Content

• Part 2 of 4: Replacing the lock
• Part 3 of 4: When to Change the Lock
• Part 4 of 4: Possible Problems
• Tips

1 Take a look at the door latch for the brand of the lock. If you buy a lock of the same brand, you probably won't have to make changes to the hole in the door and other locks in the house.

2 Measure the lock from the latch on the door to the middle of the handle. This is the distance from the center of the handle to the closest edge of the door. Most locks for interior doors are 6 cm long, while for exterior doors they are 6.5 cm long. Most locks can be adjusted now, but it's still better to play it safe.

3 Measure the height of the castle. Most locks are installed at a height of 90-95 cm. Make sure that this lock is at the same height as other locks in the house. Measure the height of the lock before finishing.

4 Get a new castle. Go to a hardware store or tool store and buy a lock that meets the metered specifications. You don't have to take the same lock if you didn't like it. Most importantly, make sure it fits the original dimensions.

• Buy a lock with a pattern. This will make the installation process much easier.

Part 2 of 4: Replacing the lock

1. 1 Remove the screws from the old lock on the inside of the door. There will be two or three screws that you will need to remove with a Phillips screwdriver. Remove the screws and pull on the door handle halves. After that, a hole will remain in the door.
   • You may also find a wire or paper clip useful. If your old doorknob or lock has no screws, insert a paperclip into the small hole on the side of the knob. This should loosen the latch so you can detach the doorknob.
2. 2 Remove the two screws that hold the latch to the door. The latch is the last part of the lock that you will need to remove. By unscrewing two screws, you can easily remove it. The lock can now be removed.
3. 3 Place a cardboard template against the edge of the door. When you buy a lock from a store, it will contain a cardboard template with instructions on how to install the lock on the door. Place this template over the opening in the door and make sure everything fits. If the pattern doesn't fit the hole, then you bought the wrong lock.
   • Take the lock back to the hardware store and ask them to replace it with a suitable one.
4. 4 Replace the latch. Install the new latch exactly where you removed the old one. Better to screw in new screws. Insert new screws into the door to secure the latch.
5. 5 Collect the castle. Insert one piece of the doorknob or lock on the outside of the door and the other on the inside. They will meet in the middle and must connect. Don't try to put them together forcibly, just let them fit into each other. Now replace the screws. The screws must be screwed on the inside of the door so that intruders cannot unscrew them from the outside. Check the lock to make sure it doesn't wobble.
6. 6 Experience the castle. Close and open the door several times to make sure the lock is working properly. Have someone try to get in from the outside so you don't accidentally lock yourself up if you can't open the lock with the key. The lock should not wobble. If it wobbles, then tighten the screws tighter. It can also wobble if you misattached the doorknobs.

Part 3 of 4: When to Change the Lock

1. 1 Watch for wear and tear on the lock. Damaged locks increase the risk of strangers entering your home. Inspect the lock once a year to check for rust or oxidation. Rusty locks are very easy to pick, and this rust is very easy to spot from outside the house.
2. 2 Replace all locks in your home after intruders have entered. If intruders entered your house, it means that the reliability of your locks is compromised. Attackers might have a key and they might do it again. If they broke the door, then the lock is not strong enough.
3. 3 Consider changing locks when settling in a roommate. When you move a new neighbor into your apartment, it would be nice to change the old locks. The last neighbor may have returned his key to you, but this does not mean that he did not make a duplicate. Even if you believe your neighbor, it's best to play it safe.
4. 4 Replace locks if key is lost. Even if you believe the key is somewhere under the couch, there is always the possibility that it was stolen. For safety reasons, you should replace the locks. This means that you should first replace the locks on the front doors, and then move on to the locks on the doors of the rooms.

Part 4 of 4: Possible Problems

1. 1 Check for a retaining ring in the lock. After unscrewing the door handle, you should see a ring around the cylinder that is installed in the hole in the door.If the lock has a retaining ring, then you will have to buy a new lock / doorknob that has this retaining ring in it.
2. 2 Determine if your lock is a cylinder lock. Some locks have color-coded pins that can be rearranged without changing the entire doorknob. Thanks to this, the same lock can be used several times. Remove the doorknob and see if there are colored pins in the lock. If so, then instead of buying a new lock, you just need to buy new pins.
3. 3 Make sure the new keys have been cut correctly. If your new lock doesn't work, the problem may not be with the lock itself, but with the keys. Sometimes locksmiths make mistakes.
   • If the new keys don't fit or get stuck in the lock, they might be the problem. Do not assume that you have installed the lock incorrectly. Make sure you give the locksmith the correct copy key.

Tips

• Do not close the door while changing the lock.