Sticking Doors and Windows

If you’ve noticed that the doors and windows in your home are difficult to open and close, it’s likely a sign of larger, underlying foundation issues. Sticking doors and windows are common symptoms of structural problems like foundation settlement.

AFS is the Southeast’s leading foundation repair company with over 20 years of experience helping homeowners just like you reclaim their home from the threat of structural collapse. If your windows and doors are sticking, call us today!

What Are Sticking Doors and Windows?

Sticking doors and windows are those that are difficult or impossible to open and close properly. You may have to put a lot of effort into opening them or they may get stuck halfway. This is often accompanied by doors not fitting properly into their frames.

These are indications that there’s a problem with the overall structure of your home, likely brought on by foundation damage. You may even see drywall cracks around them—a major red flag of foundation issues.

Foundation settlement is one of the most common causes. If ignored, sticking doors and windows will lead to far more severe home damage.

What Causes Sticking Doors and Windows?

There are a few key reasons you may experience sticking doors and windows:

Sinking foundations – If a foundation sinks unevenly, it causes floors to become uneven and interior walls to shift. This makes doors and windows jam in their frames.
Deteriorating crawl space supports - Deteriorating crawl space supports (due to either wood rot, over spanning, or water in your crawl space) cause sagging floors above. This pulls your walls out of position, leading to sticking doors and windows.
Water damage - Leaks and moisture getting into door and window frames can cause them to warp and swell. This leads to sticking as well.

Can You Fix Sticking Doors and Windows?

Yes, sticking doors and windows can be fixed by addressing the underlying structural issues with professional foundation repair solutions.

How AFS Fixes Sticking Doors and Windows

We install foundation piers to stabilize settling foundations and potentially lift back into position.
We add crawl space jacks to repair sinking floors and level walls.
We improve drainage with sump pumps and other solutions to prevent moisture issues and wood rot.
If your home sits on a basement, use steel I-beams, wall anchors, and/or carbon fiber reinforcement to repair and strengthen bowing basement walls.

AFS has specifically designed products like our IntelliJack™ crawl space support jacks and SettleStop™ helical piers to permanently fix sticking doors, windows, and other symptoms of foundation problems.

Why Address Sticking Doors and Windows Issues Now?

It’s important to fix sticking doors and windows right away because:

The underlying foundation problems will continue to worsen if left unchecked.
Sticking and jamming issues can lead to window and door frame damage.
Further foundation settling can cause serious structural instability.
Ignoring symptoms leads to more expensive repairs down the road.

Cosmetic repairs will only cover up the issue for a short time; after a while, you’ll have the same problem, and it might even be worse. A cycle of covering up the issue will make meaningful repairs exponentially more expensive in the future.

Take advantage of AFS’s permanent, professional foundation repair solutions to protect your home and prevent sticking issues from returning. Our proprietary products are engineered to stabilize, strengthen, and potentially lift your foundation.

Contact AFS for Solutions to Sticking Doors and Windows

If your doors and windows are sticking, let AFS inspect your foundation and recommend customized solutions. Our expert team provides permanent fixes to stop doors and windows from sticking and jamming once and for all. Contact us today to schedule your free estimate!

FAQs

What are other symptoms of foundation problems?

Cracks in walls and ceilings, uneven floors, and brick cracking can also indicate foundation issues.

Can humidity cause my doors and windows to stick?

High humidity can lead to slight sticking, but severe sticking and jamming indicates an underlying structural problem.

Can I fix sticking doors and windows myself?

We don’t recommend DIY foundation repairs. In over 20 years of business, we’ve rarely ever seen DIY foundation repair do anything other than make the underlying problems worse.

While sticking doors and windows may seem to be thing you can easily fix on your own, getting to the heart of the matter is another matter entirely. It requires professional assessment and solutions.