Wouldn’t it be nice if all the doors in your Santa Cruz home swung freely and quietly and closed with a neat “click,” just the way they should? Maybe you’ve adapted to all the idiosyncrasies of each door and don’t even notice how they add vexation to your life. But visitors will notice — especially if they’re potential buyers. In today’s market, you can’t afford to have anything working against you, no matter how subliminal. So let’s fix those annoying doors. Pick your problem:
Lock problems.
If the key to the door to your Santa Cruz home is difficult to turn in the lock, don’t try to oil it. This will only attract more dust and make things worse. Instead, get a tube of graphite powder from the key department at your hardware store. Insert the tip of the tube into the keyhole of the lock and squeeze a few times. Your key should glide easily now.
Squeaky doors.
Does it sound like you’re in an episode of Tales from the Crypt every time you open or close a door in your Santa Cruz home? Try applying some silicone-based, non-oil lubricant to the hinges. It works better than oil or graphite and won’t make a mess. If necessary, remove the hinge pin, rub it with steel wool and coat with lubricant before reinserting.
Sticky doors.
If your door doesn’t close properly, it could be that the hinges are loose. Simply tighten loose screws with a screwdriver. If you find that the screws spin without tightening the hinge, try this:
• Remove the screws.
• Get some wooden toothpicks and insert them into the screw holes. Break off at the surface.
• Replace screws and tighten.
If that doesn’t fix the problem, close the door and inspect the gap around it to see where the door is sticking. When you find the problem area, remove the screws from the nearest hinge and replace with long screws, at least 3 inches long. This will pull that part of the door away from where it sticks.
For more tips on how to get your Santa Cruz home ready to sell, call me at 831.662 or email me at Lauren@LaurenSpencer.com.
For additional information please visit my homepage at www.MySantaCruzRealEstate.com.
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