It's Not Ghosts: Here's The Reason Your Doors Slam On Their Own

We've all been there. You are home alone, minding your own business, when suddenly you hear a door slam from somewhere across the house. Perhaps you played it cool and ignored it, or maybe you went into full investigation mode, pair of scissors in hand, just in case someone (or something) was there. Regardless, when you find the shut door and no home intruders or pets to blame, you can't help but wonder how on earth it slammed on its own. 

The big question is this: Do you need to call a paranormal specialist to deal with your possibly haunted house?

Okay, let's unpack that a bit. While said investigation could be a fascinating experience, no, you do not need to call your local Ghostbusters. Doors slam on their own because of a fun little science trick based on air pressure caused by open windows allowing air into the house. Let's take a whirlwind (pun intended) adventure in the land of the air pressure to see how a breeze can slam your doors all on its own, no ghosts or sullen teenagers required.

In a room with all windows and doors closed, there is little air movement within the space. However, if you open a window to let in the breeze, it disturbs the equilibrium of the room's stabilized air pressure, creating pressure changes. Since air always moves from areas of high pressure to low – the path of least resistance — the pressure changes cause air movements within the previously stagnant space. The force of these breezes can push or pull an open door, causing it to quickly slam shut. Mystery solved!

But what if you have no open windows? Is the house definitely haunted? Fortunately, no, as drafts from improperly sealed windows or windows with gaps in the construction, like in an old house, can create the same kind of air movement. Even if it is more subtle than a powerful breeze flying in through an open window, the force of moving air from a draft could still create enough drag to move a door. In other cases, a settling house can cause imbalances within the structure of the door frame over time, leading to a door that is no longer level in its frame. Unlevel doors can (and do) close on their own without being able to stay open. In this case, adjustments to the hinges can be made to fix the misaligned door and avoid phantom swinging.

There you have it. Drafty or open windows, as well as improperly leveled doors, can cause those mystery door slams that have been haunting you, with no ghost required. However, if you have meticulously leveled every door, much less completely air sealed every window to protect your home from extreme cold, and then find that you still have slamming doors, perhaps calling a parapsychologist should be next on your list — after your local handyman, of course!