How to Fix a Door That Opens by Itself

You enter a room and close the door behind you without latching it securely. A few minutes later as you sit on the other side of the room, the door swings open on its own. Your house probably isn't haunted. More likely, the mortise has been cut too deeply, the door frame has shifted slightly, or the door's hinges have worked their way out of alignment. A few adjustments should fix the problem and get your door to stay shut when you close it.

Philips head screwdriver
Wood or plastic shims
Flat head screwdriver
Hammer

Instructions

- 1
  Loosen the screws holding the top hinge by turning each screw counterclockwise a few times. The mortise is the cut-out area of the door and door frame that houses the hinges.
- 2
  Insert a wood or plastic shim between the mortise and the hinge. Re-tighten the screws but not all the way. The shim pushes the top hinge slightly outward, which should realign the door.
- 3
  Test the door to see if it continues to open by itself. Make adjustments as needed by inserting a thinner or thicker shim and tightening the screws. If the door continues to open by itself, follow the next step.
- 4
  Close the door and remove the upper hinge pin. Place the tip of a flat head screwdriver just under the head of the hinge pin. Use a hammer to hit the bottom of the screwdriver with a sharp blow to drive the hinge pin up and out.
- 5
  Lay the hinge pin on a flat surface and strike it in the middle with a sharp blow of the hammer to cause it to bend slightly. Insert the hinge pin back into the hinges and hammer it into place. Test the door. If it continues to swing open on its own, repeat the process with the lower hinge.

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