The benefits of Sliding Glass Doors

 

 

Sliding doors are popular and a feature in many homes.  Sliding glass doors provide easy access for homeowners to their garden, patio, or balcony.  These sliding glass doors connect us to the great outdoors by visually opening up a room and extending it to the outside.  The larger windows ensure an abundance of natural sunlight and airflow into the home.  Sliding doors are great space savers and take up less space than hinged doors, especially in smaller living spaces. 

 

A quality sliding glass door is an investment in any home, but they are unfortunately not maintenance-free.  The key to prolonging the life of a sliding door is proactive maintenance and occasional repairs.  Wear and tear happen over time and regular sliding door maintenance and sliding door repairs will ensure your door functions properly. 

 

Common Issues with Sliding Glass Doors

 

Wear and tear are common with prolonged use and homeowners can encounter some of these issues with their sliding glass doors:

• Sliding glass doors don’t slide easily
• Rollers on the bottom of the sliding glass door are worn, pitted, damaged or out of alignment
• The build-up of debris, dirt, and hair on the rollers
• Sliding door hardware is not adequately lubricated or it might be the wrong kind of lubricant
• The header may be sagging
• Broken hardware components

 

Routine Checklist for Sliding Glass Door Maintenance

 

1. Make sure you check your sliding glass door regularly

 

It is important to check your sliding door regularly to ensure you are aware when any issues appear and to ensure you can repair your sliding glass door immediately. Check your sliding doors at least every month.  Like anything mechanical, the parts that help these doors slide require maintenance, as they are wearing components and break down over prolonged use or time. Even if the sliding door is operational, it is important that you still have regular checks.

Add it to your routine maintenance tasks to check every part of the sliding glass door, especially the tracks, rollers, and wheels.  It is the tracks, rollers, and wheels that are prone to dirt build-up and debris from the outside that gets trapped inside the tracks every time the door slides open or closed.

2. Clean the glass, frame the rollers and tracks

 

Clean the glass and vacuum the roller tracks at the bottom of the door at least once a week to ensure your sliding door will continue to operate smoothly.  By regularly cleaning the glass, you can slow down debris build-up in the surrounding frame and tracks. Remember to clean the tracks on both sides of the door.

 

It is important to wash the door's interior and exterior frame.  This will prevent weathering damage on the outer frame seal. Harsh chemicals can damage the finish on your door frames; rather use environmentally friendly cleaning materials. Wooden sliding door frames will need to be re-varnished regularly when the varnish wears down.

 

3. Check the Lock System

 

Make sure the locking system is functioning at all times to ensure the security and safety of your home. Inspect the door lock and handle to ensure they are in working order and are functioning as they should. If you do find a problem contact a qualified company in Perth to repair or replace the locks immediately. 

 

The door lock and the door handles may also need a small amount of oil to prevent stiffness, rusting, and jamming.

 

4. Keep the Mohairs Lubricated

 

Lubrication is recommended once dirt and debris have been removed but not just any lubricant.  Lubricating the top and bottom Mohairs will decrease the resistance when using the Door.  Remember to only lubricate with Silicone Spray and only when the tracks are clean and free of dust. Lubricating with any oil-based lubricant can have adverse effects on your sliding door. Aluminum tracks will not rust and do not need any lubrication, just clean any dirt and debris from the tracks.

 

5. Replace Worn-out Weather-stripping

Remove and replace brittle weathering strips on your sliding glass door when they do not offer protection against the weather.  You have to remove any residue of the weathering strips or dirt, clean the surface, and then install the new weather-stripping. Make sure the new weather-stripping is properly aligned, and follow the product directions. 

 

6. Look for structural issues

Make sure there are no structural issues such as broken glass or a broken roller that could need replacing. Repeated use and dirt build-up can cause the door rollers to become misaligned, this can have an impact on how the door opens and closes. The adjustment screw will need re-positioning if the door rollers are misaligned.

 

Sliding Glass Door Repairs

 

No matter how old your sliding doors are, they should glide smoothly along their track. While some friction may be considered normal, a sliding door that requires excessive force to open or close is probably not functioning properly. 

Homeownership can be challenging, especially if things in and around the house break or start to wear out.  Sliding glass doors might need repairs due to several reasons.  The door can have mechanical issues or need repairs due to environmental causes.  These mechanical or environmental causes can be normal day-to-day wear, accidental damage, severe storms, misuse, or the settling of a home.  Repairing a sliding glass door can be tricky, especially when you do not have a lot of experience or knowledge about the system. 

 

When do I call a Sliding Door Repair Specialist?

 

Not every sliding glass door problem can be easily solved by regular sliding door maintenance.  Sliding glass doors do encounter problems, so it’s essential to know the difference between issues that you can solve yourself and problems that need a sliding glass door specialist to fix.

It is important to repair sliding doors quickly when they are damaged or do not open and close easily to ensure the safety and security of your home.  When the need for repairs arises, the first question homeowners ask is whether they can fix the door themselves, or whether to call a sliding glass door repair specialist in Perth. 

 

If you keep encountering problems with your sliding doors despite cleaning and maintaining them, there might be another issue. It might be a good idea to consult with a qualified sliding glass door repair specialist when the problem is unrelated to general maintenance.  Usually, when one part of the door mechanism starts to give problems, other parts of the door mechanism will follow quickly as well.  Glass doors are fragile and very heavy and sliding door repairs need to be done with caution and know-how.

 

It is important to replace malfunctioning components, especially if you experience frequent bumps whilst opening and closing the sliding glass door.  A professional sliding glass door repair specialist will have the necessary experience and equipment to get the job done.  They will repair the sliding glass door correctly, safely, and quickly. 

 

The benefits of using a Sliding Glass Door Repair Specialist

 

 

DIY repairs can save money in the short term, but if something goes wrong then you could end up with unexpected sliding door repair costs and a rather large repair bill.  It is important to know when to replace your sliding door, and when to repair it.  This will make sure your sliding glass door is not a security risk, but rather an enhancement to your home security. 

Sliding doors can be very heavy and have complex components and an inexperienced homeowner and DIY enthusiast might sustain injuries.  It is especially dangerous where broken or damaged glass is involved.  It is always a good idea to phone an experienced sliding door repair specialist to deal with bigger problems. 

Each repair is a little different as there are so many different kinds of doors, rollers, tracks, and installations and each one has its own set of problems. Professional sliding door repair specialists will give the homeowner an estimated sliding door repair cost and schedule insured technicians to restore the faulty or broken sliding glass doors to near new conditions.  Find a reputable sliding door repair specialist in your area to assist you with all your sliding door repairs or your sliding door maintenance. 

 

If you need sliding door repairs in the Perth area contact WA Building Services to learn more about their comprehensive window and sliding door maintenance and repair services.  WA Building Services are sliding door repair specialists in Perth and they offer a fast, friendly, and reliable service.  The team at WA Building Services will attend to your issues quickly and professionally. 

The homeowner will receive quality workmanship that will guarantee long-lasting results. Trained and insured sliding door specialists will give professional advice and service.  WA Building Services adheres to all safety regulations.  The professional sliding door repair team will be able to advise you about improved energy efficiency and ensure all new components have excellent sealing qualities. 

 

WA Building Services, covering all areas for sliding door repairs in Perth, can repair and replace sliding glass doors for a fraction of the cost.  Visit their website for more information.