Stuck, difficult to open windows and doors can be an annoyance. They may also indicate that your home’s doors and windows have distorted gaps due to moisture accumulation, implying that you have a problem with house settling. Windows and doors stuck in place or swaying open after being shut can indicate more severe foundation problems.
During the hot summer months, homeowners frequently experience doors and windows that stick or may be hard to open. When homeowners first notice sticking doors and windows, humidity is likely their first concern. Unfortunately, it is a widespread misunderstanding that humidity has been the only reason for sticking doors, leading many homeowners to fix the problem themselves rather than look for the root cause. On the other hand, sticking doors frequently indicate much more severe pain with your foundation. Therefore, if the homeowners realize the need for stuck doors and windows repairs, they must contact foundation repair experts like HydroHelp911.
Causes of Sticky Windows and Doors
Cracking along window and door openings is a common symptom of foundation problems caused by settlement and sinking crawl space supports. Foundation problems like these can be a symptom of a much larger foundation settlement problem that, if left untreated, can worsen and potentially lead to more severe damage and create a need to opt for repairs.
The settlement and failure of crawl space supports are the two most common foundation-related causes of sticking windows and doors within a home.
When your windows and doors start sticking or jamming when you try to open them, this is a common symptom.
Warning Signs:
- Doors do not open or close correctly.
- Windows require more strength to open and close.
- Cracks that begin at the upper corner of windows and door openings.
- The floors are uneven, with plunges and sags.
- The door and window openings are not in squares.
- Cracks are forming in the windows.
Window and door cracks caused by foundation issues have two common causes:
According to HydroHelp911, foundation settlement is caused by modifications in the foundation soils that support the structure leading to the USA’s stuck door and window repair solutions.
Because the soil beneath your foundation has varying soil characteristics, foundation settlement is never uniform. Soil variation beneath your foundation causes uneven territory, causing slabs to crack and shift while remaining in their initial position.
When your home’s foundation and possibly its slab start to crack, the structural integrity of your home is compromised because the mounted wood framing above your home is likely to bend and twist. This soil settlement results in dirty floors and walls, resulting in skewed window and door openings. As a result, the structural repair team of HydroHelp911 recommends stuck window and door repair methods.
The Solution:
HydroHelp911 can repair failing foundations such as foundation settlement by installing foundation piers in strategic locations throughout the home. The ports installed are so impactful because they extend to stable, load-bearing soil, where the house’s strength is transferred to the proficient ground, and a lift can be attempted to return the home to its original position.
Once the homeowner is satisfied with lift or stabilization, the soil can be back-filled, and the home is permanently relocated to its new position. As the foundation is re-raised, cracks in the wall will be shut. As a result, doors, locks, and windows may reopen, and further settlement damage will be halted.
Crawl Space Supports
Crawl spaces are frequently inefficiently designed structures within a home. Crawl space problems include weak supporting soils, insufficient support columns, and wooden floor joists and rafters that rot over time, causing the supports to sink.
Crawl space support jacks should be used to accomplish the following tasks:
- The best opportunity is to return the floors and walls to their original positions.
- Engineered footings carry the load beyond the problematic soils.
- It is possible, install it in conjunction with a crawl space liner.
- Property value is restored.
Once the crawl space structure sinks, the floor it supports will sink with it, resulting in uneven surfaces underfoot. This type of foundation issue will eventually lead to other problems within the home, potentially causing the floors and walls above to plunge and bow.
Walls pull apart as they sink, leaving cracks in your interior walls. As the floor settles and sinks, doors inside the house become jammed and difficult to open and close.
HydroHelp911 uses crawl space support jacks to solve stuck door and window issues to repair the structural problems with crawl spaces. A hole is drilled at each crawl space jack system to address weak foundation soils. The fix is then filled with concrete or engineered fill made of tightly compacted crushed stone.
Following that, a galvanized steel column is cut to the appropriate height for your crawl space. Finally, the steel column and its elements are arranged and attached to the girder, and the crawl space jack system is tightened.
When our crawl space supports are installed, they immediately stabilize the girders and floor joists, attempting to lift the above floors and walls back to a level position.
Crawl space jack systems are easy to install and typically take about a day to complete. As a result, they outperform other repairs such as concrete columns, shimming, and light-duty jack posts.
More about What is a Helical Pier?
What Causes Windows and Doors to Stick?
Although the rising humidity can cause windows and doors to stick in their frames, a settling or damaged foundation can also be blamed. A foundation can settle or be damaged due to a variety of factors.
Tree Roots: If a tree is grown too close to a foundation, the roots can push up against the foundation, causing damage to the walls. Furthermore, the tree roots can absorb water from the soil around the foundation, causing the soil to shrink and fail to support the foundation wall.
Excess Moisture: If there is excessive water in the soil, either from torrential rain or improper drainage, the soil can become oversaturated. The hydrostatic pressure in the soil can cause damage to the foundation walls. Too much rain or snow can also cause erosion. The soil can be washed away, leaving the foundation walls with little stability.
Inadequate Moisture: Just as too much moisture can be a problem for your foundation, too little moisture can be a headache as well. If there is less moisture present in the soil, it can shrink. As a result, cracks and gaps can form, causing your foundation to subside into these empty spaces and cause problems with your foundation walls.
Poorly Prepared Soil: The soil on which your home was built should have been adequately compacted during construction. If not, the foundation may settle unevenly, starting to cause damage to the property.
Is it possible to repair stuck windows and doors?
The first step in resolving sticky windows and doors is to identify the source of the issue. Then, a foundation repair specialist can inspect your home and assess the problem if you’ve ruled out all other possibilities. In addition to checking your foundation, the professionals can recommend repairs.
Before worrying about your windows and doors, ensure the foundation is repaired correctly. A persistent foundation problem will cause your home to exhibit the same symptoms.
You can substitute window frames and repair the wood around your doors, but if the foundation continues to sink, the problem will reoccur sooner rather than later. After you’ve fixed the foundation, you can replace or repair your windows and doors.
What Is the fix for foundation damage?
It is often necessary to repair your foundation for your doors and windows to close properly again. We have various underpinning solutions at HydroHelp911 to address the issue, giving your home’s foundation more excellent stability and leveling it. To address the issue of foundation settlement, two types of foundation piers are available: push docks and helical piers.
These solutions drive support piers into stable soil or bedrock beneath your foundation. These invisible repairs not only prevent further settling but may also allow us to jack the foundation back to its original position. Once completed, cracks in the wall will close, doors and windows will close normally, and settlement damage will be repaired.
What is a helical pier?
A helical pier is a steel foundation pier with helices, similar to screws. A hydraulic system drives it into the soil to depths below the frost line. Helical piers are installed to support structures, especially in areas where soil conditions are difficult to establish a traditional foundation system. Instead of extensive, costly excavations, they drill deep inside the ground. They are also used to repair foundations that have cracks or are weak.
If you reside in North Carolina and need a highly skilled foundation repair, basement waterproofing, or crawl space repair company, look no further! HydroHelp911 is ready to restore the life of your basement or crawl space!
