A door handle that wobbles, sticks or no longer opens the latch is annoying, but it is one of the easiest repairs in the house. In most cases you need a screwdriver and twenty minutes. Before buying anything, figure out what is actually wrong.
The handle is loose
This is the most common problem. On knobs and levers with visible screws on the rose (the round plate against the door), simply tighten them. Do not overtighten, or the mechanism can bind.
If there are no visible screws, look for a small slot or pin on the neck of the knob. Push it in with a small screwdriver, pull the knob off, remove the decorative rose and you will find the mounting screws underneath.
If a screw just spins, the hole is stripped. Fill it with wooden toothpicks or a golf tee dipped in wood glue, let it dry, trim it flush and drive the screw again.
The handle turns but the door will not open
The spindle or the latch mechanism is the problem.
- Remove the handle and check that the square spindle is not worn round or broken; replace it if it is.
- Remove the two screws on the edge of the door and pull the latch out. If it does not move freely when you turn the spindle, a spring is broken. Latches are cheap and standardized, so bring the old one to the store.
- If the door is stuck closed, a putty knife or a thin card slid between the door and the frame can push the latch back.
The lever droops
Lever handles have a return spring. When it breaks, the handle hangs down. Some models sell replacement springs; often it is simpler to replace the handle set.
The latch does not catch
If the handle works but the door will not stay closed, the latch is missing the strike plate. Check for sagging hinges first (tighten the hinge screws, or replace one short screw with a longer one that reaches the stud). Otherwise, file the strike plate opening slightly or move the plate.
Replacing the whole handle
Measure the backset (distance from the door edge to the center of the hole, usually 2-3/8 or 2-3/4 inches in the US) and the door thickness before buying. Most new handle sets fit standard holes and come with instructions.
If the door itself is damaged or warped, see how to install a new door. A small basic kit, described in the best tools for a beginner DIYer, covers this repair.
