Door that will not close

Doors do not suddenly stop closing for no reason. There is nearly always a cause that has been building up over time, and it can be fixed.

Most common causes

• Dropped door. The hinges give under the weight and the door drops a few millimetres. The bolt no longer lines up with the strike plate.
• Swollen wood. With the damp on the coast, wooden doors expand and rub against the frame, especially in winter.
• Strike plate out of place. The plate on the frame that the bolt goes into has moved or come loose.
• Worn lock. The latch or the bolt does not come all the way out because a spring has lost its strength.
• Damaged frame. After a knock or an attempt to force it, the frame has spread and the door does not fit.

What to do now

• Check whether it rubs by running your hand along the edge as you close it slowly.
• Try lifting the door slightly by the handle as you turn the key. If it locks that way, it has dropped.
• If you have to go out and the door will not lock, do not leave it like that: message us and we will find a solution for that night.
• If you see lever marks on the frame, it may have been an attempt to force it: see attempted burglary.

What not to do

• Do not slam the door to make it fit: you are punishing the lock and the frame.
• Do not force the key to drive the bolt in. It will end up snapping or breaking the lock.
• Do not sand the door without knowing where it rubs; sometimes the problem is in the hinges, not the edge.

How we sort it out

We work 24 hours a day, every day, in Torrevieja and the Vega Baja. With a video of the door closing on WhatsApp we can almost always see where the problem is and give you a fixed quote.

On the visit we adjust the hinges, reposition or replace the strike plate, adjust the lock or replace it if it is worn. We tell you before we replace any part. When we finish, we check that the door closes smoothly, without pushing, and that the key turns effortlessly.

You will find all the information under door repair and adjustment. If what fails is the lock itself, see also lock repair.

In summer and in winter

In Torrevieja it is typical for a door to close perfectly in summer and start rubbing once the rain and the damp arrive. If it happens every year, adjusting the hinges usually solves it for both seasons.

Pay by card, Bizum or cash, and talk to us on WhatsApp in your own language.