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How to Fix a Squeaking Door

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Squeeeeeeeaaaak no more.

It's usually the stuff of horror movies: a door opening slowly always seems to produce an eerie creaking sound. It's enough to make one wonder why every haunted house seems to have rusty hinges. In real life, a squeaking door isn't always scary, but it can be downright annoying after a while. If you want to know how to fix your squeaking door, you've come to the right place.

First, you'll want to understand exactly what causes a squeaking door. It's not very complicated: sound vibrations are caused when two parts rub against each other. When it comes to doors, most hinges are designed to be as silent as possible, so the squeaking noise indicates a problem with alignment, usually with the door hinge.

Lubricant eases this friction, but only on a temporary basis. This means that a household item like WD-40 will be able to handle the job, but that doesn't mean your door will permanently stop squeaking.

For a long-term solution, you'll have to take a good look at your door hinges and really determine what's causing things to rub against each other contrary to their design. One of the easiest ways to do this is to simply re-tighten and re-attach a hinge by tightening loose screws. Be sure to check the top hinge on your door first, since much of your door's weight actually hangs on that area.

Most long-term fixes usually require a bit of tearing down before you build back up: this is the case if your door itself is actually out of alignment. You can use a balance to check your door's alignment, and if it needs adjusting, you can loosen your hinges and make the necessary changes. Oftentimes, simply undergoing this process will fix whichever point on the door was causing the squeak, even if you can't pinpoint it directly.

After you've tightened everything back again and the hinges seem in proper alignment, you can give your door a test swing. Swing it back and forth with your hand, and also try a "slow" movement to see how your door handles it. If your door is now silent, you've fixed the problem. Be sure to listen to it occasionally in order to be sure that the treatment has stuck.

Remember that everything can be repaired - or at least replaced. Don't assume that a squeaking door is out of your league even if you've never fixed anything in your life. You might surprise yourself.

Photo Credits: ocean yamaha

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