How to Fix Stuck Entry Doors

Sticking Entry Doors? This Is How To Fix Them.

There are many reasons that can make your entry doors stick. Some of the common causes of sticking exterior doors are shifted frame or door due to warping or swelling.

Your exterior doors should open and close without applying a lot of force on them. However, for most homeowners, this is not always the case. That is the reason we have compiled this article to show you how to deal with sticking entry doors. Continue reading below.

1. Why Do My Doors Stick?

Many entry doors are manufactured from wood. One thing that we know about this material is that it is constantly changing. Even when it is cut and used to make finished products, it will still release and absorb moisture. The weather conditions much dictate how wood behaves. 

During the winter, when there is extreme cold, it contracts. However, when temperatures rise during the summer, wood expands. The expansion and contraction have significant impacts on your exterior doors. However, that is not only the thing that might be making your doors to stick.

The problem could be in your frames. Remember that the door is held to the frame using hinges. Over time, the hinges may become loose or fasten. Loosening of the hinges may make your door hung loosely.

Sometimes, the problem could be emanating elsewhere rather than from the door. The frame could be the culprit. The structure of the frame could be compromised over time. It might shift and become out of square, and the door fails to fit well in it. Those were the causes, let’s see the solutions.

2. Locating the Problem.

It is not apparent that the whole of your door is facing the problem. The issue of sticking could be coming from a single source such as loose hinges. So, since the problem can come from various sources, it is crucial to start by locating the cause of the sticking door.

Start by inspecting the entire door. Check the entire perimeter of the door, whether there are friction spots along the perimeter of the door.

If it is tricky to see these spots using your eyes, you can use heavy card-stock paper. Run your paper around the door’s perimeter while the door is closed. Basically, you will be able to move this card around the perimeter of any exterior door. When moving it around, watch keenly where the pages start to stick-that is the spot that is causing the problem.

You should also inspect the hinges in case you don’t find the issue with the door. To do this, close and open your door gently and listen to the sounds produced by the hinges. If you hear grating or creaking sound, you will know there is an issue with the hinges. You should also want to observe the feeling when you close or open your entry doors. Is the door loose or tight? Answering this question will give you a clue on the status of your hinges.

3. Resolving the Issues.

The first thing you may do is to apply soap to the areas of your exterior doors that are sticking. However, this is a temporary solution. You will need to keep monitoring the door and reapplying the soap.

Another solution is to crank your AC. Apart from cooling your air, your AC unit is supposed to stabilise the moisture content in your home. This implies that when you crank it on, it will be able to eliminate the excess moisture not only from your rooms but also from the doors.-the doors recover their shape. 

But sometimes cranking your AC unit will not completely eliminate moisture in your home. As such, you will want to choose a better option, like purchasing a dehumidifier. The main purpose of a dehumidifier is to eliminate moisture from your home, and you will not have issues of swelling or contracting of your entry doors. 

4. Fixing Hinge Issues.

With hinges, the issue could be either they are becoming loose or too tight. Either way, they are affecting the functioning of your door. If they are loosening, tighten then with a screwdriver. If they are tightening, then apply a lubricant and will come to the right place.