10 Misleading Answers To Common Patio Doors Repairs Questions Do You Know The Right Ones?

Sliding Patio Doors Repairs Your sliding patio doors will bring the outdoors in to your home and improve the efficiency of your home's energy usage. However, with time, they can show signs of wear and tear, which will require a bit of maintenance. The majority of sliding patio door issues are fairly easy to repair. Find out more about how to keep your patio doors looking and functioning like new:. Dirty or damaged Tracks One of the main causes of sliding patio doors that don't open is dirty or blocked tracks. Over time, dirt and grime from daily use can build up on the track. This could cause the door jam to become damaged or break completely. Including regular light cleaning of sliding doors and their tracks as part of your household chores can help reduce the build-up. Begin by brushing or vacuuming any big debris off the tracks and then wiping them down with warm water and a non-abrasive cleaning product, such as dish soap. Vinegar can be added to your cleaning solution to help get rid of stubborn grease and dirt stains. If your sliding door isn't able to move smoothly after following these steps, it may be the sign of more severe damage that requires a professional repair or replacement. There are a variety of simple fixes that you can try before calling experts to save on costly repairs or replacements. It is essential to put a doormat near the bottom of your sliding doors to help trap dirt before it has a chance to reach the tracks. Regularly trim any plants or bushes that are near the sliding door to decrease the amount of debris that gets tracked into the tracks. Close the door properly to prevent damage to the rollers and wheels. By keeping your doors clean and lubricated you can extend their lifespan considerably. Misaligned Rollers Occasionally it happens that a sliding patio door becomes misaligned or gets stuck. Usually, this is due to obstructions or dirt that can be easily fixed. But sometimes it can also be the result of bent tracks or rollers. In RepairMyWindowsAndDoors can re-align the rollers by removing them with the adjustment screws and cleaning with rubbing alcohol. These parts can be fragile. If your doors are still stuck and stick, you can try using lubricants on the rollers to reduce friction and make it easier for them to slide. Choose a silicone-based lubricant, because petroleum-based lubricants may draw dirt more quickly. It is crucial to clean the rollers and tracks prior to applying lubrication. After you've cleaned your rollers, you are able to reinstall them using the screws for adjustment. Use the same lubricant you used to clean them. When you reinstall the rollers, be sure to push them completely into their channels. You can test the door and see if it moves smoothly. If the problem persists it could be necessary to uninstall your door and examine the rollers and tracks for any other issues. If the rollers or tracks are bent in a way, they may need to be replaced. It's best to hire an expert to install the tracks or rollers in this situation. Warped Glass Sliding glass doors are ideal to bring the outdoors into a room and letting in natural sunlight but they could also be susceptible to damage that requires repair or replacement. Some of the most frequent problems that arise are cracking, warping, and fade. Warping happens when the materials that make up your sliding glass patio door start to degrade due to exposure to heat, sun and other environmental factors. Cracking often results from the impact of a collision, for example from a lawn mower or ball run-in, whereas fading typically happens due to repeated contact with sunlight or other elements found in nature. If you have sliding glass patio doors that aren't easy to close and open it could be an indication that the tracks and rollers are not functioning properly. This problem may be caused by accumulated dirt or rust in the wheels or track or a lack or lubrication. This problem can be resolved by cleaning the tracks and rollers and removing obstructions. The locking mechanism might be faulty and make it difficult to open and shut your sliding patio doors. It could be due to misalignment, wear and tear or an amalgamation of both. To fix this, simply adjust the locking mechanism by turning the hidden adjustment screws at the bottom. Drafts or air leaks around your sliding patio doors are a common problem that can drastically reduce their energy efficiency. They are usually caused by damaged weather stripping and poor alignment of the doors, which can be easily corrected by replacing the weather stripping and realigning the doors. Loose Handle It can be quite frustrating when the handle of a sliding door becomes loose. It makes it difficult to open. This is typically caused by a misaligned locking mechanism, which can be corrected by loosening the screws that secure it and then tightening them until they're snug against the door jamb. A loose handle can also be caused by the handle separating from the spindle which connects it to the inside or exterior handles. This is often due to a variety of reasons, including excessive use, wear and tear or just general aging. If the issue isn't addressed quickly, it could eventually result in the whole handle becoming loose and eventually falling off completely. To fix this problem, you should first find the screws that connect the interior and exterior handles. These screws are usually hidden behind tabs of plastic which can be removed using a flathead (or a Phillips head screwdriver, in some cases) screwdriver. Keep these screws in a safe place to avoid losing them. After the handles have been removed and the old handles are gone, the next step is to take off the spindle that has become loose. This can be done by pounding the end of the spindle with the hammer until it's freed from its position within the door. Then, the new handle can be installed by simply placing the spindle through the hole on the interior handle, and then inserting the other end of the spindle through the hole in the outside handle. Once the handle is installed and tightened, screw back the screws and then test to make sure the lock and unlock mechanism works correctly. Weatherstripping that isn't working properly A worn or cracked weatherstripping could let water and air be able to seep through your patio doors, compromising the comfort and energy efficiency of your home. In addition to letting in water, it can create drafts and also increase your heating or cooling costs. The good news is that replacing the weatherstripping is a simple repair that doesn't require professional help. You can remove the old weatherstripping by either loosing the staples with a screwdriver, or gently prying it off with a putty blade and then pulling it from the door. Then, you can clean the area, and apply a layer of weatherstripping which is backed with an adhesive. This will prevent leaks and improve the comfort of your. If your sliding patio doors are no working as they should, it's essential to fix the issue as soon as possible to avoid further damage and keep them functional for years to come. Depending on the nature of the problem, DIY or professional repair/replacement may be the best choice. The majority of sliding patio door issues are caused by dirty rollers, misaligned tracks, and an untidy handle. In the majority of cases, these issues can be fixed through regular maintenance and cleaning, such as fluidizing the track, adjusting the rollers and tightening the hardware. However, if these methods aren't working, it's best to seek advice from a professional to ensure that your patio door is functioning as it should. Before you decide to replace or repair your patio door, make sure to check its warranty information to ensure that it's covered by the manufacturer's guarantee. This could save you money on repairs or replacements in the near future.