PPOT handymen: exterior door hard to close in the cold

BReif61 · 01-06-2018, 03:56 AM

Alright, so this has stumped me. My front door (wood core, steel faces) doesn’t like to close when the temperature drops. It will go into the jamb, but to get the latch seated and the deadbolt closed, I have to lean/pull on the door to get it the last 1/4 inch or so.

To further complicate the situation, if the sun is hitting the door, the problem goes away. It’s been in the 20s, but it will open. If there isn’t direct sunlight, it sticks.

This has to be an issue with the jamb contracting, right? It doesn’t make sense that the door itself would expand in the cold.

billybek · billybek's Garage

More like the framing around the door is changing size and shape.

You could probably see where it is rubbing the jam and plane off a little material or do what I do.
Wait for the temperature to warm up.

cabmandone · cabmandone's Garage

Look at your gap around the door. My guess would be the jamb on the hinge side is moving. Could be that the hinge side isn't placed tight against the rough in opening and there's no shimming to fill the gap between the jamb and the framing.

Crowbob · 01-06-2018, 05:34 AM

Don't open it.

But truthfully the door may be warping just enough due to int/ext temp differential. The latch catch on the jamb may be adjustable.

MBAtarga · 01-06-2018, 06:15 AM

It's likely the vinyl weather strip is not as flexible in cold temperatures, so it doesn't compress as much when colder. Our front door is exhibiting the same thing starting this past week, as nighttime temps have been in the teens and uppers only in the 30's.

ossiblue · 06:43 AM

Does the door "want to stay open" when this happens, like when the hinge on a door is set too far into the jamb and the edge of the door butts up against the jamb before it is fully closed? If the door is not hitting the hinge side jamb when closed, then I'm with MBAtara and think it's an issue with the weather stripping. Your description makes it sound like the door fits smoothly into the opening but simply does not move easily to the door stop/weather strip where it would be parallel to the jamb and latch/bolt easily.

The alternative to the above could be the hinge side jamb is twisting outward somehow, causing the misalignment.

drkshdw · 01-06-2018, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

It's likely the vinyl weather strip is not as flexible in cold temperatures, so it doesn't compress as much when colder. Our front door is exhibiting the same thing starting this past week, as nighttime temps have been in the teens and uppers only in the 30's.

^^This. Some types of weatherstripping get quite hard in the cold and it takes quite an effort to compress it when it gets cold. And our front door does this too but only on the top of the door where it's shaded from the sunlight that warms the bottom half of the weather stripping. Change out the weatherstripping to a softer type and the problem will go away.

LEAKYSEALS951 · 01-06-2018, 07:50 AM

Obviously, it could be several different factors contributing to this problem. I was thinking stiff seal too, but without being there, hard to tell.

The only way to know for sure is to open the door, take pictures of it, post to ppot, and keep the door open while the braintrust sorts through the issues in real time. Then you will have your answer.

look 171 · 01-06-2018, 10:24 AM

Look at the strike and see how much off is the latch. Take out your file and go to work. I am sure its just a little you have to file off. B Efore you start that, check the hinge screws to see if they are coming loose. Often, that will fix the issues. It can be a number of things, so its hard to tell over the keyboard

john70t · 01-06-2018, 02:03 PM

1). Check gap is even on all sides.

2). And that there is a slight gap.
Hinges can be shimmed with paper or cardboard.
If hinges are set deeper than at least flush, the door will hit the jam and pull out screws..

3) And that door is evenly flush to wall.
The hinge wall studs can bow and tweek the verticle alignment of hinges.

3). Check latch lands in center of strike.
With enough to maintain slight pressure on seal, but latch pops out into place with only gentle momentum push on closing the door.
This is sometimes tricky to chisel out a new position and shift the screws.

Sometimes a good slam and re-tightening fixes things.