Sliding glass doors, whether they lead to your backyard or to a balcony, are a convenient way to access the outdoors while improving the view from inside your home. Unfortunately, they often break down and become difficult to move. A sliding glass door that's difficult to move needs to be fixed as soon as possible since using force to move the door can damage the frame. Thankfully, repairing a stubborn sliding glass door is often quite easy. To learn how, follow the steps below.
Try Lubricating the Track
Lubricating the track helps the rollers move smoothly along it, and it's often the only step you need to take in order to fix a stubborn sliding glass door. The best lubricant to use is lithium grease since it will last for quite a while without drying out. In addition, lithium grease will work its way into the rollers on the door and lubricate their bearings, which helps the rollers rotate more smoothly.
Once you've purchased some lithium grease, fully open your sliding glass door and apply a thin layer along the entire track. Close the door, then fully open it, and close it a few more times so that the lithium grease works its way onto the roller bearings.
Adjust the Height of the Rollers
If lubricating the track doesn't result in the door sliding smoothly again, you may need to adjust the height of the rollers on the bottom of the door frame. Rollers that are too low won't rotate, and rollers that are too high won't contact the track. In order to change the height of the rollers, you'll need to rotate an adjustment screw located on the sliding glass door's frame. It's near the track and will either be located on the side of the door or on the front edge of the door. For most doors, turning the adjustment screw clockwise will lower the rollers, and turning it counterclockwise will raise them. Adjust the height of the rollers until your door moves smoothly in the track.
Replace the Rollers
If your sliding glass door is quite old, you may need to replace the rollers. Rollers slowly erode as they move along the track. They'll eventually develop flat areas, which prevents them from rotating smoothly against the track and makes your sliding glass door difficult to move.
In order to replace the rollers, you'll need to take your door off of the track. Have a friend stand on the other side of the door in order to brace it, and turn the adjustment screw on the frame to lower the rollers all the way down. This creates an open gap between the top of the frame and the track above it, which allows you to slowly tilt the top of the door downwards in order to remove it from its track.
Once your sliding glass door is off of its track, you'll need to look for a model number in order to find out which replacement rollers to purchase. It's often on the very bottom of the door frame. If you can't find a model number, unscrew one of the rollers, and take it to the hardware store with you in order to find an exact replacement. Once you've found your replacement rollers, unscrew the existing rollers and replace them with new ones.
If you don't feel comfortable taking your sliding glass door off its track, call a home repair service in your area. A home repair service can quickly remove the door and replace the rollers for you, enabling your sliding glass door to move freely on its track again.