Home Maintenance Tips: Doors

The interior condition of exterior doors can wear out over time, and should be monitored for the condition of their frames and sills. Check doors that are not protected from the weather for the presence of essential flashing at the head.

Interior Doors: Check their hardware for finish, wear, and proper functioning. Monitor the condition of your doors and frames, including the interior of storm doors and entrance doors. Sticking doors or out-of-square frames may indicate house settlement, which is normal.  

Exterior Doors:  Exterior doors should be checked often for their condition, operation, and the functionality of their hardware. Door types include hinged, and single and double doors made of steel, aluminum, wood,, and plastic with or without glazing. Monitor wood and plastic doors that are not protected from the weather – these doors should be rated for exterior use. Some houses use glass-framed doors with operable panels that have wood, vinyl-covered wood, and aluminum frames. Check the tracks of these sliding doors for breaks, breaks and straightness. 

Garage Doors: Garage doors should be monitored for operation, overall condition, and fit. Garage doors are typically made of steel, wood, hardboard on a wood frame, fiberglass on a steel frame, or aluminum. They come with glazed panes in many styles. Wood and hardboard can rot, steel can rust, hardboard can crack and split, fiberglass can deteriorate from ultraviolet light, and aluminum can dent. 

Garage doors with motors should be tested every now and then using each of the operators on the system, such as key-lock switch or combination lock keypad, where control must be accessible on the exterior remote electrical switch, photo-electric control switch, or radio signal switch. Check the operation for smoothness, speed of operation, quietness, and of course, safety. Also check for the presence and proper operation of the door safety-reversing device. View the exposed parts of the installation for loose connections, rust, and bent or damaged pieces. 

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