Your doors will wear down. But did you know that slammed doors tend to wear out faster?
Your doors will wear down. Like every other element of your home’s infrastructure, such degradation is to be expected. But did you know that slammed doors tend to wear out faster? Even pushing the door closed gently without operating the knob or handle can affect the door’s hardware. Slamming the doors around you does more than cause tension with the people you share your home with – it can lead to physical damage-related problems as well.
Consequences of Repeatedly-Slammed Doors
We all know how durable metal is. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impervious to damage. Think about how paints, finishes, and pieces of metal break apart due to impact. Sometimes, the consequences aren’t noticeable enough until something goes seriously wrong. That’s why prudent homeowners should have a locksmith they trust. The locksmith can inspect the mechanisms even for doors that don’t have a lock attached to them.
The Grooves and Screw Heads Misalign
For one thing, the grooves and screw heads will fall out of alignment. While this doesn’t sound like a major issue, it can be. Unretracted bolts and latches are essential parts of residential doors. Without these pieces of hardware intact, the door cannot open and close properly. Strike plates and guide plates are more delicate than they appear. Slamming the doors, they are attached to creates problematic grooves. This situation leads to broken plates, and the screws are either stripped or dislodged. The worn-out screws could also “shear” badly enough that unscrewing the screws to put in replacements becomes virtually impossible.
Good Tips for Door Damage Prevention
So what can you do to curtail damage caused by slammed doors? That’s a great question. Encourage everyone in your household to stop slamming the doors. Soft-close add-ons keep the doors from being slammed no matter how hard someone tries to do so. It’s also worthwhile to have your locksmith modify the part of the door that accommodates the plates. What does this mean? It just means that they can create a deeper gap or slot for the hardware. That said, they’ll also do their best to avoid cutting so deeply that the door can’t latch or close.
Ideas for Quick Fixes
If you have some DIY experience, you can attempt to fix damaged strike plates yourself. But the grooving problem could be too difficult for you to repair. That’s why it’s a good idea to consult with door hardware experts and locksmiths. They’ll have the tools needed to extract the plates and replace them with newer and sturdier models.
WalterWorks Hardware Asks: How Can We Help You?
No matter what type of home hardware and decorative touches you choose, WalterWorks Hardware has the expertise and supplies you need. Throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C., and the northern Virginia area, residents love us for our fantastic hardware and unbeatable knowledge. For more information, please call us at (410) 263-9711 or contact us online. For more tips on choosing hardware for your home, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Houzz, and Pinterest.