How to Lubricate Screen Doors
Screen doors, especially sliding screen doors, have become quite common because they are cheap, practical and easy to use. Like anything else, they need to be maintained well as they will be constantly used. After prolonged use due to the amount of friction generated, they tend to become difficult to close, whether they close by sliding or by an open and shut manner. Lubrication keeps screen doors opening and closing smoothly. You may need to lubricate screen doors regularly.
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Apply a thin layer of lubricant to the hinges of non-sliding doors, and check whether the door opens without sticking or creaking. Repeat the process until it does.
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Check whether the problem lies with the roller or the track for sliding screen doors. Check first if the rollers are working as you slide the door from one end to the other. If the rollers stop turning first, that is what is causing the door to stick. If that is not the case, see whether it is the track that is stopping the door.
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Clean the roller using a toothbrush, piece of cotton or anything else small enough to reach into the space where the roller is between the tracks. Apply a thin layer of lubricant to the roller. Repeat this process for all the rollers of the door. Check if the door is sliding smoothly after you lubricate all the rollers at the top and the bottom.
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Lubricate the track by pulling and pushing the door back and forth, and find the spot along the track that prevents the door from sliding easily. Apply a thin layer of lubricant on both sides of the track. Pull the door across that section of track to see if it slides across. Slide the door across the remaining part of the track to see if it slides smoothly right through. If it stops at another part of the track, repeat the same process there until it goes all the way and back smoothly.
Tips
- If the roller is not allowing the door to slide, the problem may not always be with the lubrication of the roller; the roller may need to be replaced due to damage overuse.
- If the problem is with the track, lubricating may not always solve the problem there either. If the track and the door are clashing, the problem is the track itself. If the track and the door are clashing in only a few places, you can fix it. If the damage is extensive, you must replace the whole track.
Writer Bio
Debbie Dragon has been writing since 2003. She graduated from the College of Saint Rose with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer information systems and a minor in business administration. She is the co-owner of TrifectaLLC.com and ReliableWriters.com. Dragon's work has been published on hundreds of websites, including Entrepreneur.com and she has ghostwritten several books and ebooks.
Photo Credits
- used toothbrush image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
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