5 Reasons Why Your Doors Won’t Shut Properly

As time goes by and houses get older, homes are more susceptible to damage. A common inconvenience is when doors stop closing entirely. Find out the reasons why your doors won’t shut properly and how you can fix them!

Loose Hinges

The door scrapes along the floor and sits crookedly in the door frame. Loose screws in the hinges can make it more challenging for doors to work correctly. The slightest loosened screw can create a misalignment and impact the door’s quality.

Luckily, this is an easy fix. Take a screwdriver and tighten the screws. If the screws appear rusty or worn down, consider replacing them.

Warping Due to Water Damage

If it’s not waterproofed, wood begins to warp when exposed to excess moisture. The door itself or the door’s frame can start to warp. It makes the door incapable of shutting properly.

Doors and door frames work together when each angle is sharp. When warping occurs, it curves the wood and makes the pieces no longer fit soundly together. In many cases, you’ll need to replace the wood to allow the door and frame to fit together again.

Unlevel Door Frame

Warping isn’t the only foundational reason why your doors won’t shut properly. Over time, as the house settles, it begins to shift. This impacts the position of the door frame.

The slight misalignment impacts how the door closes. To check if this might be the cause of the issue, use a level on each side of the door jamb to determine if it’s flat. If not, you may need to contact a professional to assess and repair the problem.

A Damaged Strike Plate

Strike plates are the metal plates on the door jamb where the door latches into. If the strike plate looks curved or dented, the locking mechanism on the door cannot securely latch on. Therefore, your home is unsecured.

To resolve the issue, you may need to purchase a new strike plate. Ensure that it’s the correct shape and size for the door’s lock.

Weather Stripping Affecting the Lock

Homeowners install weather stripping on the sides and top of doors. While it’s helpful to block water and air from entering the house, weather stripping can impact how the door functions.

If you’re encountering issues, try some other easy insulation fixes for drafty doors. Remove the old weather stripping and see if another method will help your door close completely.

Once you establish the cause of the issue, you’ll have your door closing perfectly in place without worry!