6 August 2019
 Categories: Business, Blog

Few things feel better than walking in the front door in the evening, shutting it behind you, and relaxing after a hard day's work. A door that won't stay closed behind you, though, can put an end to this pleasant moment. Your front door is what stands between you and the outside world, so it is a major issue if you can't get it to close. The following guide can help you troubleshoot the issue so that you can get the problem fixed as soon as possible.

Hinge Problems

The most common reason that a door won't close and stay shut is that one of the hinges has become loose. Often when this is the case, you can tell that the door is not pulling all the way into the frame at either the top or bottom of the latch side. The latch may also fail to line up with the strike plate, which means the door won't stay closed even if you manage to pull it shut. Tightening the hinges or adjusting the hinge pins will often fix this problem. In some cases, the location of the hinges or how deeply they are set into the frame may also require adjustment.

Strike Place Adjustment

If the door isn't binding but the latch still won't slip into the strike plate, then the hinges may not be the culprit. In this case, the problem is likely that the house has settled and the strike plate and latch no longer line up. Keep in mind that if the difference in alignment is greater than a centimeter or so, you may have bigger problems with your foundation that need to be checked. As for the door, adjusting the location of the strike plate on the frame will solve the problem.

Out of Square

For doors that no longer seem to fit the frame, the frame itself could be out of square. This can occur if the house has settled a lot (another sign of a foundation problem), or if a wood door frame has become warped over time. Once you have the underlying foundation problem repaired, if applicable, you will likely need to install a new door frame. In some cases, you may be able to have the old frame repaired and put back into square so that the door fits and latches properly, but do not attempt to do this if there was any damage to the wood.

For more help, contact a door repair service like AMPM Door Service, INC in your area.