Door Hardware Repair

Doors get used thousands of times a year, and they are a top source of maintenance calls in commercial buildings. A door that will not latch is a security problem. A closer that slams can hurt someone. A fire door that does not close can let smoke fill a hallway. Most fixes take only a screwdriver and some patience, but you need to know how the parts work together. Always start with the simplest cause, which is usually a loose screw.

What You Will Be Able to Do

• Find why a door sticks or will not latch
• Repair a stripped screw hole and a stripped screw
• Adjust a closer's speed
• Know when a closer must be replaced
• Lubricate and service locks
• Keep accessible and fire-rated doors within the rules

Diagnose First

Watch the door close slowly. Look for wear marks along its edges and on the frame. Lift the door by its handle. If it moves, the hinges are loose. Look at the gap around the door, which should be even.

Hinges and Sticking Doors

1. Tighten all hinge screws.
2. If a screw spins and does not grip, repair the hole.
3. Check the gap and the wear marks again.
4. If the door still rubs on the top latch side, tighten the top hinge, or shim the bottom hinge with a thin piece of card behind the leaf.
5. If there is only slight rubbing, you can take the door off and sand or plane the high spot. Do not plane a fire-rated door without approval.

Stripped Screw Holes

The standard fix in a wood door or frame is simple:

1. Take out the screw.
2. Dip a wooden toothpick or golf tee in wood glue.
3. Push it into the hole, and break it off flush.
4. Let the glue dry.
5. Drive the screw back in.

On heavy doors, a 3-inch screw that reaches the framing behind the jamb gives a much stronger hold. Use it at the top hinge.

Stripped Screw Heads

A Phillips head that is partly stripped can often still come out. Use the right size bit, usually a #2. Press straight down with extra force, and turn slowly. If it still slips, use a rubber band between the bit and the screw, or a screw extractor. Stop before you make it worse.

Door Closers

A closer uses hydraulic fluid to control how a door closes. Most have two or three adjusting screws, usually marked on the body.

Adjusting a Closer

1. Open the door fully and let it close. Time it.
2. Turn the sweep screw a small amount, about 1/4 turn at a time. Clockwise usually slows it down, but check the closer's instructions.
3. Set the latch speed so that the door latches firmly without slamming.
4. Set the backcheck on doors that get thrown open by wind or people.
5. Test it several times.

Do not take the adjusting screws out, or back them out too far. Fluid can leak out and ruin the closer.

Accessibility rules affect how doors close. Under the ADA standards, a door moving from 90 degrees to 12 degrees from closed must take at least 5 seconds. Interior doors that are not fire doors have a limit on how much force it takes to open them, usually 5 pounds. Fire doors must close and latch, so use the minimum force that still does that. Check your site's rules.

Replacing a Leaking Closer

If hydraulic fluid is weeping from the body, replace the closer. A leaking unit cannot be reliably repaired, and it will soon lose control of the door. Wipe up the oil, and do not try to refill it.

When you fit a new closer, follow the maker's template exactly. Arm position and mounting style change how it works. Match the size to the door's width and weight.

Locks and Latches

Sticky Locks

Use graphite powder in a lock cylinder. Do not use oil. Oil attracts dust, and it gums up the pins. Insert the key a few times to spread the graphite.

Loose Handles and Levers

Tighten the set screw or through-bolts. Check that the latch retracts fully when you turn the lever.

Latch and Strike

If the latch does not catch, close the door and see how it lines up. A small file can open up a strike plate a little, or you can move the plate. Do not file so much that it weakens the latch. On a fire door, the latch must still engage fully.

Rekeying

Rekeying means changing the pins in a cylinder so that a new key works and the old one does not. It requires a kit for that lock brand, and it is a useful skill. Your site's key control rules say who can do this.

Panic Hardware

The push bars on exit doors let people get out quickly. They must always work freely. If one sticks or will not latch, treat it as a priority. Never chain, lock, or block an exit door, even for a short time.

Electronic Access

Many doors use cards, fobs, or keypads. You can change batteries, clean card readers, and check that a door is closing fully, since a door that does not close will not lock. Report system faults to the access control company. Do not change electrified hardware or wiring without authorization.

Fire Doors

A fire door is part of the building's fire protection. Look for a label on the edge or hinge side. Treat these doors differently.

• Do not prop them open.
• Do not drill holes, or add hardware that is not listed for the door.
• Do not plane or cut them without approval.
• Check that they close and latch by themselves.
• Keep gaps within what the rules allow.
• Report damage, and record it.

Fire doors are inspected on a schedule set by code. Follow your site's records.

Doors Outside

Exterior doors face weather. Check weatherstripping, thresholds, and door sweeps. Gaps let in water, air, and pests. Lubricate hinges with a light, non-gumming lubricant as needed. Keep drain paths in frames and thresholds clear.

Common Mistakes

Check Your Understanding

1. A door rubs at the top on the latch side. What do you do first?

Tighten the top hinge screws. If a screw will not grip, repair the hole with a toothpick or golf tee and glue.

2. You see oil running down a closer. What do you do?

Replace the closer. A leaking unit cannot be reliably repaired.

3. A lock is hard to turn. What do you use on it?

Graphite powder. Avoid oil, since it gums up the pins.

4. A tenant asks you to chain a side exit at night to stop theft. What do you say?

No. Exit doors must always open freely. Report the concern and look for a safe option, like an alarm or better access control.

Key Takeaways

• Most door problems start with loose hinges, so start there.
• Fix a stripped hole with glue and a toothpick or golf tee.
• Adjust closers in small amounts, and replace any that leak.
• Use graphite on locks, not oil.
• Keep fire doors and exits working as designed.