Four Common Sliding Glass Door Repairs
Sliding glass doors can be a lovely addition to your home. They not only provide easy access to a patio, porch, or back deck but they can help to bring the outdoor beauty indoors. Open your bedroom curtains and you can watch the sunrise or the wildlife scamper around your yard in the morning through the large plate glass door. However, sliding glass doors are subject to a variety of common repair problems, most of which are relatively easy to fix.
- A door that sticks when you open and close it. A door that sticks and stutters when you attempt to open it can be a sign that there is debris, such as leaves and sticks, in the door track. This issue can also be caused by a broken, cracked, or rusted roller (the part that slides along the lower track, making it easy to open the door). Replacing the rollers is a relatively easy job for two people.
- A door that gets stuck half-way open. A door that slides along easily up to a point and then stops likely has a bent track. This can be fixed by gently bending the track back into position with a pair of pliers or by using gentle taps of a mallet.
- Broken glass. Hail stones, broken tree limbs and that errant baseball from the boy next door can all cause divots, spidering or cracks in your door glass. While newer door glass is designed not to shatter (similar to auto glass), a compromised piece of glass is unattractive and will cause the door to be less energy efficient. Replacing the door glass is best left to the professionals. A pane of glass that large is extremely heavy and is best installed using special equipment and by those with the skill to do so.
- A lock that is difficult or impossible to operate. Most sliding glass doors are equipped with spring locks. If the spring breaks (which it will over time), the latch becomes difficult to open and close. The answer to this problem is to simply purchase a new spring lock at a hardware or big box home improvement store and replace the worn out device.
If, despite your best DIY efforts, you are still having trouble with your sliding glass door, it's time to call the professionals like those found at Cheaper Window Glass INC. A good door repair contractor has the skill and equipment to get your door gliding smoothly again in no time.
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