How to Fix Your Sliding Glass Door

Adding a sliding glass door to a room offers a number of fantastic benefits. It allows plenty of sunshine to fill the room, it gives you a nice view of your yard and it makes it easy to get outside—that is, of course, assuming that your sliding door works properly and doesn’t stick when you try to open it!

The only good news about a glass door that sticks is that you don’t necessarily have to pay a professional to fix it. Though residential glass replacement in Santa Fe, NM may be necessary in some cases, most homeowners can fix the door themselves as long as they have a little time on their hands. Continue reading to learn how you can fix your door by yourself.

Remove the door

The initial step in fixing a glass door is to remove it from the track. Keep in mind that glass doors are both fragile and heavy, so we highly recommend recruiting a friend or family member to assist you in this part of the task. First, find the adjustment screw covers that are located towards the bottom on the sides of the door. Then, use a screwdriver to adjust the rollers so they move away from the door. This will give you plenty of clearance to remove the door. Next, stand on the inside of the door while your helper slowly tilts the top end of the door towards you. Finally, set the door off to the side.

Clean the track

A dirty track is the most common culprit of a sticking glass door, so let’s clean it! First, use a vacuum to get rid of any loose debris or crumbs. Next, you’ll want to use a stiff brush to thoroughly scrub the track with hot, soapy water. Since you already have the door off the track, you might as well do the same with all four sides of the door, too. Make sure everything is totally dry before moving on to the next step.

Lubricate the track

Proper lubrication on the track is key when it comes to sliding glass doors, but lubricants aren’t created equal, so you’ll want to ensure you’re using the right one before applying it on the track. Vinyl door tracks need a non-stick silicone lubricant, while wood tracks need some kind of hard wax. Whatever you do, avoid using grease or an oil-based lubricant, as those will just attract more dirt. If you need help figuring out which one is right for your door, an expert at your local hardware store should be able to help.

Reinstall the door

Now that your door is nice and clean, it’s time to reinstall it using the inverse of step one. But before you put the door back in, take a look at the rollers to see if they’re damaged and need to be replaced. Assuming everything is good to go, put the door back on and adjust the rollers to ensure that the door slides smoothly without wiggling too much.

Whether you need someone for window replacement in Santa Fe, NM or to install new glass shower doors, we’re the team for the job! The pros at Santa Fe Glass & Mirror have years of industry experience to work with any sorts of glass. Call us today to learn what we can do for you!

Categorised in: Residential Glass Replacement, Window Replacement

This post was written by Writer