The Problem
A homeowner near Bronte Harbour had a patio slider that had become a two-hand job to open. It dragged along the track, jumped out of it a couple of times a week, and whistled in the wind off the lake. The glass was fine. She had been told by a door company that she needed a new door for about $3,000.
The Diagnosis
The crew lifted the operable panel off the track to look underneath. Both original nylon rollers were cracked and flattened, and one had seized completely. The aluminium track had a groove worn down its length and a few dents near the middle where things had been dropped. The pile weatherstrip at the interlock had flattened, which explained the whistling.
Materials
- Two steel tandem ball-bearing rollers, adjustable
- Stainless steel track cap over the full length of the track
- New pile weatherstrip at the interlock and perimeter
- Lock keeper re-aligned
Timeline
| Step | When |
|---|---|
| Call and diagnosis by photo | Monday |
| Visit booked | Same week |
| Rebuild | One visit, about 3 hours |
The crew carried the common roller sizes on the truck, so there was no second visit. With the panel on padded horses, the old rollers came out and the new ones went in. The track cap snapped over the old track, the weatherstrip was replaced, and the panel was rehung and adjusted until it ran level and the lock caught first time.
Final Cost
$690 CAD for the full rebuild, against a $3,000 quote for a new door. The slider now opens with one finger and stays on its track, and the whistling is gone. The rebuild carries our written 2-year workmanship warranty.
Related service: sliding glass door repair.
