Every lock on a house is there to ensure the safety of the people and property inside. Window lock repair may be required when a window does not lock, but the issue could also be caused by user error or simple complications.
Investing in the safety of your windows is always in your best interest, whether you can do it yourself or need to call a local The Lock Surgeon Sutton Coldfield .
Understanding Why a Window Won’t Lock
Before you can solve a problem, you need to know what the problem is. Although you are aware that your window will not lock, this does not necessarily mean that you are able to determine what needs to be fixed.
Fortunately, many of the reasons why a window won’t lock are fairly straightforward, straightforward, and simple to fix on your own. But before you try to figure out what’s wrong, you should know about window locks.
Understanding Window Locks
The latch and the keeper are the two primary components of window locks. The part of the lock that moves into the locked or unlocked position is called the latch. The extended latch secures itself inside the keeper when it is locked.
There is something going on at this connection point when a window won’t lock. With this information, you can look into the most common causes of a window not locking.
The issue is often caused by a window that hasn’t been fully closed to the right height, which is why it won’t lock. This is more likely to happen with double-hung windows, which have two operating sashes and can move both the top and bottom panes. Check both the top and bottom panes at the same time.
The Fix When a window will not lock, press down on the bottom pane and press up on the top pane simultaneously. Move the appropriate window in the direction that allows the pane to meet the top or bottom of the sill if you have a single-hung window. The window ought to lock after everything has been secured and moved into the appropriate location.
Misunderstanding the Lock The Issue Not all locks are obvious to all residents, so it’s possible that the assumption that the window won’t lock or isn’t working was incorrect. This frequently results from the window lock being locked while the window is open. Then, it’s hard to figure out why moving the window lock into what you think is a locked position doesn’t lock the window.
The Solution Lift the window and check the lock. Check to see what happens when you switch the lock from open to closed if your window pulls toward you. Checking both positions would facilitate a quicker diagnosis. The first issue discussed in the section titled “Not Fully Closing” will almost certainly arise if either of the sills is moved.
The issue is distorted interlocks. The interlocks on a window are located at the top of the bottom pane and the bottom of the top pane. These are lips that reach out from the sheet. These two interlocks rest on top of one another when a window is fully closed, ensuring that the keeper and latch are on the same plane. In order to prevent the two panes from properly interlocking, either interlock can bend or twist.
The Solution: To correct a bent interlock, raise your bottom pane approximately two inches from where the interlocks should engage. Press the raised bottom pane against the top pane at that point. The interlocks should hopefully reshape themselves after being pressed against these two parts of the window. You can try the lock again after allowing the window to close.