While there are certain home maintenance projects you need to call a professional to do ~ like repairing or installing a new roof or paving your driveway, there are other Las Vegas home maintenance tasks you can certainly do yourself, including fixing your stubborn and squeaking doors.

When it comes to the doors in your home, there is nothing quite as frustrating as one that is a constant struggle to open and close. Even though your interior doors are not directly exposed to the rain, the drop in the evening temperature during the winter months, or the sweltering summer heat and humidity from the outdoors, when the temperature changes inside your home to accommodate the changing elements on the outside, your wooden doors can swell, change size, squeak, and/or stick. When this happens – even so slightly – it often alters your ability to open and close your wooden doors easily. Whether it’s a linen closet, your pantry, a bedroom door, or your front door, having to purposefully pull a door with all you might to finally get it open is an easy home maintenance fix.

To repair a wooden door that has been affected by the seasonal climate changes, there are several steps to take.

• First, check to see if there are any loose, deteriorated, or broken hinge screws. To tighten a loose screw, place a door wedge on the latchend of the door; this will balance the weight.
• If the screws aren’t loose or damaged, but the door still gives you a hard time opening and closing, it might need to be planed. You’ll need a special carpenter's plane to scrape a small layer of wood off the edge or side of the door that is sticking. Once you’ve identified the spot on the door where there’s a tight spot, you’ll be able to see if you need to remove the door from its hinges (if the tight spot is on the bottom or on the side with the hinges) or if you can keep the door on its hinges because the targeted spot is on the top of the door or near its handle.

If your doors make a squeaking sound every time they are opened and closed, try (sparingly) using a penetrating oil on the hinges. Be sure to put a cloth down on the floor before you apply the lubricant so that you don’t drop the oil and make your floor slippery. Apply a few drops into the moving parts of the hinge, wait a few minutes, and then see if the squeak is gone; if not, apply a few more drops. If the door continues to squeak, try cleaning the pins in the hinge. 

Visit our blog for additional Las Vegas home maintenance tips – or take a look at the other parts of our “Home Repairs Everyone Should Know” series: Caulk, Unplugging a Clogged Toilet.

Don’t neglect your home maintenance. Be sure to download our home maintenance calendar, or import reminders into the calendar on your device!