Sliding patio door repair
A sliding door runs on rollers in the bottom of the sash, travelling along a track in the threshold. When it becomes heavy, noisy or jumps as it moves, the cause is usually worn patio door rollers, a damaged track or debris packed into the runner. A sash that has dropped will also rub along the frame and leave a gap at the top.
Rollers can often be adjusted to lift the sash back to the correct height. Where they are worn flat or broken, replacements suited to that door system are fitted. Sliding door repair also covers anti-lift blocks, which stop the sash being lifted out of its track, and the guides at the top of the door.
Patio door lock problems
A patio door lock may be a hook lock on a sliding door or a multipoint lock on a French door. Symptoms include a key that will not turn, a handle that has to be forced, or hooks that no longer catch the keeps. Often the lock itself is fine and the sash has moved, so the hooks miss their keeps by a few millimetres.
Alignment is checked first, then the cylinder, gearbox or mechanism is replaced if it has failed. Fitting an anti-snap cylinder when the barrel is changed is a common upgrade. A patio door that cannot be locked should be treated as a security concern and mentioned when you get in touch.
French door repair
French doors are hinged rather than sliding, so the usual faults are dropped doors, worn hinges and the two doors no longer meeting cleanly in the middle. The slave door is held by shoot bolts top and bottom, and if those bolts stop engaging, the master door cannot lock properly against it.
Hinges can often be adjusted to lift and realign each door, and worn hinges or shoot bolts can be replaced. If the doors are otherwise sound, this is usually far less disruptive than replacement. Our French doors page covers the choices if new doors turn out to be the better option.
Seals, draughts and glass
Brush pile on sliding doors and rubber gaskets on hinged doors wear and flatten, letting in draughts and rain. Renewing them restores the seal without changing the door. Blocked drainage in the threshold can also let water collect inside, so clearing drainage slots is part of checking a leaking door.
Glass faults are dealt with separately. A pane that has misted between the layers needs a new sealed unit, while cracked or broken glass is a glass replacement job; see misted double glazing and window glass replacement for those repairs.
Repair or replace?
Rollers, locks, hinges and seals are all replaceable parts, so a sound frame is usually worth repairing. Replacement makes more sense when frames are distorted, the track is badly damaged, parts are no longer available or the door has several worn components at once.
Fairway Window Systems Ltd offers a free home survey and written quote. Use the existing enquiry form to say whether the door slides or is hinged and what it is doing. For the wider repair picture, see our window and door repairs page, or patio doors for replacements.
Frequently asked questions
What is involved in a patio door repair?
The door is checked to find the cause, then rollers, hinges or the sash are adjusted, and worn rollers, locks, hinges or seals replaced with parts that suit the door system.
How long does patio door repair take?
Adjustment and cleaning the track are usually quick. Replacing rollers, a lock or seals takes longer, particularly if parts must be ordered for that door.
What affects the cost of repairing a patio door?
Whether the door slides or is hinged, which parts have failed, parts availability and whether the track or threshold is damaged.
Why is my sliding patio door hard to open?
Usually worn or dropped rollers, a damaged track or debris in the runner. Clean the track gently first; if it is still heavy, the rollers need checking.