What to do if the plastic door to the balcony does not close: 5 solutions to different problems

Most homeowners have replaced wooden window and door balcony blocks with plastic ones, and developers are installing them in new homes. And this is understandable: PVC is durable, moisture resistant, does not respond to temperature changes, does not require annual autumn sealing of cracks and gaps. It is completely sealed, beautiful and relatively cheap. But sometimes there are troubles with him. Let’s figure out why the plastic door to the balcony does not close and what to do in this case.

You will be interested: in the video they talked about adjusting the balcony door

And now we invite you to read our article.

All about self-adjusting a balcony door

Why won’t the door close
Solution
— Remove sagging canvas
— Fix weak pressure
— change seals
— We solve problems with the pen
— Fixing the skew
Preventive measures

Why the plastic door on the balcony does not close

The design of the PVC block is simple and reliable, however, sometimes malfunctions occur. Most often, they can be corrected on their own, you just need to correctly diagnose the cause. To do this, they try to slowly close the door and then open it again. After carrying out such simple manipulations, it is already possible to determine in advance where the problem lies.

The «culprit» may be a loose handle. It interferes with fixing the canvas. It is necessary to repair or replace faulty fittings. If, when closing the door structure, it clings to the threshold, it means that the canvas sags under its own weight. Another situation is also possible: when closing, the sash touches the doorway in the middle. So, there is a shift in one direction. In both cases, you need to correctly expose the canvas.

It happens that the door block closes without hitting anything, but not quite tightly. It blows. This means that the lock has broken or the seal has deteriorated. All these problems can be fixed on your own without inviting a repairman. True, everything must be done carefully and exactly according to the instructions. Otherwise, there is a risk of spoiling something else, and then expensive repairs with the invitation of a specialist cannot be avoided.

How to fix broken balcony doors

We will analyze the malfunctions that occur more often than others, and methods for their elimination.

1. We remove the sagging of the canvas

He is noticed by the characteristic grazing or scratching of the lower edge of the frame. Another indirect sign is the uneven clamping of the structure. The rubber seal in some areas will be strongly crushed, while in others it will let air flow through. All this indicates sagging. Most often it appears with a heavy double-glazed window. To correct the problem, use vertical or horizontal adjustments. It may be necessary to do everything.

Screws for adjustments are placed in the door leaf. The horizontal mechanism is responsible for the right-left shift, the vertical one for the up-down shift.

Carrying out vertical adjustment

1. We raise the door. On the lower loop, which is located along its axis, there is an adjusting screw. We find it.
2. Fasteners can be closed with a decorative cap. If this is the case, carefully pry it off the edge and remove it.
3. We take a hex key, install it on the screw. If you need to lift the block, turn the tool clockwise and at the same time slightly raise the door. We lower it by rotating the key in the opposite direction.

Horizontal adjustment may be necessary, it will make it possible to move the structure to the side.

Making horizontal adjustments

1. Fully open the door. An adjusting screw is located in the end part of the sash in the area of ​​the upper hinge. We find it.
2. We hook the edge of the plug with a flat object, remove it.
3. Install the hexagon, turn the tool clockwise.

After each adjustment, we check whether it was possible to remove the malfunction. We wrap the screws, adjust the position of the block until the sagging is eliminated.

2. We adjust the weak pressing of the sash

This problem manifests itself as blowing from the street, which is logical: the door to the balcony does not close tightly enough. You can check like this. The sash is opened, then closed, inserting a sheet of paper between it and the frame. Close the castle. Now try to take out the paper. If it is difficult or impossible to do this, the pressure is sufficient. When the sheet comes off easily, this is a sign that the sheet is not being pressed down enough. It needs to be regulated.

How to adjust

1. We open the sash, we find eccentrics on it, they are also called trunnions. They are located as follows: two pieces — at the hinges, one — at the «scissors» that regulate the tilt of the canvas, four — at the end.
2. We examine the trunnions, determine their setting. They are oval in shape, are deployed in different directions. A turn in the direction of the room determines the maximum pressing, in the direction of the street — the minimum. In the first case, they talk about the «winter» mode of operation, in the second — about the «summer».
3. If necessary, use the L-shaped hex wrench to turn the eccentrics to the correct position.

Masters recommend that with the advent of hot days, put the trunnions in the «summer» mode. In the autumn cooling they are returned to the «winter». This prolongs the life of the seals.

3. Change seals

Let’s figure out what to do if the plastic balcony door does not close tightly even after adjusting the eccentric. You need to check the rubber seal. Over time, it dries up, cracks, loses elasticity. This item is not functional. The wear process is accelerated by insufficient care for the seal, sudden temperature changes, year-round use of the «winter» mode.

Signs of high wear of the rubber seal are discoloration, loss of elasticity, the appearance of frost and freezing. The balcony block becomes leaky: a draft is felt and street noise becomes audible. All this reminds you of the need to replace the part. It is done like this.

How to replace the seal

1. We open the balcony door wide, securely fix it in this position.
2. We take a spatula, carefully pry off the edge of the seal. We pull out the cord, completely remove it from the groove.
3. We clean the inside of the groove from glue residue, degrease it with any solvent or alcohol solution.
4. We measure the new cord. It must be solid, fastening segments is unacceptable. It is advisable to leave a small margin.
5. Apply glue to the groove. Immediately the entire surface should not be treated, the mastic will dry out. We work with small segments. We lay the sealing cord on the adhesive solution. We gradually move in one direction, paste over the product around the entire perimeter.

It is not necessary to tighten the cord when fastening. It should lie freely, without tension. In a stretched form, the diameter of the seal decreases, so it will not be possible to obtain a tight pressing of the web.

4. Fix pen issues

Frequent closing and opening of the door to the balcony can loosen the handle fasteners. Then it needs to be pulled up. They do it like this.

How to pull the handle yourself

1. We find a plastic decorative cover on the frame below the handle. She closes the screws.
2. Gently rotate the cover at an angle of 90˚. She must move.
3. Tighten the fixing screws.
4. We return the cover to its original position.

Sometimes it happens that the handle is difficult to turn. In this case, you need to lubricate the lock mechanism. For this, any lubricant without acids or resins in the composition is suitable. A broken lock most often cannot be repaired, only replaced. Do the same with a broken handle. New fittings are inexpensive and easy to install yourself.

5. Remove the skew

This malfunction is easily noticeable: the canvas catches the middle of the frame, the plastic door to the balcony does not close from below or from above. The skew of the block may appear due to errors made during installation. Much less often, the structure warps due to temperature fluctuations. This only happens with low quality plastic. In both cases, you can try to fix the problem.

To do this, carry out adjustments similar to those needed when the canvas sags. Start from the bottom loop. Tighten the adjusting screw located near it with a hex wrench. Check the position of the door. If you don’t pull it up enough, do it some more. You may need to adjust the top hinge screw.

Sometimes it is additionally necessary to move the double-glazed window. From a strong blow to the door, he shifts to the side. To return it to its original place, gently pry off the glazing beads and remove them. The double-glazed window is shifted in the direction of the hinges, then the progress of the door structure is checked. To stop the glass from moving, insert a gasket between it and the frame. Fix the double-glazed window with glazing beads.

Preventive measures

In order for the balcony block to work properly, it is not necessary to neglect preventive measures. It is recommended that the structure be inspected once every six months for defects. Particular attention should be paid to the condition of fittings and sealing cords. Broken fittings must be replaced, and it is best to buy new parts from the same manufacturer. This guarantees their full compatibility with the balcony block.

Seals are lubricated twice a year with a special compound that prevents drying out. In addition, it is advisable to set the blocks in the «winter» or «summer» mode in spring and autumn. This prolongs the life of the cord. It is worth monitoring the cleanliness of the valves. Inside there should be no debris or dirt that interferes with the normal operation of the mechanism. Plastic elements must be protected from scratches and kept clean.

The installation of a microlift will help prevent sagging of the canvas. This is especially true for heavy multi-chamber double-glazed windows. Their weight deforms the structure over time. The microlift compensates for the mass of the double-glazed window, prevents sagging. Structurally, the nodes are different. This can be a lever on the side of the sash or a roller at the bottom of the canvas. In any case, the compensator part does its job well.