Your front door will be one of the parts of the home that will experience the most intense and frequent use. This is also one of the most important security features of your home. As a result, you will want to be familiar with some of the more common issues that a front door can be likely to encounter.

Door Misalignment

In order to easily open and close, the door will need to be properly aligned to the frame. When the door is misaligned, you will find that the door can be almost impossible to fully close without slamming it; this can lead to further damage, which may eventually result in door failure. As doors age, they can be prone to coming out of alignment, and this can lead to them needing to be periodically adjusted. However, if you are finding that your doors need to be realigned very frequently, this could indicate that there is a serious problem with the frame that requires professional attention.

Failing Locks

The locks on the doors allow you to secure the building against unauthorized entry. A common source of lock failure will be due to corrosion developing on the internal components of the lock. If this occurs, the internal gears and pins of the lock may stop functioning, which can prevent you from either securing or releasing it. Proper lock maintenance will require you to periodically clean the exterior of the lock to remove substances that could contribute to corrosion. The internal components of the lock will also need to be lubricated at least once every couple of years to minimize the wear and tear they sustain.

Rot

Wood is one of the more common materials to use in front doors. This can be due to its affordability and the wide range of aesthetic options. Unfortunately, rot is a serious problem for wood doors, and if the rot is not quickly addressed the entire door may need to be replaced. Once rot develops, you will need to have a professional assess the damage. Depending on the severity of the rot, they may be able to remove the compromised sections of the door and replace them with wood filler. A coating of wood sealant can help to prevent other areas of the door from developing rot. In instances where the rot has spread to the frame of the door, replacement will be the only option; a compromised frame may be unable to withstand the normal usage the door can expect to receive.

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