Patio Door Repairs - Ambassador Windows

When we say patio doors we are talking about sliding patio doors sometimes called porch doors. We also have a section on French Doors, see link.

Sliding patio doors are a feature of around half of all homes in Dublin. They are used less frequently in recent years but nevertheless are still very common both at the back of the house to link into the garden or as a porch infill at the front of the home to provide a layer of protection from the weather. Most front sliding patio or porch doors will be single glazed and made from aluminium. Most back patio doors will be double glazed and while most are aluminium, around one quarter are PVC.

Sliding patio doors are robust and will work well for around 15 years before giving any trouble. When they do give trouble they can be quickly repaired and can be made good as new.

What are the most common problems with sliding patio doors?

• Not sliding properly
• Not locking properly
• Double glazing is fogged or misted up
• Glass is cracked or broken
• Keys are lost or broken in the lock
• Levers are broken

The problems above often come in combination. Sometimes one problem leads to another. As with all window and door repairs it is best to repair the first fault at the earliest opportunity.

When the wheels on a sliding patio door become worn they make the door difficult to slide open and closed. This causes extra pressure on the door handles and causes excessive wear on the patio track below the wheels. If the patio track becomes damaged it will need to be replaced. If ignored the alignment of the door will be affected. This will leave the sliding door draughty and may make the door difficult to lock. If your sliding door is difficult to lock you may find that the black levers (if fitted) are difficult to lift up or down or that it is hard to turn the key in the lock. This can cause the patio levers or key to break. Several times every year we call to homes after a sliding patio door has fallen out. This can cause serious injury. There is a greater risk of injury if the glass in the door is not laminated or toughened safety glass. The main reasons patio doors fall out are poorly maintained patio track or patio wheels and improper use.

Often, and especially with front sliding patio doors, it is the case that the keys for the lock have been misplaced. This is a simple repair and we can call out and replace the locking cylinder, giving you 3 new keys and the ability to lock your door again. Front patio doors or porch doors provide an excellent extra layer of protection against burglars and unknown callers, but the door needs to have a working lock!

Ambassador window repairs have replacement patio wheels or patio rollers to suit every type of door. We also stock replacement patio door tracks to suit both aluminium and PVC patio doors. Replacement levers, wheels, tracks, locking cylinders and single glazed glass can be replaced in one visit. Some locking systems take a number of days to locate and double glazing can take up to 5 working days, depending on type.

Associated products:

• Schlegel tandem rollers
• Replacement patio door track
• Replacement patio door levers
• Locking cylinder
• High security Anti-snap locking cylinder
• Laminated and toughened safety glass
• Additional security locks