Increasingly, the exit to the balcony is equipped with a plastic door structure, which protects the room from the cold and has good sound insulation. Due to the increased intensity of use, various problems may arise over time that prevent you from getting onto the balcony or closing the door tightly. Therefore, one of the main questions that an apartment owner faces if the plastic balcony door does not close is: what to do in this case?
The main causes of problems
If it has been noticed that the balcony door does not close tightly or is too tight, then you should not delay the problem, but solve it immediately, otherwise a small breakdown can lead to serious problems over time and repairs will cost a large amount.
The most common cause of breakdown is sagging of the door leaf, when, while closing it, the door begins to touch the threshold.
Due to constant changes in air temperature and high humidity, the door moves in the opening, as a result of which it no longer presses tightly in the middle. It also often happens that the handle closes tightly or is completely loose. This situation makes it difficult to close the door and rapid wear of the mechanism.
If at least one of the listed problems arose some time after the installation of the structure, then you should not engage in repairs yourself, but it is better to contact the company that installed the door block, because it is obliged to send a technician free of charge to fix the existing problems. But if the structure was installed a long time ago and the door to the balcony does not close, then you can try to eliminate the cause yourself.
Repair features
It is useful to assess the severity and scale of the problem - in which cases you should call a specialist:
- If the glass is cracked or broken, a specialist will bring a new one of the required size and quickly replace it.
- A new door needs to be installed, the old one cannot be installed, the damage is serious. Manufacturers of double-glazed windows offer a delivery service with subsequent installation. It’s easier to make a purchase and wait for the specialist.
Other types of breakdowns can be corrected independently with “straight” hands and basic skills.
Most door repairs can be done yourself.
Is it possible to deal with problems on my own?
During regular use of a balcony door, its heat and sound insulation characteristics deteriorate. In most cases, the horizontal and vertical pressure of the sash can be adjusted independently, but if more complex problems arise, it is better to seek help from a specialist.
No matter how high-quality and expensive a plastic balcony door is, it will still need adjustment of the fittings over time. To increase the service life of a plastic structure during installation, you should pay attention to the following nuances:
- Tight fit of the fabric around the entire perimeter;
- Is there any horizontal and vertical displacement;
- Lack of independent opening or closing of the door;
- The canvas should be easy to open, without any effort.
You should not put off repairs until later, and if even one problem is detected, you must immediately carry out adjustments to avoid more complex damage to the box, door leaf or locking mechanisms.
Types of plastic doors
Door structures made of plastic according to their purpose are divided into:
- input;
- interior;
- balcony
Plastic structures are characterized by high strength, even without metal inclusions. This also applies to interior doors made of plastic. With the type of construction, everything is a little more complicated. There are sliding, folding and swing doors. Constructions from the first category are a system of two sashes moving in different directions along guide rails. Sliding plastic doors are often equipped with an automatic opening function. Such systems respond to pressure on the lower platform. Such doors save space, but make a lot of noise and are expensive. Folding systems consist of two or more folding sashes. They are also called “accordions”. Due to the joints, the thermal insulation of folding plastic doors is worse. Swing systems come in single and double leaf types and can be opened towards or away from you.
Fixing breakdowns
As already noted, among the main breakdowns are:
- Door sagging;
- The canvas touches the frame in the middle;
- There are gaps between the frame and the canvas;
- The handle came loose;
- The seal is worn out.
Sagging plastic door
In this case, it is necessary to adjust the upper hinge, and if the problem does not go away, then you should also tighten the lower one.
The adjustment occurs as follows:
- Open the canvas completely and remove the decorative trims from the hinges;
- On top of each loop there is an adjusting screw that must be turned clockwise 1-2 times;
- Close the door and check its operation;
- If the serviceability does not go away, then make a few more turns with the adjusting bolt.
If the plastic door to the balcony no longer closes tightly, and adjusting the hinges does not produce results, then the problem may lie in the double-glazed window, which must be moved towards the hinges. They resort to this method only if other troubleshooting methods have not given the desired result. It is more complex, but you can still try to cope on your own without the help of specialists, the main thing is to follow the following procedure:
- Remove the glazing beads;
- Using a special spatula, move the glass unit towards the hinges;
- Install special plastic gaskets into the resulting gap;
- Holding the double-glazed window, check whether the fault has been eliminated and only then can you install the glazing beads in their places.
Signs of violations
You can identify the problem by a number of external signs: you need to open and close the door several times, turning the handle and listening to the sound of the lock.
Next, inspect the sash completely from the inside, then from the outside:
- If the lower end of the door touches the threshold when moving and you have to lift it up to close it, it may have sagged. The problem is typical for wooden or metal-plastic structures, but a heavy glass unit can also sag.
- It clings to the frame with the middle part - the door leaf has moved horizontally / has become deformed.
- It does not close properly even after turning the handle, you cannot hear the characteristic click of the lock, or a gap is visible between it and the sash - the clamping mechanism is broken.
Inspect the rubber insulation, perhaps they have become deformed or come off in some places.
The handle may jam when turning, preventing normal closing. If the handle or the lock itself is broken, only replacing the door will solve the problem.
The source of the problem is often revealed by careful inspection.
Gap between canvas and frame
If this problem occurs, the solution is to adjust the clamping mechanism. At the end of the door there are pins or eccentrics that rotate towards the sealing contour. The eccentric is turned with a hex wrench, and the trunnions are turned with pliers.
After each rotation made, it is necessary to check the clamping force. To do this, you can use an ordinary piece of paper or newspaper, which is inserted between the sash and the opening. The door closes, and if the sheet is pulled out easily, then you still need to turn it, but if it is pulled out very hard, then the pressure is good.
If everything was done as expected, but there is still blowing from under the door, then the problem lies in a worn seal.
How to switch a balcony door from one mode to another
Balcony doors, like plastic windows, need to be adjusted for pressure twice a year. Unfortunately, the vast majority of owners forget about this.
For winter mode
There is nothing complicated about how to adjust a plastic balcony door for the winter:
- open the door;
- we examine its ends from all sides - the locations of the eccentrics are determined;
- Using a furniture key (pliers), all eccentrics are switched to winter mode. Oval in a horizontal position, round with a mark towards the room.
Pressure adjustment.
If everything is done correctly, during cold weather there will be no blowing into all the cracks and holes.
For summer mode
As the weather warms up, the pressure on the seals must be loosened. Otherwise they will wear out quickly. To do this, the trunnions on the open door are adjusted. They must be set to “summer mode” - oval vertically, round with a mark towards the street.
The seal is worn out
This problem may arise after 5 years of regular use of the door, but if preventive maintenance is not carried out, this time can be significantly reduced. The first signal indicating a loose door fit is drafts around the perimeter of the structure. Since the seal cannot be repaired, you need to remove the old one and go to a specialized store to purchase the same one.
You shouldn’t skimp on the seal, but buy a high-quality one from a German or Russian manufacturer, but under no circumstances a Chinese one.
The handle is loose
If the balcony door does not close because the handle does not turn or closes tightly, then the problem may be due to a clogged mechanism. The first thing that needs to be done is to clean the hardware and lubricate it.
Another reason for poor turning of the handle may be the incorrect position of the strikers. In this case, it is worth calling a professional, because it will be quite difficult to cope with the problem.
If it is noticeable that the handle is too loose, then it can be tightened with the mounting screws using a Phillips screwdriver. If this does not help solve the problem, then you should think about replacing the fittings.
Lock malfunction
The main task of the lock in the design is to hold the door in the closed position, and if the leaf has been in use for a long time, the lock may fail and the door will stop closing. In this case, it is necessary to dismantle the old lock by unscrewing the fasteners and screw the new one using screws to the end of the sash.
Sticking in the middle
When the sash sags, we resort to vertical adjustment, and when it jams in the middle due to climatic conditions, we resort to horizontal adjustment.
- Open the sash wide.
- There is a hole at the end, near the inside of the hinges.
- If the mechanism elements are closed with plugs, remove them.
- Insert a hexagon into the hole near the bottom hinge.
- Start clockwise rotation similar to vertical adjustment.
- This will pull the door towards the hinge.
- Check after each rotation.
- If the problem persists and the sash still jams, do the same with the top hinge.
- Once successful, return the plugs to their place.
Preventive maintenance of balcony structures
In order for a plastic balcony door to serve for a long time and properly, it is necessary to properly care for it. First of all, it is necessary to adjust the clamping mechanism twice a year - in spring and autumn. With the onset of summer it is weakened, and with the onset of cold weather it is strengthened so that the sash fits tightly to the frame.
In order not to adjust the structure too often, it is recommended to install a microlift, which will prevent the doors from sagging. This is especially true if the door is equipped with a heavy double-glazed window.
In most cases, if the plastic door to the balcony does not close, you can fix the problem yourself, but if the problem is serious, then you need to entrust the matter to professionals who will quickly and efficiently fix the problem.
Tools needed when adjusting plastic doors
To adjust and simplify the process, a standard set of tools is prepared in advance. Among the most important tools are pliers, pliers, Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers, L-shaped keys with a 6-sided cross section (another name is furniture keys). If you don’t have the latter at home, you will need to contact construction supply stores. It is recommended to assemble the instruments in several sizes, within the range of 1.5-5 mm. The whole set will cost about 500 rubles. A screwdriver with the necessary bits can replace a Phillips and flathead screwdriver. The most commonly used attachments are T and TX. A screwdriver will be useful in another sense. It will free your hands from additional work. You will also need scissors to cut the sealant and needles.
The list of tools for adjusting plastic doors should also include:
- chisel or special knife;
- spinning hammer;
- handle for removing loops;
- spatula for unpacking.
