notice. Working out the cause is our job, and we do it on site.

What we do

Readjust, service, check

A door is a moving part that settles over time. Usually it is enough to bring it back into true and service the mechanism. Only if something is genuinely worn do we talk about spare parts, and then we tell you first.

Readjust the hinges so the door sits square in the frame and closes cleanly on its own
Align the strike plate so latch and bolt go in without scraping
Clean the multipoint mechanism and get it moving freely with the right product
Check and service the cylinder, which needs a different product from the locking mechanism
Look at the seals and care for them while they are still supple

Why it pays off

A smooth door spares you the expensive emergency

The longer a door runs stiff, the more wear it takes. Sooner or later you are standing in front of a door that is locked or jammed. Adjustment is the cheapest work there is on a door.

Less wear on the mechanism, the cylinder and your keys
A far smaller risk of a snapped key or a jammed lock
The door seals properly again
And if an electronic lock follows later, the groundwork is already done

The link to smart locks

A motor has less force than your hand

If you are considering a smart lock, this is where to start. A motor can only turn the key. It cannot lift or press the door the way you do without thinking. Whatever you make up for today with a bit of pressure brings a motor to a standstill.

Stiff doors drain the battery considerably faster
In the worst case the door stays shut even though the lock has unlocked
That is why we always put the door right first and install afterwards

How it works

You describe what you notice

By phone or on WhatsApp. One sentence is enough, for example "I always have to lift the door".

We take a look

We check hinges, strike plate, locking mechanism and cylinder and tell you exactly what is needed.

Fixed price, then the work

You know the price before we start. If parts are needed, we discuss that with you first.

You try it yourself

At the end you lock and unlock the door a few times yourself. It should feel easy above all to you.

Common questions

Do I need to buy a new lock for this?

Usually an adjustment is enough. Sticking doors are far more often down to that than to a faulty lock. We readjust first and check the mechanism. Only if something is genuinely worn or broken do we talk about replacement, and we tell you before anything is ordered.

Can I not adjust the door myself?

The hinges on many doors can indeed be adjusted. The hard part is not turning the screw but knowing in which direction and how far. Adjust in the wrong place and you often just move the problem, and with multipoint locks there is the added job of getting several locking points to line up.

What should I oil the lock with?

Best to ask before you spray anything in. The locking mechanism and the cylinder need different products, and the wrong product in the cylinder can make things worse, because it holds dust and eventually gums up. We are happy to tell you what makes sense for your door.

How long does it take?

That depends on what we find. A straightforward adjustment is usually quick, a neglected multipoint mechanism takes longer. We will tell you how much time to allow once we have seen the door.

I rent my home. Who pays for this?

Maintaining the door is generally the responsibility of the owner, so it is best to agree it with your property manager or landlord. On request we invoice the management directly. If it is urgent we will still come out and make out the invoice so you can pass it on.

Better to adjust now than to be let in later

Tell us briefly what you have noticed. We will take a look and give you a fixed price beforehand.

03683 653 90 40

Also on WhatsApp or through the form below

Thank you!

We will call you back as soon as possible.

Request an appointment

Leave us your number and a few words about what is not right with your door. We will call you back.