Quick answer: a security door is only as good as its lock and its frame. Check that the lock turns freely, the door latches without lifting or shoving, the hinges are tight, and the mesh isn’t lifting from the frame. Most problems are repairs: a seized lock, a dropped door, a worn cylinder. We repair and replace screen door locks across Perth, and we’ll tell you which yours needs.
A lot of Perth houses have a security screen on the front door and never think about it until the key won’t turn on a summer night with the main door open. Here’s what to look at once a year, and what each fault means.
The lock
Turn the key from outside and the snib from inside. It should move smoothly with no grinding. A stiff or gritty lock, especially along the coast, is salt and dirt in the cylinder. Caught early it’s a service; left for years it seizes and needs replacing. A triple lock (one handle, three bolts) is the standard for a main entry; a single-point lock is fine for a laundry or side door. See security screen door locks.
The latch
Close the door and let go. It should latch by itself. If you have to lift the door, push it hard or turn the key to make it catch, the door has dropped or the strike plate has moved. That’s an adjustment, and it’s worth doing before the lock wears itself out trying.
The hinges and the frame
Grab the door and try to lift it. Movement means loose hinge screws, which is an easy fix. Look at where the mesh meets the frame: if it’s lifting or the beading has popped, the mesh can be pushed in regardless of how good the lock is. That’s a screen repairer’s job rather than ours, and we’ll say so.
The keys
Screen door locks are often on a different key profile from the house doors (Lockwood on the screen, Gainsborough on the door is common). If you’ve rekeyed the house and forgotten the screens, the old keys still open them. We can rekey the screen lock too, or change the cylinder so one key does both.
Repair or replace?
Repair: stiff lock, door not latching, loose handle, loose hinges, worn key.
Replace the lock: seized or snapped cylinder, forced or bent lock, obsolete lock with no parts, or an old single lock you want upgraded to a triple lock.
Replace the door: mesh lifting, frame bent or rusted through. We’ll tell you if that’s what you’re looking at.
Common questions
Can a security door lock be rekeyed?
Yes, if the cylinder is in good condition. If it’s seized, it’s replaced instead.
My screen door key turns but the door won’t open.
Usually the door has dropped and the bolts are jammed against the frame. Lift the door slightly while turning the key to get in, then get the door adjusted.
Do you fit new security doors?
No, that’s a screen and door company. We repair, replace and rekey the locks on them, and open them when you’re locked out.
Can I put a keypad lock on a screen door?
On some frames, yes. Send us a photo and we’ll tell you.
Screen door lock playing up?
Call 0427 580 823Send an enquiry
Coastal locks cop the worst of it: Kallaroo.