A door may not shut right because of changes in temperature and humidity, improper installation or the gradual settling of the house. A door that won’t close properly can be a safety and security hazard. It can also allow drafts into your home, which can lead to high utility bills and can become an entry point for insects. Here are some ways to fix common door problems.
Door Isn’t Aligned Correctly
If a door is out of alignment, you will notice that spaces between the door and the frame are wider in some areas than in others. Try tightening the screws in the hinges near large gaps and/or loosening the screws where the door seems too tight against the frame. If the door is too tight, you may need to place a shim behind one of the hinges to get it back into proper alignment.
Door Rubs Against the Floor or Top of the Frame
Changes in temperature and humidity can cause a door to swell and scrape against the surface at the top or bottom. If that’s happening, you can plane the door to remove some wood from its top or bottom. If you need to remove some wood from the bottom of the door, get someone to help you remove it from the hinges and then rehang it after you plane it.
Door Sticks
A door may stick in one area and have a gap in another place. Start by seeing if the hinges need to be tightened or if any screws are missing. If a screw can’t be tightened because the wood is stripped, replace it with a longer screw.
An exterior door may stick if the threshold piece has come loose. Try tightening the screws. If that doesn’t work, you may have to raise the door sweep or replace both the threshold and the sweep.
Door Doesn’t Latch
If your door won’t latch, that may be because the latch isn’t centered on the strike plate. Find the center of the latch, remove the strike plate and adjust its position so it’s lined up with the center of the door latch.
If the door rattles instead of shutting securely, that may also be due to an issue with the strike plate. If the door has an adjustable strike plate with a sliding tab, loosen the screw, move the tab closer to the door stop and tighten the screw. If the door has a strike plate that isn’t adjustable, you will have to remove the strike plate and move it closer to the door stop.
