Door Repair & Adjustment in Los Angeles, CA
Doors in Los Angeles move more than people expect. A house that has shifted, even slightly, over decades of small earthquakes and seasonal soil movement pushes its door frames out of square, so a door that latched easily for years starts rubbing at the top corner or won't catch the strike. Winter rain makes wood doors swell and bind, and in the dry months they shrink back and leave gaps that let in dust and the noise from the street. Add sliding patio doors on worn-out rollers in Valley ranches, iron security doors that have sagged on their hinges, and Santa Ana winds that slam screen doors and gates, and doors end up on a lot of LA to-do lists.
We look at the whole opening before we pick up a plane. Most sticking doors can be fixed by tightening or replacing hinge screws with longer ones that reach the framing, shimming a hinge, or moving the strike, and none of that requires removing wood. When a door really does need trimming, we take off only what's needed and seal the cut edge so it doesn't absorb moisture next winter. Sliders get new rollers and a cleaned track, and weatherstripping gets replaced so the door closes tight. We vacuum up the shavings and leave the door latching on the first push.
What this covers
- Sticking, rubbing and binding door adjustment
- Hinge tightening, shimming and replacement
- Strike plate and latch realignment
- Sliding patio door roller and track repair
- Security screen and iron door adjustment
- Weatherstripping and door sweep replacement
- Lockset, deadbolt and handle installation
- Pocket door and closet door repair
How a door repair & adjustment visit usually goes
Find Where It Binds
We open and close the door, check the gaps around it, and figure out whether the problem is loose hinges, a shifted frame, swelling or a worn latch before we take anything off.
Adjust Before Cutting
We tighten hinges with long screws into framing, shim or bend hinges as needed, and move the strike, which fixes most doors without removing any wood.
Trim and Seal Only if Needed
If the door still rubs, we plane or trim the edge just enough to clear it and seal the cut so it doesn't pull in moisture and swell again next winter.
Weatherproof and Test
We replace worn weatherstripping and sweeps, check the latch and lock for easy operation, and clean up shavings and dust before we leave.
Security doors and gates are a big category in LA that you don't see in many other cities. Many houses and apartments have iron screen doors on the front entry, and those are heavy enough to pull their hinges loose and sag until the lock no longer lines up. We tighten or replace the hinges, reset the strike and adjust the closer. Near the coast in Venice and the Westside, salt air rusts steel hinges and latches, so we use stainless or coated hardware. In the Valley, the main issue is heat. Sun hitting a west-facing door all afternoon dries out the weatherstripping and can warp a thin door, so we suggest better seals and a light-colored finish.
What shapes the price in Los Angeles
A simple hinge or strike adjustment is one of the quickest jobs we do. What adds time is a door that has to come off to be planed and sealed, a slider that needs new rollers ordered to match an older model, an iron security door with bent hinges, or a frame that has shifted enough to need shimming. Solid-wood original doors in older homes take more care than hollow-core interior doors. Replacing weatherstripping all the way around costs more than a sweep alone. Putting all your sticking doors into one visit is usually the best value, since a house that has moved tends to have more than one.
Neighbors often ask
My door started sticking after the last earthquake. Is my house damaged?
Usually not. Small earthquakes often shift a frame just enough to make a door rub, and a hinge or strike adjustment fixes it. Watch for several doors sticking at once, new diagonal cracks running from door corners, or gaps opening at the top of a frame. If you see any of those, have a structural engineer or foundation contractor take a look. We'll tell you plainly if what we see looks more than cosmetic.
Can you fix my sliding glass door instead of replacing it?
In most cases, yes. A slider that's hard to push almost always has worn rollers and a dirty or dented track. We lift the panel out, replace the rollers with matching ones, clean and straighten the track, and adjust the height so it rolls easily. If the frame is badly corroded or the glass seal has failed, we'll tell you it's time for a door installer.
The wind keeps blowing my screen door open. What can you do?
Santa Ana winds are hard on screen and security doors. We can add or replace a closer rated for the door's weight, install a wind chain to stop it from swinging too far, tighten loose hinges, and adjust the latch so it holds. That usually solves both the banging and the damage to the frame.
Can you rekey or replace my locks?
We replace locksets, deadbolts and handles all the time, including smart locks. For rekeying an existing lock, or for high-security and master-keyed systems, a locksmith is usually the better choice. We'll tell you which makes more sense for your door. If your door has an old mortise lock, we can usually get it working again rather than cutting the door for a new lock.
My door has gaps that let in dust and light. Is that worth fixing?
Yes, especially in LA, where Santa Ana winds blow dust and dry air under doors and through gaps around them. New weatherstripping and a good door sweep keep out dust, noise and some summer heat, and they make the door close more quietly. If the gap comes from the door sagging, we fix the hinges first so the new seals actually make contact.
Folks pair this with
Drywall Repair
Drywall Repair →TV Mounting
TV Mounting →Furniture Assembly
Furniture Assembly →Ceiling Fan Installation
Ceiling Fan Installation →Door Repair & Adjustment around Los Angeles
Door Repair & Adjustment is one of 14 jobs our Los Angeles handyman crew handles, in Los Angeles and in nearby communities:
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