I need help disengaging my storm door

Question

Storm door will not disengage. I've removed the face plate and locking mechanism. The mortise appears to be turning fine, but the door will not open when it is turned fully in either direction.

I don't see any face plate to remove on the wall side to release any tension that may have built up on the latch.

I'm stuck. Any suggestions?

Emily · Accepted Answer

Thank you for reaching out to us. The only explanation that comes to mind is that the mortise lock is broken. The spindle hole may be turning but it's probably not interacting with the latch itself, presumably because some internal component broke. This is just a guess though. If this is the situation you're in, you will need to find a way to cut the old mortise lock off. It's no small task and it's a lot of work to do, however. Just something to keep in mind.