BW Ben Wilder Owner, Alpha Sliding Doors & Windows Repair Quick Answer A sliding door that will not lock has one of five causes: the panel has dropped from worn rollers and the latch is below the strike, the latch hardware itself has worn or broken, debris in the track has shifted the panel, the […]
Sliding Door Won’t Lock? 5 Causes and How to Fix Them Read More »
BW Ben Wilder Owner, Alpha Sliding Doors & Windows Repair Quick Answer Florida snowbird homes left closed for six months see specific sliding door problems: rollers seized from lack of movement, tracks corroded from accumulated salt and humidity, weatherstripping degraded from heat exposure, and seals compromised by UV. A pre-departure checklist and a return-inspection routine
Snowbird Home Sliding Door Maintenance: What to Do Before You Leave and When You Return Read More »
BW Ben Wilder Owner, Alpha Sliding Doors & Windows Repair Quick Answer Most pocket door repairs, including roller replacement, track adjustment, and door re-alignment, can be completed through the door opening itself without cutting drywall. The key is removing the door from its hangers using the access slot at the head, working on the components
How to Fix a Pocket Door Without Opening the Wall Read More »
BW Ben Wilder Owner, Alpha Sliding Doors & Windows Repair Quick Answer PGT WinGuard sliding doors are the dominant impact-rated brand on Florida’s Treasure Coast and Palm Beach. Common WinGuard failures are tandem roller wear in marine environments, multi-point lock mechanism binding, and tempered glass seal failure on older units. Most repairs are straightforward when
PGT WinGuard Sliding Door Repair: What Breaks and How to Fix It Read More »
BW Ben Wilder Owner, Alpha Sliding Doors & Windows Repair Quick Answer CGI Sentinel and CGI Heritage sliding doors are the second most common impact-rated brand in South Florida after PGT. The most frequent CGI repairs are tandem roller wear, lock cylinder corrosion in coastal installations, and interlocking stile seal failure. Alpha stocks CGI-spec rollers,
CGI Impact Sliding Door Repair: Common Problems and Fixes Read More »
BW Ben Wilder Owner, Alpha Sliding Doors & Windows Repair Quick Answer A pre-hurricane sliding door inspection takes about 30 minutes per door and covers 12 specific checkpoints, from rollers and locks through weep holes and Florida Product Approval verification. Run the inspection in May or early June, before the season starts and before service
Pre-Hurricane Sliding Door Inspection: 12-Point Checklist for Florida Homes Read More »
BW Ben Wilder Owner, Alpha Sliding Doors & Windows Repair Quick Answer A sliding door that grinds, scrapes, clicks, or squeals tells you exactly what is wrong if you can read the sound. Grinding usually means worn rollers, scraping means track debris, clicking means a failing roller bearing, and squealing means metal-on-metal contact. Each sound
Sliding Door Making Grinding or Scraping Noise? Here’s Why Read More »
BW Ben Wilder Owner, Alpha Sliding Doors & Windows Repair Quick Answer After a hurricane passes, inspect sliding doors for four damage types: frame distortion that prevents closing or locking, roller impact damage from debris hits, glass seal failure that admits water, and lock or latch deformation from wind load. A door that will not
Post-Hurricane Sliding Door Damage: What to Check and When to Call Read More »
BW Ben Wilder Owner, Alpha Sliding Doors & Windows Repair Quick Answer Clean Florida sliding door tracks with a vacuum and brush attachment monthly, a stiff non-metallic brush quarterly, a fresh-water rinse twice a year, and dry silicone spray after every cleaning. Avoid WD-40, oil, bleach, and any petroleum-based product because they trap sand and
How to Clean Sliding Door Tracks the Right Way (Florida Guide) Read More »
BW Ben Wilder Owner, Alpha Sliding Doors & Windows Repair Quick Answer A window balance spring is the spring-loaded mechanism inside the window jamb that holds the sash open at any height. When it fails, the window slams shut or refuses to stay up. Florida homes commonly use one of three balance types: spiral balance
Window Balance Spring Replacement: A Florida Homeowner’s Guide Read More »
