Get Back into the Groove
Apr 9th, 2010 by Kathy
Now that you have the front of your house looking spiffy, and your porch chairs, patio furniture, planters, and picnic table in place, you can move on to other areas and items that need to be repaired, tidied up, cleaned, or replaced.
Exterior doors, for example, can be adversely affected by the months of excess moisture, heavy snows, and freezing temperatures. The hinges can become squeaky, or they may even begin to stick, preventing the doors from opening and closing properly. Usually, you will be able to fix these problems with just a can of lubricant and a rag; but first, you’ll have to pull out the hinge pin(s).
To quiet a squeaky door, you may need only to oil the pin (yes, you can do this without removing the pin, but the noise will eventually return). However, a pin on a sticky door is likely to have some kind of build-up, such as rust, or old oil that has been thickened by accumulating dirt and dust. Just sand and clean it, then lubricate and replace it; and if one pin is in this condition, the other ones probably will be, too, so it’s best to take care of them all at the same time.
If a hinge is in really bad shape, the pin can become stuck, and you’ll have to knock it loose with a screwdriver and a hammer. At this point, the door may even be sagging, and you may be able to fix it by tightening up or replacing any corroded or missing screws; but if that doesn’t work, you may need a new door.
Of course, it’s time to take out your storm windows, and put in the screens again. If you find any that are torn, don’t worry – fixing screens is a breeze. Just measure the screen, then add at least an inch to each side, and get a new length of it at a hardware store.
The screen is held in place by a thin, rubbery cord that fits into a groove that goes all the way around the edges of the frame (if it’s brittle or inflexible, pick up a new one when you get your screen). Just pull the cord out, place the new screen tautly over the frame, and, well, get the cord back into the groove. The easiest way to do this is to push it in with a screwdriver, being careful not to rip the screen. Once it’s snugly in place, use a box cutter, or a pair of scissors, to trim off the excess.
While you’re at it, check the screens of any outbuildings or garden structures that you may have, such as garages, sheds, gazebos, and pool houses.
Sure, your home will probably need some repairs this spring; but, fortunately, you will be able to make most of them without spending a lot of money, or calling in a professional. So, there’s no reason to become unhinged, because you’ll have no trouble getting everything back into the groove.
Yours Outdoors,
Kathy
