New door wont stay shut

[Marc]

I had a new exterior door installed about 2 weeks ago. It's a fiberglass door with leaded glass and it came with the jamb. I had a carpenter with "45 years" experience install it. When he was finished he said give the weather stripping time to compress,,,so I may have to push the door to close it. That wasnt working. I had to use the deadbolt to shut the door.
After looking at it myself,,I doubled lthe strike plate. That worked for a day. Then I noticed the latch bolt wasnt extending out all the way when closed so it would pop open. I somehow managed to get that to work.
Today I had a refrigerator delivery and we had to unscrew the hinges off the jamb. The pins wouldnt come out. I am now back to square one. The door wont stay latched closed and we have to use the deadbolt. Even if I lean real hard on the door the latch wont go into the hole.....it seems.
I'm about to post an ad locally asking for an expert door repair/installer to look at it. Before I do that,,is there anything i can try?

I just now went to look and the latch bolt is hitting the lower edge of the strike plate.

[Allen]

I would call the guy that installed it back and have him fix it at his cost.

Al

[Marc]

When things like this happen and they cant do it right the first time indont give them a second chance to mess it up even more. Though,,he is supposed to come back to finish some sheet rock,,I'd rather him not touch the door.
I put some index cards behind the bottom hinge and now the latch goes in. The deadbolt scrapes it's way into the hole unless I lean on the door. Maybe index cards in the middle hinge?

[barnowl]

A friend of mine is a contractor, And I’ve seen him trim strike plates with his Dremel tool when he installed a door. That’s probably what your contractor will do.

[jteneyck]

When things like this happen and they cant do it right the first time indont give them a second chance to mess it up even more.  Though,,he is supposed to come back to finish some sheet rock,,I'd rather him not touch the door.
I put some index cards behind the bottom hinge and now the latch goes in. The deadbolt scrapes it's way into the hole unless I lean on the door.  Maybe index cards in the middle hinge?

That suggests that the strike plate is set too low.  Check to make sure the latch is centered in the strike plate opening.  If you have to, pull the weather stripping on the lockside and see if it latches OK.  If it does, but not when the weather stripping is installed then move the strike plate outward or bend the tab in a little.  The weather stripping usually just friction fits into a dado in the frame and can be removed and replaced without damage.    

If it's an inswing door the hinge pins should come out.  There should be a hole under the bottom knuckle.  Put a nail or drift pin in it and whack it with a hammer.  

John

[Marc]

Barnowl:
"A friend of mine is a contractor, And I’ve seen him trim strike plates with his Dremel tool when he installed a door. That’s probably what your contractor will do."

I did that to a spare plate. I took off the piece that is bent into the hole and then I slotted the screw holes so I can send it forward more. I need small washers to see if it would have helped.

[Marc]

Jteneyck

Yes,,,it looks like the strike plate is low but all the holes were pre drilled at the factory.
When the fridge came,,the guy and I were struggling to get the hinge pins out. We got the middle one but the others were too tough. They are ball bearing hinges with no set screw,,but a thick sticky grease held them in. We figured before we damaged them it would be easier to take the hinges off the jamb.

I'm still contemplating shimming the center hinge

[barnowl]

Barnowl:
"A friend of mine is a contractor, And I’ve seen him trim strike plates with his Dremel tool when he installed a door. That’s probably what your contractor will do."

I did that to a spare plate.  I took off the piece that is bent into the hole and then I slotted the screw holes so I can send it forward more.   I need small washers to see if it would have helped.

[fixtureman]

Is the gap even along the strike side of the door.  If it is a little wider at the bottom try shimming the bottom hinge to raise the bolt

[jteneyck]

Jteneyck

Yes,,,it looks like the strike plate is low but all the holes were pre drilled at the factory.
When the fridge came,,the guy and I were struggling to get the hinge pins out.  We got the middle one but the others were too tough.  They are ball bearing hinges with no set screw,,but a thick sticky grease held them in.  We figured before we damaged them it would be easier to take the hinges off the jamb.

I'm still contemplating shimming the center hinge

What that means is either it wasn't done right at the factory or, more likely, the guy who installed it didn't get the top of the frame level.  Open the door and put a level up against the top of the frame.  If it tips down towards the lockside you have your answer.  


John