I can't lock my front door due to the cold weather?

Question

When its winter, I find if more difficult to lock my front door for the past week or so, All I had to do was use two hands but lastnight, It just wouldn't lock. I think the problem is that The door frame expended, or shrunk or whatever from the cold weather and I'm pretty sure the lock won't match up with the umm i gues i'll call it the hole? Do you know any way to fix this, I had to put a chair behind my door last night and well,its pretty sad.

Answer 1

DON'T DO ANYTHING! If you make the door fit when it is cold, it will be way too loose when it is warm.

It is the door that shrinks and grows in the cold becasue the top and bottom of the door are not sealed or painted and moisture gets to the door there.
Wait til the weathe gets average and then remove the door and paint the top and bottom or seal it and it will not happen. It isnt the door frame as they are painted.

Answer 2

Is warm air from the house causing ice to build up on the weatherstripping or the door frame? Is the spring loaded latch moving freely(wd-40 or oil as necessary)? How does the latch line up with the strike plate?

Answer 3

Wow.. a redneck deadbolt (the chair)... :)

The easy and temporary fix is to remove the metal strike plate (the thing covering the "hole" as you called it) if there is one... drill the "hole slightly larger using a drill with a flat-style bit. Measure the hole you have, go to the hardware store/home depot and grab one a bit larger. Drill it out and leave the metal strike plate off until spring. Should keep you going ok for now...

Good Luck!

Answer 4

we have the sameproblem due to expansion---we really have to pull hard to make everything match up. maybe try taking the weatherstripping off and put up some thinner stripping