Maintaining a Sliding Glass Door Is Easier Than You Think

If you’re looking to make a seamless connection between the inside and outside of your home, then a sliding glass door is the best option for you and your family.

A sliding glass door can make your indoor space feel bigger, provide great views over your garden, and make it easier for you to open up an area on a sunny day. This type of door is an amazing investment to make, but to keep such so much glass clean and ensure that all of the mechanisms are fully working, on-going maintenance is important.

To help you keep your sliding glass door in pristine condition so you can enjoy it throughout the years, here are DG Supplyline’s top tips.

Ensure That The Tracks Are Clean and Free of Debris

Our first tip is a really simple one but nonetheless is important if you want to avoid issues with your sliding glass door not working as it should be. Removing any unwanted debris and ensuring that the tracks are clean should become part of your cleaning routine.

Debris can be easily removed by using a soft brush and a hoover, and if you clean the tracks on a regular basis, it doesn’t take long at all.

Keep The Rollers Lubricated

If you want your sliding glass door to open smoothly, you need to make time every so often to lubricate both the top and bottom rollers. This task doesn’t take long, and it’ll stop the door from sticking and becoming difficult to slide open and shut.

Spray some lubricant on the rollers but don’t wipe it off. Petroleum-based lubricants work the best, but also attract debris. On the other hand, silicone-based lubricants work just as well and won’t attract debris.

If you clean your rollers on a regular basis, then we recommend opting for a petroleum-based lubricant. However, if you don’t clean them as often as you’d like to or the sliding glass door isn’t used that often, go for a silicone-based lubricant instead.

When it Comes to The Glass, Use The Right Cleaning Technique

Glass can be rather difficult to get clean if you’re not using the right cleaning technique. Keeping the glass clean is an integral part of sliding door maintenance, so it really does pay off to learn the right technique.

Use a microfibre cloth and dip it in some water, then wipe down the glass with it. Then wipe it dry using some paper towel. This helps to remove any dirt before you start to wash it thoroughly.

Next, use a mild solution of lukewarm water and soap (some people also like to use vinegar) but make sure that it’s quite weak. Again, using the microfibre cloth, clean the entire surface, then wipe it off with a squeegee using soft S-shaped strokes to avoid any streaks. To finish the job, simply use a dry microfibre cloth or some paper towel to buff the glass.

Make Sure The Door Is Weatherproof

When you have a sliding glass door that provides you access to your back garden, ensuring that it’s weatherproof is an absolute must. Protection against rainfall, extreme heat, wind, and snow is something that all external doors should have.

uPVC sliding doors are very resistant to weather damage, but you might still need to replace the stripping every now and then due to general wear and tear. Wooden sliding doors can cause a few more problems, so you need to make sure that they’re treated on a regular basis.

If you have a uPVC sliding door, then your best option for making it more weatherproof is by using compression strips. In fact, adhesive-backed compression strips are one of the most effective weatherproofing products available on the market. Commonly made from rubber, these compression strips can be conveniently cut to fit the length of your sliding glass door channel.

The strips are resistant to chemicals and moisture, don’t contract during the colder months and add an extra level of protection from cold drafts.

Know When You Need An Expert

When it comes to maintaining your sliding glass door, it’s important to remember that you may not be able to solve every problem yourself. All doors eventually run into problems, so it’s essential to identify the difference between specific problems that you can fix yourself and problems that need an expert.

There’s no denying that DIY repairs can save you some money in the short term, but if something goes wrong and you dismiss the problem, you could land yourself with a large repair bill at the end of it.

Recognise When It’s Time to Get a New Door

The final tip that we’re going to share with you is important and something that most homeowners don’t really think about. A brand new sliding glass door won’t give off an impression that one day something will go wrong, but eventually, all doors start to deteriorate and become unusable with time and use.

Knowing when you’re able to repair your door and when it needs replacing will ensure that the door never gets to the point where it poses a security risk.

Don’t worry, if your sliding glass door has seen its day, there are many modern and outstanding looking doors that you can easily replace it with. With a modern door, you can further improve your home, including making more secure, energy-efficient, and better-looking meaning you can enjoy the benefits for many years to come.

Sliding Door Accessories From DG Supplyline

DG Supplyline is a specialist supplier of door parts, and double glazing spares in the UK. Our office and showroom is based in Southend-on-Sea, and we’re open 6 days a week to both the trade and the public.

If you need a certain part or accessory for your sliding glass door, then our friendly team can help you find what you’re looking for. Many of our customers find our website a useful resource as we provide one of the largest product ranges in the UK.

If you have any questions or would like to get an expert opinion concerning all things sliding glass doors, our team would be more than happy to share their knowledge whenever you need them. They’re available either by email, live chat, or telephone. Alternatively, you can get in touch by visiting our contact page and filling in our form.