by Ann Marie
(Lansdale, PA)
My sliding patio door is locked because I loosened the screws on the catch, and the lock is permanently locked . How can I unlock it?
The key doesn't work.
Hi Ann Marie.
First thing I would try is lifting up the door and trying to pull it open. Gently bumping it up and down might also help get the catch to let go.
You can use a strong screwdriver underneath the bottom of the door to push the door up and down while you try to pull it open.
If all that jiggling does not open it, I would go inside and try removing the screws holding the lock on the door.
Some patio door locks hook down into a hasp while others hook upwards. Knowing which way your door is can help when you are jiggling the door to unlock it.
If you can loosen the lock on the door enough to see which way it hooks on, that can help too.
You could of course jimmy it open and break the lock, but that might damage the door too especially if the lock hasp is made of steel and not magnesium soft cheese metal.
So its worth spending a couple of hours trying to outsmart the lock mechanism by jiggling it in the opposite direction to the way it locks.
Good luck