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How to Replace Door Handles The door handles that you have in your home are an essential part of the design. A new handle will bring your home's decor up to date. Over window handles repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk on your door could become stiff or even break. These are signs it's time to change them. This guide will help you choose the appropriate replacement door handle for your home. Door Knobs Door handles enhance the look of your house while making it easier for people to open and close doors. They are available in a variety of colors, finishes and styles to complement your decor. If yours has begun to show signs of wear or requires an upgrade You can change them in just a few simple steps. You must locate the shaft, or spindle, through which the knob is attached to the door. Some knobs have a small opening that you can use a screwdriver to remove the set screws that secure the handle. Some have a tiny slot or hole that allows you to press an activated detent pin that is spring-activated using flathead. The pin opens the latch mechanism, and lets you pull or push the knob. After you have gained access to the spindle or shaft, take the knob off of the door and replace it with the new one. Check that the latch is working properly before tightening the new set screws. After you've replaced the knob, hold the rod for latching over the door's hole and then lock it using the rod mechanism on the second knob. Make sure that the holes are aligned and then thread in the screws on the latch plate and tighten them. Some people choose a smooth or brushed metal finish for the door hardware to give their home a modern and sleek style. This can be matched with their other furniture. Others prefer a more rustic design, which pairs well with spaces that are reminiscent of farmhouse. If you have family members with mobility limitations You may want to consider choosing an rim lock or a lever style door knob, which require less pressure to operate. Other aspects are being considered more and more for the design of door handles. Accessibility and infection control have been key issues in the development of new designs for handles. For instance some handles can be operated with an arm. Latch The latch that opens your door can wear out from age and use. It is easy to change the latch on your door handle. This will result in huge differences in how it opens and closes. Depending on the type of handle you have depending on the type of handle you have, the latch may be a part of the knob or it could be an independent piece that is attached to the door. In either case, you'll need to follow the same process to remove and replace. It's easy to remove the old latch, particularly when you have an entry handle that has a “magic” button. This little pressure-slot, located on the side knob is what you have to press to pull the latch out of the handle. If your handle doesn't come with this button, you will need to remove the cover plates placed over the latch plate. These are usually rectangular or circular and can be removed by using a screwdriver to pull them off the handle. Some have a tiny slot in them that you can insert your screwdriver into, while others snap off. Next, you will want to unscrew the two machine screws that secure the latch and the plate to the door handle. These are the shorter screws with a sharp tip – you will have to store them in a safe place to reuse them in later steps. After these screws are removed you can pull the latch plate and mechanism out of the door's hole and place it in a safe place. Then you can begin to install the new latch. Install the latch plate into the door hole and secure it with the hardware supplied. Make sure that the square pin on the interior of the latch faces the latching mechanism in the handle and is aligned with the screw holes on the other sides of the handle. Then, secure the exterior latch plate with the provided screws. Strike Plate It is common to replace a door handle if it is loose or isn't locking properly. This is often caused by malfunctioning components of the latching mechanism, for example the strike plate being too short or moved up or down on the doorjamb with time. This simple project will allow you to replace your existing strike plate with a longer, new one that will provide better security and will keep your door shut. Apply a lipstick or another marking material on the latch bolt to determine if it's the strike plate. Close the door and attempt to latch it. If the mark is lower than the strike plate's hole, it indicates that the plate is too small and the door will not latch. If the mark is over the strike hole on the plate, it's likely that the strike plate has been moved up or down on the doorjamb. Depending on the door, you may be able to just install the new strike plate into place over the old one, using the screws included with it. However, you might need to drill holes prior to drilling and then chisel some of the wood to make sure it's a snug fit. If this is the case, be careful not to chisel too deeply or you could cause damage to the integrity of your doorjamb. You could also try installing a new strike plate, which will give the lock a stronger hold on the door and requires more force to open it. Typically, it requires two longer screws that secure the strike plate to the frame of the door. You'll have remove the previous strike plate and then drill and chisel the wood to make space for the new one. This hard-to-find strike plate is designed to be used with antique rim locks, and it's made from sturdy solid brass in a heavy duty thickness. This kit comes with wood screws and machine screws, allowing you to pick the right hardware to suit your requirements. Just remember that wood screws have a sharp edge, whereas the machine ones are more blunt.