Can a door that normally latches properly stop latching properly due to the house shifting?

Question

Does that make any sence? Ok, in both houses I've lived in the doors would latch properly one day, but not latch properly the next(we would have to either pull up or push down to latch them). Mom and dad say it's because the house shifts, but they've been wrong before and I'm not sure I think it's because the house shifts. Has anyone else had this problem? Is there a way to prevent/fix it?

Answer 1

Easy fix...install a larger striker plate, one with a broader hole for the latch. You'll have to enlarge the old hole before installing the new plate. This will allow for to and fro shifts. You'll find it at any hardware store.

Answer 2

yes, but it's likely due to the change in season.  there is often more humidity in the winter.  adjust the latch.

Answer 3

Yep, houses can shift very subtly during the seasons, expanding and contracting with hot and cold weather.  This shows up in places like door latches that are engineered to fit precisely.  Also, it's very possible that the door itself is changing shape a little, due to humidity or hot/cold expansion.

Adjust the latch for a slightly looser fit and the annoying problem will go away.

Answer 4

Yes settling can cause this, but other things can also. If the screws in the hinges become lose, they can also let the door sag and cause the same problem. If the screws are lose, they can be removed, peg the hole with a wood match stem and reset the screws.Also make sure the strike plate (where the bolt of k**b catches) tighten it up. You can also adjust the strike up or down by filling the existing s***w holes and alignment of the hole.

Answer 5

We have doors that do the same thing. . .we live in the Midwest and in the summer wood swells with the heat and humidity, making the doors really tight (especially our door to the garage, AND our fence latch).  In the winter the opposite happens, and the cold, dry weather makes the wood shrink and it's not a problem, except with the fence latch, which seems to adjust frequently with the weather. . .it's fairly new, which makes sense.  It's probably due to the change in weather/humidity, rather than the house settling.

Answer 6

the weather can effect the doors, as well a the house shifting. if the weather is humid, wooden dors and wooden door jams will get bigger.do you live somewhere where theres lots of earth quakes?hurricanes?high winds?maby they could shift tho house.very old houses shift too though.

Answer 7

Your parents are correct.  A house settles for up to 30 years.  :)  Walls sometimes get little cracks, floors can start creaking, and doors can not line up properly.

Answer 8

Usually when a door stops closing it's not an on-again, off-again problem if it's due to the house shifting.  It sounds to me like it's a difference in the humidity and temperature in the house, or outside.  This is common where I live in South Carolina.

If humidity is up (it's been raining, or it's very damp and muggy outside) then the door and other wood products are going to swell, causing the door to fit too tight.  If it's cold and dry, the wood will shrink, causing it to loosen up.  I would think this it the issue.

The only thing that can be done about humidity is to get a dehumidifier to remove the moisture from the air.  This would alleviate the problem.  There is also the distinct possibility that the doors don't fit exactly as they should.  Assuming all of the hinges are hung correctly, the door could be shaved slightly with a rasp or planer at the point that it's making contact.  But don't take too much off!

Answer 9

yes the foundation of the house, especially modular and mobile homes shifts, it has happened over the past couple of years with my home and all of the doors on one side of my house don't close well anymore.

also, the temperature can cause wood or metals to expand or contract depending on whether it's hot or cold outside. humidity doesn't help either.