Fixing door problems is not always easy. But it’s always significant, especially if we are talking about the front door – the main door of the house. Doors must open and close smoothly, without needing any force. If not, you may face some security concerns. You may also face a house lockout.
We have bad news and we have good news. Let’s start with the bad, doors – even the best quality ones, may still cause troubles. Of course, the better the quality, the better the door installation, the fewer the problems. The good news? Most problems can be fixed. Yes, there’ll come a day to find a door replacement, but there are actually a few solutions, common fixes to common door problems. Let’s see.
The door is not aligned
When the door is misaligned, it may not close with ease. You may have a hard time opening it since it will most likely rub against the floor. You need to see where the problem is, where the gaps are. You may need to shim the door hinges to ensure the door is aligned with the frame. Check the condition of the hinges. Are they rusty? It’s best to get new ones. In some cases, the hinges may need to be set deeper into the frame or the door for the door to be aligned.
The door won’t close
The door won’t close if it’s not aligned. You know what to do with that. But it may not close if it’s warped too. That happens with wood doors. In this case, you actually need wood door replacement service. Such problems are nearly impossible to fix well so that you can trust that the door will open and close properly.
Wood doors may also swell due to the climate or high humidity. In such cases, the door will “find” the top; it will rub against the top and won’t close. This should be an easy fix, usually by sanding the top of the door. If the problem is more serious, it will be solved with a hand planner. Or it may require a power planner. This is the tool you will also need to fix a door that is scraping on the floor – and thus, it won’t close.
It’s best to leave such tasks to a door repair company. Why? Because you need to remove the door and this isn’t very easy or safe, especially if you are doing the job without any help. And then if don’t know how to use the equipment, you may do more harm than good.
The door won’t latch
Doors fail to latch if they cannot be closed properly. The usual culprit here is the strike plate. Naturally, the door won’t latch if it doesn’t close due to hinge and alignment problems. But often, the strike plate becomes loose too. You may need to adjust it and be sure that the door lock’s latch finds its way into the strike’s hole. To ensure this won’t happen again, use longer screws to fasten the strike plate.
The door sticks
Doors stick when they are not aligned correctly in which case, it’s best to take a look at the hinges and see if they need some adjustments. Or, if the hinge screws need tightening or some are missing.
Did you paint the door lately? If you shut the door before the paint was dry, you know why it sticks.
Now, if the door latch is sticking, the knob may be screwed too tight. Or, the hardware may need some lubrication. Lubes will also solve the problem of squeaky noises, too.
Air drafts come in
Air drafts find their way in when there are gaps around the door. And there are gaps around the door when the weatherstripping is missing. So, here’s your solution. You need to weatherstrip the door. Unless, there’s serious door damage. Damage that cannot be fixed with some door repairs and the installation of weather seals. In this case, it’s best to consider getting a new door, especially if we are talking about main entry doors.
