Top Five Reasons Why Your Doors are Sticking and How to Fix it

 

Are you tired of struggling with simple tasks such as closing and opening doors or even windows? It happens more often than you think!  In some cases, thousands of people struggle with these types of problems, but they do not even know the reasons. The secret is paying attention to the tiny details and being able to spot the early signs of a problem to prevent even worse events from occurring.

 

Here at Arizona Foundation Solutions (AZFS), we have over 30 years of experience and a professional staff eager to assist you in any way they can! Multiple factors may influence the sticking of your doors, but oftentimes we see soil movement as a driving factor. 

 

Here at AZFS, we have professional certified foundation specialists who value your goals and your investment. Door problems are never fun, but with the right help and special knowledge, we might be able to address the major issues by paying attention to the symptoms that may seem like cosmetic fixes. In the following section, we will address the different causes of sticky doors as listed below. 

 

• Hinge alignment

• Humidity & weather

• Improper soil compaction

Is Hinge Alignment Affecting My Door Function?

Sometimes when people notice a door not closing properly, they may think it is because of a hinge alignment issue. Moving the hinge to another spot seems like a good solution, right? Not always. This temporary solution may work for some period of time, but if the hinge isn't our main problem, it'll keep happening. The main cause to hinge alignment can be directly tied back to a foundational issue.

 

Sometimes the door, not closing is not because of the hinge being misplaced whenever they got installed, but other factors might influence it, such as:

 

• The door did not get installed in a paralleled way with the proper measures of the wall and the door frame.

• The hinge crew got over-tighten.

• The foundation is unleveled.

 

As mentioned before, when installing a door it is very important to consider many factors, such as making sure the door is getting installed parallel to the wall, the hinge crews are not too loose or too tight, and if the foundation is leveled. 

 

Just as wood in a door might change its volume, depending on the weather, the soil beneath a house’s foundation might change its volume too. The change can affect the whole structure along with the house's functions, such as opening and closing doors and windows.

 

Overtime Misaligned

As with any other element of a construction project, a door changes its performance by decreasing due to time along with its components such as hinges, screws, and even shims. 

 

Time cannot go unnoticed, and your house will definitely show some signs of changes in the future. As some people say, if you want to have a good and stable structure, you need a strong, stable foundation, and even the foundation will decay with time.

Not Properly Installed

The installation of doors and even windows need to be made very precisely by using measurements and the right tools; that is why looking at the hinges, paralleled position, and even the type of screws used in the installation is very important to secure a strong and long-lasting door. Otherwise, the performance of the door function will decrease as time goes by, as shown in the following images:

 

Properly Installed

 

Improperly Installed

 

Even though the door installation process might not always be the determining factor, it can definitely help or at least diminish the risk of having functioning difficulties in the future. Just a couple of centimeters might make a difference when a wooden door gets swollen during the winter or when the foundation gets unleveled.

Do Humidity and Weather Cause My Doors to Get Swollen?

 

Humidity and weather play a huge role in door malfunctions. When it rains or snows, the moisture is absorbed into the soil beneath the home’s foundation, expanding and causing the foundation to shift and eventually crack. Moisture does not only affects soil; it also affects wooden material and house elements such as doors and wooden window frames. However, that is the weather of Arizona, there are other types of weather, such as in California and Florida, where the soil might be too sandy. 

 

The weather can be too cold and humid all the time, which can lead to even more structural issues in the house, including the windows' functioning. Having humid weather will cause most homeowners to struggle with swollen wood and even foundation heave problems that might also affect the door functioning of the houses.

 

When the cold air gets in contact with wood, it will eventually get swollen, even though there are some products that might diminish the reaction. On the other hand, when the air is too dry, the wood will shrink since there is not enough moisture in the air to keep or maintain its volume.

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Seasonal Change

 

The seasoning is related to the weather, but it can be the main influencer when the foundation shifts or even cracks, depending on the severity of the issue. For example, in Arizona, people get monsoon season, where the civilians get frequent rain, dust storms, and strong wind. 

 

Therefore, after days of rain, all the expansive soil (Clay) that did not get any moisture during the whole year starts absorbing all the water it can. Which eventually will cause the soil to change its volume, expand, and cause foundation heaves in many houses.

How Soil Movement/ Improper Soil Compaction Can Cause Foundation Problems

Soil movement is not only affected by seasonal change and weather conditions but also by different types of soils and improper soil compaction. The improper soil compaction will force doors and windows open and close inaccurately.

 

Not preparing the soil well enough might lead to an unlevel perimeter in the future, along with the concrete slabs inside. Loose soil tends to move in different directions because of the space available. 

 

For example, imagine a pillow that might not have enough cushioning or filling distributed in the right manner, leading to neck pain or total discomfort since there is not sufficient cushioning and distribution to provide full support.

 

Usually, Foundation raising (Foundation heave)  and sinking (foundation settlement)  movements happen because of a change in volume in the expansive soil due to moisture level; that is why location, weather, and humidity play a huge role here. If the weather is too humid and involves a lot of rain, the probability of homeowners having to face foundation heave problems is very high since the soil absorbs the moisture and doesn't let it go. 

 

On the other hand, when you live in a desert with a lack of moisture, such as in Arizona, the civilians might face foundation settlement issues instead or even a combination of a heave and a settlement problem. Depending on the area or even water leak accidents might lead to foundation problems as well. 

 

Soil Movement from Different Types of Soils

 

Arizona soil is mainly composed of sand, silts, and clay. Every area is different based on the history or what was in the place before. Maybe a company was cultivating fruits and vegetables in the past, which caused the soil to alter. Being composed of different types of soil does not limit the soil's capacity to retain liquids and expand. 

 

However, there might be some places with more soil elasticity capacities than others, depending on the different soil percentages. View the fact that the more clay there is in the oil, the more likely it is to expand, and the less clay there is in the soil, the less likely it is to change its volume.

 

• Sand

• Silts

• Clay

 

 

Is My Foundation Preventing Me From Closing My Doors?

Remember! When you are struggling with opening or closing a door, do not hit it! Probably the one to blame is something else, as mentioned before. The reasons for a door or even a window to not function as expected might vary, but a foundation problem can play a huge part. Now that you know what might be causing those exit hazards, you can take action and look for the right help because no problem is impossible with the right assistance. 

 

Arizona Foundation Solutions (AZFS) can help you, your foundation, and your doors! Do not worry about having an exit hazard or struggling with simple tasks that should be simple; give us a call at 1-602-470-1311 or click here to learn more.