In recent times, sliding doors have become increasingly popular and replaced the conventional ones to a great extent. They can be used anywhere in the house, but they are most commonly seen in the garage. Having a sliding door in the garage has more to do with it being convenient than looking nice. For most households, the garage door serves as the front opening to their homes. Therefore, it is used as the main entrance to the living space. A family that consists of four or more adults needs to open and shut the sliding garage door at least 20 times a day. That constitutes for at least a 1000 times annually. No matter how much we use these sliding garage doors, we pay little attention to them until something goes wrong. When something goes down with our sliding garage doors, we tend to curse ourselves for not taking care in the first place.
One of the most crucial components of a garage door is its rollers. You may find it strange, but 9 out of 10 times the root cause behind sliding garage door problems is faulty or worn rollers. These rollers attach the door to the tracks and ensure the smooth functioning of the sliding door. To make your sliding garage doors perform efficiently and last longer, you need to have them as well as their rollers inspected every few months. Nevertheless, even the most well-kept sliding rollers needs to be replaced after they have lived their life.
Here are a few signs you need to have your sliding door rollers replaced.
Disturbed Alignment
As discussed above, the rollers attach the door to the tracks. They also ensure the perfect alignment of your sliding garage door. If the door seems crooked or poorly aligned, the rollers might be the culprit. If the alignment of your sliding door is the issue, it means the rollers are worn and must be replaced as soon as possible. If worn rollers are left to stay, they might compromise the quality of your sliding door, which will eventually need replacement.
Strange Vibrations
Every time your sliding door opens or shut, it is the rollers that make it run through smoothly. With time, these rollers start to wear. When that happens, your sliding garage door will vibrate with great force every time it is moved from one side to another. If the vibrations increase to a point where it seems that the door will fall out of tracks, replace your door rollers immediately before it is too late. If sliding door rollers are difficult for you to maintain, you might consider shifting to sliding door wheels.
Weird Squeaky Noises
A sliding door with well-kept rollers opens and shuts quietly. However, sometimes, the sliding door starts to make squeaky and shrill sounds, which are too painful on the ears. It means that rollers are worn and in dire need of replacement. Well, in some cases, replacement is not the solution. Sometimes, the rollers of your sliding doors are dry and in desperate need of lubrication. Your door also makes strange noises when the rollers are rusted to the core. In case the rollers are corroded, they must be replaced. Because, if rusted rollers are left to stay, the rust will take its toll on the door and the tracks, in the form of corrosion.
If you are experiencing any of the problems mentioned above with your sliding door, it is better to have the rollers inspected by a professional. If you are examining them on your own, make sure the rollers cling firmly to the shaft. Check whether or not the rollers wiggle every time the door is moved. Also, watch closely whether or not the rollers are spinning freely around their shaft. While inspecting the rollers, check for any signs of damage like breakings and cracks.
Now that we have discussed the signs of worn sliding door rollers let’s take a look at some easy tips on repairing or replacing sliding door rollers.
- When replacing the rollers of your sliding doors, make sure to locate the screws at the bottom of the door. The lower screw is referred to as the adjustment screw. To raise the sliding door roller, turn the adjustment screw in a clockwise direction on either end.
- Hold both sides of the door to lift it up. The bottom of the door must be tilted outwards. Sliding doors are generally heavy to move, so you should seek some help.
- Lay the door on a flat surface or even the floor. Remove the screws that attach the rollers to the bottom of the sliding door.
- On the bottom frame of the door, place a solid wooden block. Using a rubber mallet, strike at the block to remove the structure.
- Using a screwdriver, remove the existing rollers from the bottom of the door.
- Now, insert the new rollers in the cavity at the bottom of your sliding door. Make sure to replace the bottom frame of the sliding door. To tap the frame back onto the door, use a wooden block and strike it gently with a rubber mallet.
- Now that the frame has been restored, use the same screws to secure the rollers onto the door. This time, the screws need to be twisted in an anti-clockwise direction.
- To get rid of any dirt or debris, vacuum clean the door. Make sure to lubricate the bottom tracks with paraffin, to ensure smooth movement of the door.
- Lift the door at a certain angle to place it back into the track. Before you put it again, it is better to tilt it a little bit. Once the door is placed, spend some time to make sure the rollers are working fine.
Sliding doors are expensive to install, and the slightest negligence can make your investment go in vain. To save yourself from a significant amount of financial inconvenience, make sure to have your sliding door rollers inspected regularly and replaced when necessary.
About Author:-
Lou is an experienced chief designer who has worked for a number of large companies where he has acquired a sound knowledge of modeling, industrial materials, processes and manufacturing methods. Currently, he works as a marketing consultant with Anthony Innovations – a leading manufacturer & supplier of different types of high quality rollers, like patio screen door rollers, window rollers, security door rollers etc. In his spare time he likes to build smaller projects with his 3D printer.
