Why do my doors stick in summer and swing free in winter?

On Red River clay, that's usually the house moving slightly as soil moisture changes through the year — common and mostly cosmetic. Keep drainage steady around the foundation and watch the pattern; movement that grows year over year, or cracks that keep widening, are worth a foundation specialist's opinion.

Homeowner guide · Manitoba

Home maintenance in Manitoba

Winnipeg's expansive clay and serious cold set Manitoba's maintenance priorities: keep the moisture around your foundation consistent, keep the furnace serviced like your winter depends on it, and be ready for the spring melt in the Red River basin. The clay that much of southern Manitoba sits on swells when wet and shrinks when dry, so grading, downspouts, and steady drainage do more for a Manitoba foundation than anywhere else in the country.

Expansive soil that moves foundations as moisture changes: Red River clay
Winnipeg winters are among the coldest of any major city: Deep cold
Cheap insurance where spring melt meets city sewers: Backwater valve

What to prioritize in Manitoba

Manitoba houses move — slowly, seasonally, with the moisture in the clay beneath them. The goal isn't to stop it entirely; it's to keep conditions around the foundation as steady as possible so the movement stays small and even.

Keep grading sloped away and downspouts extended well out — on expansive clay, water pooled at the foundation literally moves the house.
Avoid big moisture swings at the foundation: don't let beds against the house cycle between soaked and bone dry, and keep large thirsty trees a respectful distance away.
Test the sump pump before the melt and consider a backwater valve — Red River spring flooding is a recurring fact of life, not a surprise.
Service the furnace every fall and change filters on schedule; at −35°C, heating isn't a comfort system, it's life safety.
Track foundation cracks and sticking doors by season — some movement is normal on clay, but note what changes and bring in a pro if it keeps growing.

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Home maintenance in Manitoba — FAQ

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