Help!...Any experts here on fixing locks on doors?

[skirpydoink]

Hello,

I seem to having a bit of a problem with the lock on my door, i dont know how it happened but i can't seem to be able to lock my front door from the inside.

I can lock it from the outside but the key wont turn at all when i try the door from the inside.

The lock has FUHR on it.

Anybody got any ideas on how to solve this problem?

Its not very safe when you cant get out the front door once its locked.

Cheers.

[alnwrd]

get your wallet out, buy and fit a new lock it's not difficult

[SeanT]

Key won't turn at all? What sort of lock is it? And type of key? Is it a barrel lock, or an old fashioned mortice? (flat key, or round?)

[andykn]

Do you have an escutcheon on the inside:

http://www.ironmongeryonline.com/cli...show&ref=C1465

(no I didn't know they were called that either).

I had to remove one once from the inside of a door before I could unlock it.

Or of you have it built in to one of these:

http://www.ironmongeryonline.com/cli...show&ref=C1479

Try loosening it.

Or get some lock lubricant from a key cutting shop.

[Orson]

If your lock is a FHUR, I'm guessing it's a PVC door, and it will be a euro-cylinder lock.

First, check that the door won't lock at all even when you lift the handle right up when trying to turn the key. If it does, then your door needs some minor adjustments.

But if as you've said, the key won't turn at all, it could be either the cylinder that has worn/become faulty/just got a bit of crud stuck in the key slot on the inside. Or even just the key that has become worn.

Firstly, try another key if you have one.

If no joy, you could try cleaning the cylinder, which is easiest done when removed from the door, which is very easy to do, provided you can unlock the door & turn the key from at least 1 side.
There is a screw on the edge of the door which lines up with the cylinder, which you remove (the cylinder will become loose), then turn the key through about 30 degrees, and the cylinder will then just pull out. Give it a shake, a blow or what ever, and put it back & see if that has worked.

Failing that, you could try replacing the cylinder itself, which is as easy as described above. As good a place as any to get one is Screwfix, but make sure you get the correct size for your door. The easiest way is to measure the length of it while it's removed. If you get a longer one that sticks out a bit, it can be a security risk.

Hope that helps.

[RichardK]

You need to establish if it is the lock mechanism/cylinder that is causing the problem or if the mechanism is being blocked when operating it from inside.

First, with the door open, try the locking procedure from inside. If this works then something is blocking the mechanism.

If it doesn't work then remove the cylinder and check the key turns freely both sides. Obviously if it doesn't then the cylinder is the problem.

If the cylinder is OK then (still with the cylinder removed) try operating the lock mechanism by hand by pushing one of the cams.

Hopefully that should enable you to find out what is causing the problem.

Coincidentally, I've just replaced a Fuhr mechanism in my front door as I didn't like it because it was key operated.