ᐅ Front door with automatic locking system is difficult to open
Created on: 1 Sep 2022 22:23
S
Sully61
Hello everyone,
I am currently looking for advice because I am unsure how to proceed regarding my front door in a new build.
It is clear that the door does not fit properly in the frame at the upper left corner. You can press it in with your hand.
Because of this, the door is difficult to open. When turning the key slowly, the lock seems to get stuck somehow.
If you turn the key quickly, the door does open, but you can tell that it is very stiff.
When pressing the upper left corner, you can turn the key easily and without any problem until the door opens.
The craftsman has been here several times but has not found a proper solution and spent hours adjusting it.
The argument used here is that it is normal to first pull the front door and then turn the key.
Apparently, the inspector would see it that way too, saying that 95% of front doors are like this and that it is probably standard.
However, none of our neighbors have such problems.
I (and others) believe that the door frame is crooked, which is why the door does not open properly.
Can you insist on your rights here, or are there tolerances that must be accepted?
Is it worth getting an expert opinion?
I am currently looking for advice because I am unsure how to proceed regarding my front door in a new build.
It is clear that the door does not fit properly in the frame at the upper left corner. You can press it in with your hand.
Because of this, the door is difficult to open. When turning the key slowly, the lock seems to get stuck somehow.
If you turn the key quickly, the door does open, but you can tell that it is very stiff.
When pressing the upper left corner, you can turn the key easily and without any problem until the door opens.
The craftsman has been here several times but has not found a proper solution and spent hours adjusting it.
The argument used here is that it is normal to first pull the front door and then turn the key.
Apparently, the inspector would see it that way too, saying that 95% of front doors are like this and that it is probably standard.
However, none of our neighbors have such problems.
I (and others) believe that the door frame is crooked, which is why the door does not open properly.
Can you insist on your rights here, or are there tolerances that must be accepted?
Is it worth getting an expert opinion?
Hello Sully61,
Thank you for your information.
The front doors are installed so that the hinge side is aligned straight, and the handle side is adjusted so that the door leaf fits properly into the lock. This can sometimes result in the frame on the handle side being slightly out of level.
Since you obviously have a single-leaf aluminum door, the material should be stable enough to prevent warping.
The seal on the new door naturally has high restoring forces at the beginning. These can sometimes cause the door leaf to be slightly “pressed open.” However, this will ease over time as the restoring forces decrease.
The automatic lock should secure the door leaf more firmly in the frame than it appears to in your case. The purpose of the automatic lock is precisely to ensure that the door leaf locks automatically in the frame when it is closed without any additional effort.
Has the service technician checked the upper lock case? They should probably do this again, because based on what you describe, it does not look like an automatically locking front door leaf to me. That is not acceptable. Keep insisting on a remedy.
Regards.
Thank you for your information.
The front doors are installed so that the hinge side is aligned straight, and the handle side is adjusted so that the door leaf fits properly into the lock. This can sometimes result in the frame on the handle side being slightly out of level.
Since you obviously have a single-leaf aluminum door, the material should be stable enough to prevent warping.
The seal on the new door naturally has high restoring forces at the beginning. These can sometimes cause the door leaf to be slightly “pressed open.” However, this will ease over time as the restoring forces decrease.
The automatic lock should secure the door leaf more firmly in the frame than it appears to in your case. The purpose of the automatic lock is precisely to ensure that the door leaf locks automatically in the frame when it is closed without any additional effort.
Has the service technician checked the upper lock case? They should probably do this again, because based on what you describe, it does not look like an automatically locking front door leaf to me. That is not acceptable. Keep insisting on a remedy.
Regards.
I am 100% sure that the problem is with the frame. The level shows a slight tilt precisely on this side. When I push the door closed from the inside and then turn the key, everything works smoothly. In other places, as I said, it’s firmly locked.
Is it actually possible to fix something like this? From what I see, the frame is only secured with long screws. You should be able to gently remove them at these points to push the frame slightly backward. You would just need to remove a bit of plaster.
Is it actually possible to fix something like this? From what I see, the frame is only secured with long screws. You should be able to gently remove them at these points to push the frame slightly backward. You would just need to remove a bit of plaster.
Nowadays, especially with such sensitive surfaces, it is common to install the frame without the original sash. This has the advantage that the original sash cannot be damaged or scratched during construction. However, this often results in the sash not fitting perfectly. Adjusting the hinges can significantly improve the function depending on the type of hinge used.
Question: Does the door always perform poorly? In other words, does the door work noticeably better when it is cold and/or when the sash has not been exposed to direct sunlight for a longer period?
Question: On which side (east/south/west/north) is the door installed? Is the door exposed to sun and weather without protection?
If there is still a warranty in place, I would not recommend attempting repairs yourself.
With today’s building methods and the various installation techniques that exist, it can sometimes be very difficult to shift a frame by just a few millimeters without causing significant damage.
Question: Does the door always perform poorly? In other words, does the door work noticeably better when it is cold and/or when the sash has not been exposed to direct sunlight for a longer period?
Question: On which side (east/south/west/north) is the door installed? Is the door exposed to sun and weather without protection?
If there is still a warranty in place, I would not recommend attempting repairs yourself.
With today’s building methods and the various installation techniques that exist, it can sometimes be very difficult to shift a frame by just a few millimeters without causing significant damage.
So, the door faces the north side. At the moment, it is naturally without any protection. However, the doors were installed during the week of the house handover. Therefore, the doors should not have been exposed to the weather for long.
The door consistently functions poorly. As soon as the key is turned slowly, the door does not open. Attempts to adjust it have been made twice so far, without success.
PS:
How can videos be shared here? My link was deleted, and video attachments are not accepted.
The door consistently functions poorly. As soon as the key is turned slowly, the door does not open. Attempts to adjust it have been made twice so far, without success.
PS:
How can videos be shared here? My link was deleted, and video attachments are not accepted.
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