Sliding Glass Door Sticking? Try These DIY Fixes

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A sliding glass door can be a convenient and attractive way to get out onto your patio or to your pool. Over time, however, you might find that it's more and more difficult to open and close the slider. Sometimes a failing frame is to blame, and other times the track is the problem. If you can't get your door open or shut at all, it's best to call a glass door repair and replacement company, such as Cheaper Window Glass. If it's just sticking a bit, however, try these do-it-yourself fixes first.

Clean the Track

The most common reason that a door starts sticking is that dirt and other goo collects on the track that the door slides on. Rather than enabling smooth sliding, debris makes for a bumpy, sticky ride for the sliders.

Cleaning the tracks regularly will help prevent a problem, but if your slider is already sticking, just vacuum them out, then use warm, soapy water on a rag to clean them now. Push both doors open to one side to do half the track, then push them both to the other side to clean the other half. Use an old toothbrush or a butter knife to clean out any crevices that your rag can't reach. Dry thoroughly with a dry cloth and see if that makes it easier to slide the doors.

Lubricate the Track

If the track is already clean, try spraying it with a little WD-40 or other lubricant. Just squirt a little bit on one track, then move both doors from side to side to distribute it. A silicone-based product won't attract as much dust and grime later, so look for silicone in the ingredients list. Also, a little goes a long way; you don't want to get lubricant on the floor or the patio because it's slippery, so just use a tiny bit and then add a bit more if needed.

If you don't have any silicone spray, try using a bar of soap or a candle to provide temporary lubrication. Rub it on the tracks and see if that works to make the doors slide more easily. Again, use a light hand, as clumps of soap or wax will just gum up the works even more; you should not be able to see the thin layer you apply to the tracks.

Adjust the Rollers

Have your sliders always been a bit difficult to roll? It's possible that the rollers are keeping the door a little too low for smooth sliding. Depending on the type of door you have, you might be able to adjust the rollers without removing the door.

Try opening the door and looking at the edge that usually touches the wall. If you see a small hole, look inside and see if you can find what looks like a screw. Use a screwdriver to turn the screw just a quarter turn clockwise and see if that helps or makes it worse. If it makes it worse, try turning a half turn counter-clockwise. (The direction that your door is facing will impact which way you need to turn the screw.)

If you can't find the holes or a quarter turn does not make a difference, it's possible that the doors need to be removed in order for you to adjust the rollers. This is a project that is better left to a professional, as sliding glass doors are heavy and can be dangerous if not reinstalled correctly.

If cleaning, lubricating and attempting to adjust the rollers aren't working to make your door easier to open and close, it's time to call in the pros. Sometimes a door will need to be replaced or re-framed, depending on the problem, so it's better to get it taken care of before it becomes impossible to open or close the door at all.

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