Sliding Door Maintenance Checklist

One of the best inventions of the modern era, the sliding door is indeed a must-have in every house. It provides you with a visual view of the exterior, at the same time allowing easy access in and out of your home. Like with all wonderful creations, however, sliding doors require frequent maintenance. While the idea of doing it by yourself sounds a bit daunting, it shouldn’t have to be. Simply remember this sliding door repair checklist to keep your movable doors in excellent condition.

1. Clean the track using a brush. Sliding glass doors come with tracks that allow them to easily glide from left to right, and vice versa. These tracks accumulate a healthy amount of debris from time to time, thus making it more difficult for your door to slide horizontally. It is therefore ideal to perform some cleaning maintenance whenever you have the chance. An old toothbrush usually does the trick, and so will a typical wire brush. When after you’ve finished and you can still see dirt and grime along the track, you can then switch to a vacuum cleaner.
2. Always keep a lubricant ready. Brushing off the dirt isn’t enough. You also need to apply some lubricant along the tracks to ensure that the door slides as smoothly as possible. Using a silicone-based brand is preferable as it doesn’t attract too much dirt in the long run. Of course, don’t forget to wipe off the residue when you’re done; you don’t want to make the surface too slippery.
3. Prepare a knife and a screwdriver. Are your doors suffering from misalignment? It may be wise to remove and then reinstall them. To do this, simply locate the rollers at the bottom of the doors, and then try to locate the adjustment screws. Some standard sliding doors come with plastic plugs that protect these rollers. A small knife will easily pry them out. Afterward, use a screwdriver until you can easily remove both doors from the track. Knowing the location of the rollers is useful for other purposes, too. After doing step 2, you can also apply lubricant onto the roller’s screw for easier gliding.
4. Be up-to-date with your measurements. Replacing a broken glass might be one of the most difficult parts of sliding door maintenance, but if you are adamant against the idea of hiring someone else to do the job, it’s just a matter of removing the glass and ordering a new one. Make sure the measurements are exactly the same as your old sheet. When in doubt, ask help from the store from which you’re ordering the glass. Installing the replacement can be tricky, but it’s doable. Carefully insert it into place and reapply the trim, after which you replace the tacks. Once you are finished, do not forget to clean the glass.

By following the tips listed above, you can rest assured that your sliding doors will stand the test of time.

For inquiries on Sacramento Handyman’s sliding door repair services, contact us at 916-472-0507, lines are open 24/7. To request for a service quote, check out our request form today!