Door Opens On Its Own
Door Opens On Its Own | The secret to stopping the door from opening is right there in between the two hinge halves!
Door Opens On Its Own - Easy to Fix in Minutes
QUESTION #2: Hey Tim, thanks for all the free tips and hundreds of videos on your AsktheBuilder website. I just moved into an apartment that’s tired and old. My dad told me about you and I wonder if you can help me as my landlord is slow at making repairs. Can you help me fix a closet door that wants to always shut on its own without having to use a doorstop? Nancy P., Nashville, TN
You don’t have to be a young adult living in an apartment to have the challenges Nancy is facing. These pesky problems can happen in homes, condominiums, as well as apartments. I have a ghost door in my own master bathroom that wants to close on its own and she-who-must-be obeyed has let me know that it must be fixed. I don’t see why I have to be reminded every six months, though!
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Door Opens On Its Own Fix
The self-closing door is perhaps the easiest thing to cure. I’ve had great success by simply bending one of the door hinge pins. The bend in the pin creates just enough additional friction to overcome the force of gravity that closes the door without your help.
I prefer to bend the top hinge pin. Open the door partway and slide a folded magazine or some thin pieces of cardboard under the far bottom tip of the door under the handle. This will support the door when you remove the top hinge pin.
Step 1 is to remove the hinge pin as you see me doing above.
The hinge pin is out. Note how the hinge is still together because I supported the lower corner of the door with some cardboard.
I'm about to strike the center of the hinge pin to put a slight bend in it. This will create the needed friction to stop the door from moving on its own.
Sometimes the bottom of the hinge has a hole so you can insert a large nail to get the pin to move up. Once the hinge pin is out, take it outside to a concrete surface and lay it on its side. Strike it in the center with moderate force to put a slight bend in the steel shaft. Reinsert the pin and let’s move onto stopping the door rub.
CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE Quotes from local Handymen to fix your doors.
I had this happen in my own home. Read about it in the September 28, 2010 Newsletter.
Sara had a door that was driving her crazy. It would slowly close in its own. CLICK HERE to read her story and how to fix the self-closing door.
Column 1337 Part 2