29 Jun Broken Hinges Should be a Daily Annoyance.
Or should they?
Broken, damaged or squeaky hinges on a door can be a really fantastic effect on a film set. The squeal of the hinges as the door opens into the evil masters castle give the film that little something you come to expect. But in our own home, I am not so convinced of the effect it would have.
Why does it do this?
Well hinges are moving parts and given enough time age catches up with them and an old hinge may be prone to squealing. The sides of the hinge which rub against each other get worn and if they are not oiled or maintained they may get rusty and the squeal becomes ever more present.
A broken hinge would prevent the heroes from using a particular route out of the castle, but we need those routes out of our own homes. As well as allowing visitors and guests in and out, it makes things so much easier if we can open the door without the squeal alerting all the neighrbourhood that we have arrived home from work each night.
So we need to perform a repair. Or a replacement. Possibly both as it is all going to depend on the state of the hinges and what kind of disrepair they are in.
Checking the door hinge that is broken is fairly straightforward. When you open, or close, the door there may be a small sticking point followed by a bit of a click as the two edges of the hinge bind and release. Another option may be to open the door fully so you can take a look down the length of the hinge and see if it is in one or two, maybe more, parts.
If the hinge is just annoying everyone with a squeal as it opens or closes, as a hinge repair this is as easy as it gets. Ideally some form of silicone spray is ideal. Though a light oil is excellent at getting rid of the nasties. Use sparingly along the moving parts of the hinge and you should have trouble, and squeal, free travel of the hinge for a while. Repeat the process every three to four months as part of a continual maintenance plan and the hinges will stay quiet. Using just a little oil is great, but keep a piece of rag or a piece of kitchen roll handy just in case a little of the oil starts to try and escape off the bottom of the hinge. If you have a spray be mindful that it may be able to get through the hinge gaps and onto whatever is behind.
If it is in pieces then you need to replace the hinge yourself, if you feel you can manage to repair the broken door hinge, then that is great or you can get in touch with us so we can help you with a suitable solution. Anywhere in Blackpool or on the Fylde Coast or in Preston and the surrounding areas, we are there to help. Not forgetting a humble hinge it may be but each hinge takes a portion of the doors weight when it travels, so being broken it may put stresses on the other hinges.
As far as hinges go there are a myriad different types that you can pick from. For a standard wooden door the hinges may be easier to replace than uPVC hinges as the two sides of the broken hinge can be removed separately and the whole hinge replaced while the other hinges hold the door in place. If there are only two hinges which are holding the door it would be worthwhile getting a wedge under the front edge of the door to stop it from moving and also keeping the door at a fairly even level. If you have three or more hinges then you may be OK to remove the parts as the other hinges will, or should, maintain the angles and correct placement for the broken door hinge while you replace it.
For uPVC door hinges it may be a little tricker to replace the hinge as the hinge may require some fine tuning once it has been installed. The uPVC door hinges can be adjusted, not a lot but usually enough, to allow for a smooth travel and correct alignment of the door so it does not decide to bash itself into the door frame. That is not something we want if we are in the thought processes of wanting to part with our lovely home. Leaving behind a damaged door frame is not what anyone would like to do or like to inherit. Worst case you may get marked down because the door and frame are damaged, which in turn would require a new door installation The other issue which might arise from a misaligned door are the draughts that may sneak around the edges as they blast their way from the Irish Sea.
So if you feel you want to have a go at replacing the hinges and you feel confident that it is a fairly straightforward task, which it is, then go for it. However, if you live in Blackpool, or anywhere on the Fylde Coast, Preston or its outlying areas and would like some help with the door hinge repair or replacement then please do not hesitate to give us a call. We can help you to turn your creepy monster evoking squeal of a hinge into blissful harmony.
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