Grand Opening: Up to 20% Off. Valid for the grand opening period through December 31, 2026. One offer per job. Offers cannot be combined. No discount on emergency, lockout, or after-hours service, car keys / automotive, or service calls.
Worn or undersized hinges swapped before the latch gives up
Hinge replacement matches the hinge to the weight of the leaf. Ball-bearing hinges, a continuous hinge, a security stud, or a proper screw kit may be the fix. Bad holes are filled. Screw length is chosen to reach the frame, not just the hinge leaf. The reveal is checked after the door is rehung. Non-bearing hinges on a heavy door, short screws, a spread leaf, and paint ground into the knuckle are why a door sags even though the lock was just replaced.
Call when the door has dropped, the hinge squeals because the knuckle is dry and worn, or a light hinge was used on a fire door. Panic hardware and lobby glass are unrelated pictures. We need the edge. If you only photographed the exit device, photograph the hinges too.
Bearing hinges, screw length, and paint packed into the knuckle
Replacement, filled holes, correct screws, and a reveal check are the scope. A new leaf is a different quote if the edge is already split. NFPA 80 applies on labeled doors. Hinge weight charts keep a residential butt off a commercial leaf. We do not paint the knuckle shut and call the squeak fixed.
Heavy entrance doors on commercial rows bind at the latch months after a locksmith 'fixed the strike' by moving it down. The hinge was the moving part. We correct the hinge and then put the strike back where it belongs. House doors with painted hinges get the paint out of the knuckle or a new hinge, depending on how far the wear has gone.
Frequent questions
How do you tell a hinge problem from a strike problem?
The reveal and the knuckle tell you. If the door has dropped, the strike is the witness, not the cause. Moving the strike down follows a door that will keep dropping.
When are ball-bearing hinges worth it?
On a heavy or frequently used leaf. Plain butts on that door chew the pin. A light closet door does not need them, and we will not upsell them there.
What screw length is the usual miss?
A short screw that never reaches past the hinge reinforcement or the jamb skin. The replacement screw has to bite the structure. Color-matched and short is still short.
Can paint in the knuckle be the whole problem?
Sometimes. If the paint is all that binds, it comes out and the pin is checked. If the knuckle is oval, the hinge is replaced. Oil on top of paint is not a repair.