Inspecting and maintaining your doors and windows

No matter how well constructed your home is — and as a Holt Homeowner, yours is solid! — your doors and windows will never be immune to settling. Seasons change. Temperatures swing. Your house will expand. Your house contracts. And all that affects how your doors and windows function. It’s just a fact of life, particularly here in the Pacific Northwest.

If it’s your first year in your Holt home, and your doors and windows are becoming a little more sticky than you’d prefer, you can arrange for our team to address this during your one-year check-in. But if it’s been a few years since your move-in date, don’t stress. Most door maintenance and inspection are often minimal.

Seasonal Inspection

Unless there are doors in your house that you simply don’t use, it should be pretty apparent which doors are operating well and which aren’t. However, if, like most out here in the Pacific Northwest, you tend to leave your windows shut for long stretches, you might not notice any issues with your windows until the spring (or even summer).

Closely inspecting your windows and doors at least once per season will help you ensure they are functional and no water is seeping in. Things to check when you check include:

• Hinges are secured to the door and frame and are opening and closing smoothly
• Knobs turn efficiently and are not wobbling
• Doors and windows properly latch 
• Weatherstripping is creating an effective seal
• Windows are sliding smoothly along their tracks

Keep a screwdriver handy to tighten the screws in your knobs, latches, and hinges. Staying on top of this helps prevent many door and window issues down the line.

Sticky Doors and Windows

Aside from the standard house settling, you might see doors and windows stick in high-moisture areas such as bathrooms or with doors that have items like clothes, towels, or other items hanging on them. You can try tightening the screws at the hinges to regain consistent gaps on either side of the frame and alleviate sticking.

If that isn’t doing the trick, and your doors or windows reach the point where they aren't latching or are becoming increasingly difficult to open, it may be time to call in the big guns. If you’re still in your first year as a Holt homeowner, reach out to us, and we’ll be happy to help as part of our complimentary service. Otherwise, you should reach out to your trusted handyman.

Sealing and Weather Strips

Having a proper seal on your doors and windows is essential for maintaining the desired temperature in your home. That’s why you should try and inspect your doors and windows at least once per season and ensure the sealing is tight enough to prevent air leakage.

You’ll also want to check the weather stripping along your front and back door at least two times a year. If it looks misset or worn down, it might be time for new stripping. New weather stripping is easily reapplied and can often be found at your local hardware store.

Garage Doors

Due to our frequent weather events in the PNW, it’s not uncommon to see a little water seeping from beneath the garage door. However, if you’re finding large puddles forming in your garage during heavy rainstorms, it might be time to replace the weather stripping at the bottom of your door. 

Inspecting your garage door weather stripping a few times a year is a great way to ensure it’s in good shape. It’s also wise to apply a manufacturer-approved lubricant to your wheels and tracks from time to time to keep things running smoothly.

Sliding Glass

Like standard windows and doors, sliding glass doors are not immune to expanding and contracting with weather patterns throughout the year. This might make your doors or windows a little more snug during the colder months, but it’s rarely anything to worry about. 

The best way to maintain the function of your sliding glass doors and windows is to tighten up any loose screws and regularly clean out any debris (stone and dirt) from the sliding tracks using a manufacturer-approved lubricant. Practicing these smart homeowner habits even once or twice a year will work wonders on the functionality of your sliding entrances.

CONCLUSION

All homeowners will eventually come across sticky doors or worn-down weather stripping. But inspecting your doors and windows every season is a great way to prevent any extra maintenance down the road. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns about your home's entrances, our doors (and windows) we are always here for you!

Have more questions about your Holt home? Check out our blog for more, or contact our customer care team.

For more than three decades, Holt Homes has built new construction homes for families in Oregon and Southwest Washington. The quality and experience of our people, the ease and efficiency of our approach, and the livability of our communities work hand-in-hand to make Holt Homes the largest locally-grown home builder in the region. For more information, live chat or call us at (971)-231-5560.

*All selections subject to change depending on availability