I would be more concerned with the squareness of the door frame.  If the lock 
doesn't work and nothing has changed but the house settling, the first thing 
I'd want to check would be if the latch is going into the mortise correctly.  
If the house settles the opening might be higher or lower than where the latch 
is touching.  

If that is still lining up but you can push the door open check the clearance 
between the door and the jam.  The latch can only reach so far and if you can 
push the door open this may be the problem.  

Now if you are saying you can set the dead bolt and can still push the door 
open I'd check the clearance between door and jam again.  Also check that the 
dead bolt is working correctly by turning the key and then the lever and 
watching that the bolt is coming all the way out.  When you have turned the key 
or lever until it stops. At that point push on the dead bolt and see if it goes 
back in the door or does it not move at all?  If it goes back in the door you 
need a new dead bolt.  If it doesn't move at all but you can push the door open 
while the bolt is out, I would have to think the door had gotten too wide and 
the problem is with the door frame, not the dead bolt.

Good luck
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lee A. Stone 
  To: [email protected] 
  Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2008 1:40 PM
  Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Selecting the right deadbolt


  n
  My question would be on this subject matter. is the length of the 
  actual bolt that goes back in the door fram the same length? I ask 
  because our house seems to settle from time to time and the standard 
  lock doesn't work as the door can swing open. Lee

  -- 
  Draft beer, not people.
  Do you Jabber? I do. My JID is: [EMAIL PROTECTED]


   

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