Sticking doors and windows

Humidity or movement?

Wood doors swell in humid weather and shrink when it dries out, so a little seasonal sticking is common. When several doors or windows stick at once, or the problem keeps getting worse, the frames may be shifting as the house moves.

What to look for around the frame

• An uneven gap along the top of the door, wider at one corner
• The latch no longer lines up with the strike plate
• Diagonal cracks running from the corners of the door or window frame
• Doors that swing open or closed on their own
• Windows that are hard to open or lock, or show gaps at the frame

Track it before you call

Note which doors and windows stick, the date and the weather. If the same openings stick in dry and wet months, or more of them start to stick, that pattern is worth showing to an inspector. Floors in the same area may also slope, see sloping floors.

What the fix usually involves

If movement is the cause, adjusting the door only treats the symptom. The repair plan comes from what an inspection finds, often slab piering, pier and beam work or drainage changes.

None of these signs proves a foundation problem on its own, and a guide cannot tell you what is happening under your house. Have a qualified pro inspect it before you decide on any repair.

For typical national price ranges, including crack sealing and piering, see the foundation repair cost guide. Those are national figures, not quotes.

Related guides

• Signs of foundation problems
• Foundation repair cost
• Sloping floors
• Cracked walls
• Bowing walls
• Helical vs push piers
• Piers vs mudjacking
• Crawl space repair
• Local partners and resources
• Home

Last updated October 2026.