People have two opinions about patio doors: they either love them, big fans of the wide-open airy feel and access to the outdoors that patio doors offer; or they hate them, having struggled and tugged with heavy, slow moving glass panels!
Why does this happen?
Older patio doors, especially sliding glass doors, are plagued with problems. Aluminum frame doors move on rollers — or they’re supposed to! More often than not, these rollers get damaged, crushed, bent out of shape, or clogged up with the debris an active family can track in and out of the house. At that point, opening the sliding glass door becomes an exercise in brute strength. Considering the tugging, twisting, and sheer work that’s necessary to open the door, most people don’t bother — and the patio door becomes nothing more than an oversized window.
That’s no good! The whole point of having a sliding glass or patio door is that these options are doors as well as windows: functionality is an important part of the package.
What can be done?
What can be done about patio doors that won’t open? How about sliding glass doors that won’t slide?
Repair is sometimes an option, but more often than not, replacing the damaged door is the best way to ensure you have a patio door you’re happy with. Replacement doors offer beauty, functionality, and enhanced energy efficiency.
What are the options?
Replacement doors are available, from top manufacturers like Alside, Pella, Harvey, Champion and Marvin. Replacement doors are available in a number of styles: patio doors, French doors, and sliding glass doors. Homeowners can also select sliding patio doors, an increasingly popular option. Here’s a little detail about each option:
Sliding Glass Doors: Modern sliding glass doors feature enhanced energy efficiency and improved mechanisms. You’ll have worry-free enjoyment of your window for years upon years.
French doors: Double doors that open from side hinges, French doors are a beautiful, elegant alternative to sliding glass doors. They are also an energy efficient option, and can change the appearance of your home.
Patio doors: Similar in nature to French doors, patio doors feature one door that opens while the other stays closed. This enhances the energy efficiency further, while still creating an elegant and inviting appearance.
Sliding patio doors: An increasing popular hybrid, sliding patio doors offer the traditional appearance of a patio door with the functionality of a sliding glass door.
What About Installation?
Of all the home improvement jobs a do-it-yourselfer might want to tackle, installing replacement sliding glass doors, patio doors, French doors, or sliding patio doors is probably not high on that list. There are a number of reasons for this, most of which are related to the actual physics of the job:
Replacement sliding glass doors, patio doors, and so on are extremely heavy. They’re cumbersome and difficult to maneuver. Getting them to your home from the window store and into position is a large job in and of itself. That’s before you take into account removing and disposing of your old door, which also weighs several hundred pounds.
Additionally, it is critical that sliding glass doors, patio doors, and French doors be properly installed to ensure their functionality. If the door is not level or plumb, it will not operate properly.
For these reasons, manufacturers recommend and most homeowners opt to have their replacement doors installed by authorized, professional installation teams.
That’s why Jeld-Wen considers replacing a sliding glass door on a scale of 1-10, a 1; easy.
I’d be inclined to check with you here. Which is not something I typically do! I love reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to speak my mind!