how to fix a sliding glass door

3 Reasons to Love Sliding Glass Doors

Brighten up your interior spaces and gain convenient, expansive access to the outdoors with the addition of a sliding glass door.

Adding a Sliding Door

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With each passing year, it seems like homeowners spend more and more time outside on the deck, porch, or patio, entertaining friends and family or simply relaxing with a book. Indeed, according to Jim Eldredge, a product manager with Sears Home Services, "It seems like outdoor living has never been more popular." Even so, Eldredge continues, "There are many ways in which homeowners today aren't so different from previous generations." As in the past, most still want to live in a bright, airy environment and enjoy generous views. These similarities between homeowners of today and yesteryear help to explain the renewed popularity of sliding glass doors. Perhaps no other upgrade does so much to satisfy both the current popularity of outdoor living and our timeless desire to feel a connection with nature. Sliding glass doors not only provide physical access out to the yard, but they also invite in the light, air, sights, and sounds of the great outdoors, eroding the boundary between a home and its surroundings. "You get the best of both worlds," Eldredge remarks. Without sacrificing any of the comfort and convenience you enjoy indoors, you gain a redefined, dramatically closer relationship between interior and exterior space. Continue reading to learn more about the compelling factors that motivate so many to open up their homes with a new sliding glass door.

ABUNDANT LIGHT

Adding a Sliding Door - Light Concept

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In a typical sliding door, glass comprises most of the surface area, allowing the panel to admit a profusion of natural light. For that reason, Eldredge says, sliding doors hold great appeal for a wide range of homeowners. After all, "Not many of us want to live in the dark." Beyond delivering the practical advantages of daylight, sliding glass doors can also have an impact on the perception of a space. More light, combined with better sight lines, often makes a room with a sliding glass door feel larger than it really is. Despite the many benefits of a sliding glass door, however, Eldredge cautions that there can also be cons. Much depends on the model of door you choose. Before purchasing, be sure to check the thermal performance of any door on your radar, he advises. Doors from Sears Home Services, for example, come with a special metal oxide coating that successfully limits heat transmission. Known as a low-E coating, the transparent, micro-thin layer reflects heat away in summer while trapping it indoors during the winter. Low-E coatings can also minimize the fading and bleaching effects of UV rays. "It's like sunscreen for your house," Eldredge says, and for a budget-minded homeowner seeking to cut monthly cooling and heating costs, "it's a key technology you may not be able to afford to do without."

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Adding a Sliding Door - Ventilation Concept

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In the past, a sliding glass panel probably held a single pane of glass, but today multiple panes are the norm. To underline the point, Eldredge explains that sliding glass doors installed by Sears Home Services typically boast dual panes, affording a level of insulation similar to that of an exterior wall, at least when the doors are closed. On days when the weather permits, meanwhile, sliding glass doors open up to provide a breath of fresh air, literally. "Homeowners love that," Eldredge explains. "There's still nothing like exposure to the breezes and natural conditions outdoors." But nature can be a foe as well as a friend, taking a toll on a sliding glass door. Which is why Eldredge urges homeowners to take maintenance into account as they evaluate sliding glass doors. "Unless you have time and energy you can devote to its care, stick with a door that doesn' t need a lot of attention." Wood-frame doors are notoriously finicky, requiring at the very least periodic painting or staining. Aluminum "offers easy care at low cost," but it doesn't insulate very well. Sears Home Services installs only vinyl-frame doors because, according to Eldredge, vinyl combines "the low-maintenace virtues of aluminum with the insulating capacity of wood." As it demands only occasional cleaning and resists many of the challenges that threaten other door materials, "vinyl may be your best bet," Eldredge concludes.

SECURE ACCESS

Adding a Sliding Door - Security Glass

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You're cooking dinner in the kitchen and planning to eat outside in the yard with your family. It's a delicious proposition, but it can be a recipe for frustration if you need to travel a long, circuitous route, serving platters in hand, from the kitchen to the table. Many homeowners decide to install a sliding glass door simply because the upgrade provides direct and accommodating access to the outdoor living area. It's not only a matter of convenience, though. "Physical distance between living areas indoors and out only reinforces the perception of the two as separate and apart," Eldredge explains. A sliding glass door can erase that distinction, encouraging the homeowner to view the deck, porch, or patio as a natural, accessible extension of the home's square footage. Remember, however, that while a sliding door gives a family a new way in and out of the home, it does the same for would-be intruders. As well, because their panels are composed largely of glass, sliding doors can be a liability in severe storms that generate wind-borne debris. To address security concerns, storm vulnerabilities, or both, Eldredge suggests that some homeowners may want to specify the use of security glass. Sears Home Services "routinely installs patio doors with security glass enhanced by an interlayer of polyvinyl butyral," Eldredge says, referring to a resin that lends additional strength. It "may not be for everyone," Eldredge notes, but under certain circumstances, it's "a must."

While pretty much anyone can understand the tremendous appeal of a sliding glass door and its ability to create lighter, brighter interiors that are better connected to their surroundings, not just anyone has the skills required to install one. This is an undertaking where you really need to know what you're doing. Even for the most ambitious do-it-yourselfer, installing a sliding glass door can be complicated, labor-intensive, and time-consuming. For most homeowners, therefore, the first step in putting in a sliding glass door typically involves finding and hiring a qualified contractor. You can look for one in your area or get going right away by scheduling a free in-home consultation with Sears Home Services. A nationwide company that's also a household name, Sears offers a proven, decades-long track record and a demonstrated commitment to quality results. Plus, for your peace of mind, the company always backs up its work with a Satisfaction Guarantee—an assurance that from the earliest stages of the process all the way to final installation and beyond, Sears remains committed to your success. "A home upgrade shouldn't be a home headache," Eldredge says. Fortunately, with Sears in your corner, you'll need to concentrate on nothing more than the benefits of a brand-new sliding glass door. Everything else? "Just leave all of that to us," Eldredge says.

Adding a Sliding Door - Backyard Patio Area

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This article has been brought to you by Sears Home Services. Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila.com.