Locked out of garage

Dec 14, 2008 10 Replies

Hi Group,



I have a problem with my garage door lock. It is a conventional up and over garage door. However now when I unlock the handle the handle will not turn 90 degrees to the right as it normally does for moving the bars behind the door. So my guess is the lock part isn't working. How can I fix this? It is the only access into the garage. Should I drill out the lock part of the handle to release the handle?


What have you tried already, so that we aren't going over stuff you've already tried?

If it isnt turning, and oil sprayed into the keyhole doesnt work, then it is new lock time usually. £15 upwards, depending on which type of lock.

If no other access, then yes. Alan.

It's often possible to just "bounce" the door open. The bolts don't normally make a very good fit

tim

Given it a wiggle? Wear may mean things aren't lining up correctly without a wiggle...

Failing that the latch is not very substantial on most garage doors. It might be locked but it isn't secure in any strong meaning of the word secure. The latch is normally just a bit of thin bent steel into a similar bit of thin steel a bit of prying and prising at the top center of the door will probably open it.

It may be possible to poke a piece of wire in the gap above the door and hook on to whatever is attached to the bolts on each side. Otherwise remove a sheet of roofing if that's possible. I have a hidden emergency door with its own lock in case of a power cut, since the main door is motor operated.

Easier to drill the fixing bolts if you can see them or guesstimate where they are. A neighbours garage prolly has the same make of lock so you could have a look at the inside.

A spade used at the centre between the frame and door can normally open the gap up sufficiently to release the catch. Garages are rarely secure!!

no good for the doors with two metal rods that go through the frame on either side

Thanks to all those that replied. Our door is quite sturdy not one of these cheap ones. No amount of wiggling or tapping with a hammer would make it move so drilled out the lock part and the handle then freed up. Had to borrow the drill! My one is in the garage!

I did wonder about that :-)

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