Unable to open bedroom door to garden, help?

[FluffyDucky]

The house we bought has been empty for a year and do fast we've been unable to open the bedroom door to the garden!
It's a glass door, when we unlock it (can hear it clicking) and push the handle it doesn't budge, at all. The EA had a little trouble on the viewings but did get it.
To lock it, the handle gets pushed up to engage the little sliders, I've played about but no avail. Husband tried it outside, same problem.
Any ideas?

Is it wood framed, or UPVC?

upvc, definitely not wood

Have you asked the EA if there's a knack to it?

It's been a good few months since we saw it with the EA, (we had quite a long wait between offer & exchange!) so I highly doubt he would remember!

Can you give the door some sprays of WD40 with the little straw in the nozzle into the parts that lock into the frame? Not easy because of the way they fit.

We have a upvc door that stuck and after I'd sprayed on some WD40 and left if for half an hour the bolts that move when you move the handle freed up properly and it opened very easily.

Have you tried opening it from the outside? It might be a dodgy handle not lifting all the catches it is supposed to.

If its a multipoint lock (one that has slide bolts top and bottom and possible two hook fastenings as well as the main lock) its possible some of the teeth on the main gear have sheered.

If it was working then spend ten minutes going through the lift handle lock door, u lock door, try to lower handle, lift handle, lock door, unlock door, try to lower handle cycle. Do it a good twenty times.

Once you've got the door open (hopefully the above will work) you can remove the metal trim down the inside of the door, take the handles off, put the key in the lock and gently slide it out. You'll be able to see what the mechanism is to order a replacement (about £15 from ebay). Ideally disengage the link bars to the extra locking bits of the mechanism then reassemble the barrel and handle. You'll now just be locking on the middle lock until the new mechanism arrives.

I think you might as well look for your local repairman who specialises in plastic doors and windows. There is sure to be at least one, ask neighbours for recommendations. The windowcleaner will probably know someone. Chances are it will need some adjustment, and possibly even the glass may need to be repositioned on blocks. Like everything, it is very easy when you know how and have the right tools. If you can't open it, you can't get at the mechanism.

If you are really lucky it will just be stuck and only need a clean and lube (a small paint brush is very good for cleaning out sliders and crevices after you have sprayed them with WD40, then wipe off with cotton rag).

IMO wooden doors last for a hundred years, and plastic doors don't.

It may be that the actual eu barrel has failed, the clicking sound means nothing if the lock is not flipping the wedge over .It can be change without the door being opened ,the method of removing the barrel destroys the barrel. They cost around 20 pounds to replace. If you want I will post how to remove a seized lock without having either key or door open

I replaced a barrel for someone , the key turned and nothing would open the door. Sounded like the key was engaging the lock but was not.
Anyway there is a way round from the inside of the property of removing the lock and opening the door & if you like I will tell you how

You need to pm as I don't think it's a good idea to post how to

It will also allow you to turn the cam to release the frame locking mechanism . Only one inexpensive tool involved and no drilling , takes less than a minute

I would be very reluctant to snap the cylinder unless I had some reason to believe that the cylinder cam had failed and it was not the door-edge mechanism out of adjustment or seized from lack of use.

To unlock or door, we need to turn the key, depress the handle, turn the key again, and then you can open the door.
Have you tried that? - its not a fault with our door, just how it operates - everyones on the street is the same.

Piglet How is the op ever going to know if the edge adjustment is out of line with the door not opening? I have worked on several of those doors and unless you spent forever blindly with an allen key adjusting the hinges it would never happen. The cams do fail even on a lock less than 2 years old. When they go you can turn the key and you would think by the sound that the lock was working. What is your answer ? Is twenty quid more than a lock smith answer NO
The only way you can adjust the edge locking mechanism is with door open. If the door has dropped at the hinges , you need the door open to either file the receiver plate or adjust the hinges . You cannot do it without the door open. On this occasion you are not right .

Anyway what use trying to help someone who does not even reply to all the suggestions.
Just in case she still cannot open the door, you can if the door has dropped badly ,and adjusting the hinges wont compensate remove the plate and refit by drilling out and refitting in a higher position. If the striker from the lock is clipping then you could adjust the receiver on the door frame.

Hi all, thanks for the replies! I've just caught up with them now. I'm not very confident with doing many of these but I think I'll bear them in mind. I was hoping it may have been something really quick and easy lol!