When it is a sunny day I have trouble getting my front door to open. On a cloudy day, it is ok. (front door faces west)It has been giving trouble for the past 3 or 4 Summers, but usually am able to open it in the morning, but for the past 3 days I can not open it anytime. Who should I get to check it out, a builder or a structural engineer. I also have a crack on an inside wall near the ceiling. Depending on what the problem is, will insurance cover any repairs needed.I assume I will need to get an opinion on what is causing this first before looking at the insurance side of things. It is a brick and tile unit, one of 4 in a block. The crack is where the unit joins on to the garage area, with a unit above the garage. This is in Kingsland, Auckland, so not near any recent earthquakes. Suggestions please, thank you.
zak410,
Jan 29, 9:34am
Aluminium door ! they can expend with the heat.
I would first call an experienced builder to have a look.
denisue,
Jan 29, 9:54am
No, wooden door. Not solid wood, two sheets of plywood, hollow in the middle. I do have an aluminium door in front of it (security door) but that is ok, opens ok.
zak410,
Jan 29, 10:05am
Ok, get a builder to plane down the door to increase the clearance where it is sticking,then keep an eye on the gaps.
buddytom,
Jan 29, 10:27am
yep a builder or chippie, plane down and then paint over, I had exact same problem.and that solved it
rsr72,
Jan 29, 10:31am
Perfectly normal for the very dry and hot summer we're having.
denisue,
Jan 29, 12:24pm
I already have a large gap in between the door at the top and the frame, and the door at the bottom and the frame. Top starts out nearly aligned, but the bottom is not. Quite wide, about 8mm at a guess.Can see the sun shining through. Not sure about the planing some of the door off because the actual wood it is made from is not very thick. Just plywood I think, and as I said previously is hollow in the middle.Not the sturdiest of doors. I will get some advice from a builder. Thank you everyone.
dave_ruakaka,
Jan 31, 5:16pm
If you have a crack in your wall above the door usuallythis is a strong indentation the concrete foundation at that point has dropped,not uncommon with older brick and tile houses, due to the fact that the clay laden soil canshrink up to 25% during summer, a simple remedy is to place a water hose against the lower outer wall at that point letting the hose drip ever so slowly over a twenty four hour period,, the idea being the water will enter the soil around the affectedfoundation allowing the soil to expand. If this works repeat once a week.
golfaholic2,
Jan 31, 5:35pm
I had that issue with the gate between the house and garage .every year for 11 years Ive had to plane a few more mm's off the gate . The earthquake fixed it for a while tho .now have a 50mm gap .not sure which has moved .
jhan,
Jan 31, 5:56pm
I have a problem with my front door when it is so dry as well, it sticks. Sandapaper to the bottom of the door will fix it I think.
soph001,
Jan 31, 5:59pm
Timber, when dry, shrinks right! Random that this happens in dry weather. I have no solution for you but #8 sounds like the actual *reason* rather than trying to put ointment on a sore.
zak410,
Feb 17, 3:50am
Maybe the problem is heat, masonry expands. I'll be tempted to hose down the brick cladding and see if that improves the situation. The OP saying "On a cloudy day, it is ok." make me think it isn??
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