If you’re a homeowner, the sight of a crack in your door frame can be worrisome. But are such cracks normal, or are they a symptom of something serious? In this article, we will teach you how to diagnose the problem and what steps you should take to fix and even prevent it.
Door Frame Cracks Are Not Normal
While door frame cracks are common, they are not “normal.” To illustrate, getting sick is common, but it is not normal. Getting sick means your body is fighting some kind of virus or bacteria. Similarly, cracks signify an underlying problem that may be minor or severe. So, how do you tell if the problem is serious? You should give your house a check-up! Many clues can help you determine the seriousness of a door frame crack. However, let’s first review the various causes.
Why Do Door Frames Crack?
Before addressing a door frame crack, you must comprehend what causes it. The most common causes include:
- House Settling – During the first two years following construction, a new home will invariably settle. This settling creates tension in the building’s frame, which can result in cracks in the door frame.
- Water Damage and Moisture – Prolonged exposure to water or high humidity can lead to cracks. Roof and plumbing leaks can damage your door’s framing, causing warping and cracks. High humidity levels can cause wooden door frames to expand and contract, leading to cracks.
- Unregulated Temperatures – The Midwest experiences highly variable weather conditions. Such changes can contribute to cracking. Heating, cooling, and dehumidifying systems can help regulate your home’s temperature and prevent minor cracks. However, if your home is often unoccupied, unregulated temperatures stress the interior walls, contributing to cracks.
- Faulty Drywall Taping – When a house is constructed, the seams between drywall sheets are sealed with joint tape and compound. If this taping process is not done correctly, it can lead to weak spots on the wall’s surface. These imperfections can manifest as cracks, particularly around door frames, where there is natural flex and movement.
- Damaged Crawl Space – The crawl space plays a pivotal role in maintaining the structural integrity of your home by supporting the weight of the house above. When beams and piers within the crawl space are compromised—through rot from moisture, termite damage, or physical breakage—they cease to distribute the house’s weight effectively. Any shift or sag can cause a door frame to warp or crack.
- Differential Settlement – One of the more severe causes of door frame cracks is differential settlement. Differential settlement is when a house’s foundation settles at uneven rates. Given the uneven pressure distribution, some sections of the property, particularly those around doorways, may experience increased stress, leading to cracks in the door frame. Differential settlement can be triggered by various factors, including improper soil compaction before construction, erosion, expansive clay soils, and soil over-saturation contributing to hydrostatic pressure. Detecting this early and consulting with a foundational repair company can prevent more significant damage to your home’s integrity.
- Foundation Heaving – Another severe cause of door frame cracks is foundation heave, which is the upward movement of the foundation. This phenomenon occurs when the soil underneath the foundation expands, often due to moisture increase from heavy rains, melting snow, or plumbing leaks. When the soil expands, it pushes the foundation upward, a motion that places uneven stress on the house’s structural integrity. This stress can manifest as cracks in various places, including door frames. These signs should not be ignored, as they indicate significant changes in the foundation that could affect the overall stability of the house.
Diagnosing the Severity of Your Door Frame Crack
Now that you know what can cause door frame cracks, it is time to figure out which one may be the culprit in your home. Clearly, not all cracks are created equal. Here’s how to evaluate if the crack in your door frame is serious:
Length
The length of the crack in your door frame can help determine the issue’s severity. The longer the crack, the more serious the problem likely is, especially if the crack extends up toward or even across the ceiling.
Width
Hairline cracks, those that are 1/16 of an inch wide or less, are usually not too severe and are generally considered cosmetic. They may be due to faulty drywall taping or a home’s natural settling process. Cracks wider than a 1/16 of an inch or wider at one end than another merit immediate attention because they can signal a more serious underlying issue like differential settlement or foundation heave. A good rule of thumb is to call a professional if you can insert a coin into the crack like a vending machine.
Direction
Vertically oriented cracks are often related to the natural settling of the house or faulty drywall taping. These cracks are usually less concerning and may not require immediate, extensive repair. However, horizontal cracks, diagonal cracks radiating from the corner of the door frame, or those with a stair-step pattern, especially in brick or block construction around the frame, can indicate foundation problems such as differential settlement, foundation heave, or crawl space damage. If the crack in your door frame is going in any of these directions, contact a foundation repair company immediately.
Associated Symptoms
If your door frame crack is due to a foundation issue, there are several other symptoms you may notice around your home:
- Uneven Floors – A dip or rise in certain areas of your floor could indicate a shifting or settling foundation beneath your home.
- Cracks in Walls or Ceilings – Similar to door frame cracks, wall or ceiling cracks can signal foundation movement.
- Doors or Windows That Stick – Doors and windows that no longer open or close smoothly can be symptomatic of changes in the framing due to foundation shifts.
- Gaps Around Window Frames or Exterior Doors – Gaps that suddenly appear around window frames or external doors can suggest that the foundation has moved, altering the alignment of the structure.
- Water Intrusion in the Basement – Water in your basement can indicate foundation cracks through which moisture seeps. This symptom is particularly urgent if new leaks appear or existing ones worsen following heavy rains or in specific seasons.
- Bowed or Cracked Basement Walls – The inward movement or bowing of basement walls is a tell-tale sign of foundation damage.
Recognizing these symptoms early and seeking professional evaluation can prevent minor issues from becoming major, costly repairs, ensuring the longevity and safety of your home’s structure.
How Do You Fix a Cracked Door Frame?
Once you’ve diagnosed the issue, it’s time to take action. Any repair should begin by addressing the underlying cause. For instance, if you have a leak, the repair process should start with fixing the leak and ensuring the area is completely dry. Simple, minor door frame cracks can often be repaired with wood glue for the wood frame and a drywall patch to fix the wall crack, restoring your frame. Severe cracks may indicate foundation issues, requiring more extensive repairs. Foundation repair methods may include:
- Foundation Underpinning – This method resolves issues like differential settlement by driving steel push or helical piers deep into the soil beneath a foundation to stabilize and lift the foundation to its original position.
- Crawl Space Pier and Beam Repair – This repair method involves installing additional supports to lift and stabilize the existing beams and floor joists for homes with crawl space issues.
- Basement Wall Crack Repair – Small cracks in basement walls can often be repaired with epoxy or polyurethane injections. These materials fill the cracks and bond with the concrete, restoring the wall’s structural integrity and preventing water intrusion.
- Basement Bowed Wall Repair – Bowed or bulging walls in the basement are often stabilized with wall anchors, carbon fiber strips, or steel I-beams. These materials are attached to the walls to straighten the wall and prevent further movement.
How to Prevent Door Frame Cracks
Prevention is always the best cure, and protecting your door frames is no different. Try the following methods to prevent future cracks:
- Regulate Interior Conditions – Maintain a temperature in your home that prevents vast temperature swings, which minimizes the stress on your home’s structure.
- Routine Maintenance – Regularly inspect your plumbing and roof to catch leaks early, reducing the potential for water-related damage.
- Foundation Care – Protecting your foundation is crucial to maintaining the structural integrity of your home. Here are a few ways you can do that:
- Clean your gutters regularly
- Install gutter downspout extensions
- Regrade your yard so it slopes away from the home
- Waterproof your basement
- Encapsulate your crawl space
- Install a drainage system
If you are concerned about the cracks in your door frames, it’s time to call the professionals. Contact us today for a free inspection and repair quote. It could be the best decision you make for the longevity of your home.
