How Do You Know it’s Time to Repair Your Sliding Doors?
Generally, sliding doors open and close by sliding horizontally along a track. The doors are mounted parallel to a wall. There’re several types and styles of sliding doors. Some sliding doors feature a panel that slides open into a wall cavity.
Such sliding doors include pocket sliding doors and arcadia sliding doors. Sliding doors that slide open into a wall cavity are most suitable for installation in the shower, wardrobe, and vans.
Sliding doors operate using a gear mechanism. Some types of sliding doors feature a gear hung at the top while others feature a rolling gear at the bottom.
The gear mechanism hung from the top supports the weight of the door. This is the most common design of sliding doors. Such a door is usually supported by hangers hidden within the track at the top.
Sliding doors with a track at the bottom have a roller that ensures the door only slides laterally. The rolling gear at the bottom has rollers that slide along the track when opening or closing the door.
Also, the door features guides that keep the door within the track. Sliding doors that work with a rolling gear at the bottom require more effort to open or close than doors featuring a gear hung at the top.
Most types of sliding doors feature an inbuilt lock resembling a latch. However, the door can include extra locks that are installed either discreetly or openly. Most of the locks are operable from the interior side of the door. A lock mechanism that uses a key can be mounted on the door to make it lockable from the exterior and interior.
When to Repair Sliding Doors
Just like other mechanical things, a sliding door can develop faults with time. If the door is faulty, it’ll require repairs. Thus, it’s important to know when to replace or repair a sliding door. A repair can be demanded by factors such as:
- Friction
Since sliding doors slide open or close along a track, their gear mechanism can cause friction. Friction can cause tear and wear over time, thereby making it more challenging to close or open the door. In case the rollers at the top wear out, the door will rub against the bottom track, thereby scraping it and becoming harder to slide the door open or close.
In this case, you’ll always have to push the door quite hard before it moves. Also, the friction will cause noise as you struggle to open or close the door. In this case, you’ll need to replace the door.
- Debris
Problems related to debris mostly affect the track system at the bottom of the door. As people, materials, and pets move in or out of a building, they may leave behind debris and dirt on the track.
Accumulated debris may clog the track, thereby making it more challenging to open or close the door. Consequently, the door may expose your property to danger since it can’t be closed or opened properly. Also, the door may allow water and air into the building and cause more problems. In this case, you’ll need to repair the door.
In case the debris hasn’t caused any significant damage to the door, you can simply remove the dirt with the help of a brush or vacuum.
- Troublesome rollers
The rollers at the bottom or top of the track can get worn or bent over time. In this case, it’ll be tough to operate the door. In this case, consider replacing the rollers.
- Handles and locks
It’s necessary to repair sliding doors in case of problematic handles or locks. You should keep the handles and locks fully operable at all times to keep your property more secure. If your door came with an inbuilt lock that’s only operable from the inside, you can upgrade it to a lock system that can be operated from both the outside and inside.
Related: How to Repair Sliding Doors?