Loft Latch how?

[Animal]

Toolstation 97670 loft latch fitted as per instructions, it closed & latch but won't unlatch. Presume it needs alignment adjusting. So umm, how can it now be opened? Preferably without total destruction

[Brian Gaff]

Not able to see it, but I had an opposite issue. One of those push to close with a little pad that you pokewith a stick to unlatch, and gradually lower same stick. Was very proud of how well it worked.... Until that is every time we got a strong wind, and normally in the middle of the night, the latch vibrated and opened itself, letting the door flap down,dumping filth and dust into the landing and knocking a dent in the wall behind it. In the end I duct taped it up. If I want to go in now I need a chair to stand on, peel off the old tape, lower the door while holding a bin liner over the edge to catch the muck, then release the ladder and leave it hanging while I move the chair to leave room for the ladder to be brought down and locked. New tape is relatively cheap and of course it is better sealed and there are no draughts and whining noises in the wind. Brian

[fred]

I would try repeated attempts to dislodge it

[Animal]

What do you mean? How?

[Jeff Layman]

I don't think you're the first one to be affected. See the first and second reviews here:

Unfortunately, there's no indication of how to undo a closed latch. If it doesn't come undone with multiple attempts, it might be worth going through identical products to see if there are alternative pictures and/or how someone else has undone a stuck latch. If the latch didn't come with clear fitting instructions, have a look at the diagram here:

[Tricky Dicky]

I think he means push it with increasing force to see if it will dislodge failing that I am sure Toolsatan will sell you a perfectly good crowbar to wrench it open.

[Tim+]

Got a suction cup or sink plunger? *Close* hatch really firmly and then try pulling it open with the plunger, suction cup (or just a cup hook screwed in).

Tim

[alan_m]

Try shocking it open. Place a bit of scrap wood against the door/hatch where the latch is fitted and give the wood a sharp blow with a hammer.

Drill a small hole big enough for a nail to go through and perhaps using the nail to push on the mechanism may free the latch.

[Harry Bloomfield Esq]

Those are a terrible idea...

If the main body is able to slide back on it's two fixing screws, then there is no way to release it, from the front. It should have been tested after install, by having someone in the loft, to release it if it failed to release. Once working they need a third screw, fitting behind the main body, to stop it sliding back. Obviously, to late now.

Best suggestion I can make, to minimise damage, is make a narrow lip on the edge of a bit of steel, then try to hook down a bit, then try pushing up to release.

[Paul]

United Kingdom Mr S Leigh 1.0 out of 5 stars Avoid

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 April 2023 Verified Purchase

This is without a shadow of a doubt the worst purchase I have ever made from Amazon. The instructions are barely readable and are far from obvious. The screws that are included are poor quality and round off easily.

The spring catch has now closed and will not open rendering the latch/catch useless, and has now ended up in the bin!!

Mr. Kevin Harper 3.0 out of 5 stars

Not really suitable for a loft hatch!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 July 2016

Just a guess, but the tongue at 22, needs to be lifted off of 10.

*******

OK, getting warmer.

"The door must be able to be pushed inwards by a minimum of 2mm for the spring to release."

As someone said in a review, "measure carefully", but they didn't explain what the deal was.

I was hoping to find a video. but no luck.

And the door cannot have springs on the hinge, or the mechanism would not "touch and release" as there would be no gap for careful fitting of the mechanism.

There is a picture on that page, of a loft implementation. They kinda messed up the hinge type here.

Paul

[Animal]

I daresay I can bar it but it would cause destruction. There's no flex in the frame or the hatch. I get thefeeling this little piece of tat is going to cost a new loft hatch.

[Animal]

A few people have mentioned that a bit of hatch movement is critical to its operation, but I don't think that's the problem, the hatch moves more than 2mm up & down no problem. But the latch just don't let go. Once positioned it uses pins to stop it moving further in. There's a bit of thin bendable metal strip that comes pre-bent & is used to set the tongue position. It struck me that this is easily bent at any time before using it, eg during transport or storage, thus misaligning the tongue. I suspect this is the cause. I'll try the things folk suggested, though I'm not filled with confidence. What else do people use for loft hatch latches? Interior door lock?

[Paul]

At the current time, how much play in the vertical direction is there ?

As I understand it, there must be play in the thing (an air gap), for it to work.

Striking the local area near the latch with a hammer won't work, because there would not be enough compression of materials, for it to release.

If you have play, then you could get it open.

Paul

[nothanks]

Drill a hole underneath it (big enough that you can definitely get into the catch), do whatever is needed to defeat the catch, replace the catch and make sure the new one works correctly, plug the hole and paint or fit a thin cover over the hole in case you need access in the future.

[wasbit]

No help to you but mine was installed back in the 80s & still works perfectly. It came from Screwfix Yeovil via mail order before they opened branches countrywide.

[The Natural Philosopher]

We were terribly careful to make sure mine would unlatch before we screwed it in place. Sometimes you can jammy a jammed one open.

[charles]

Ah - the original Screwfix. I once visited the Yeovil shop. Then they were bought out by Kingfisher (B&Q owners) and went national.

[John J]

Self inflicted injury? I think id have opted for a simple, visible small cupboard bolt.

[Robin]

If you have a high ceiling you can end up needing to fetch a ladder to open the bolt to drop the loft ladder. The latch in question allows you to use the pole for the loft ladder to open the hatch. But I prefer a latch you twist to engage a tongue in a slot: IMO less likely to jam, and if it does you have a chance of getting a hacksaw blade to it.

[Animal]

plenty.

how?