My sliding glass patio door experience started back in the early 80’s when I was much younger working as a maintenance man and then as a maintenance supervisor working with many different Management Companies with apartment maintenance solutions for their properties. Besides the obvious HVAC, appliance and painting problems, there was always one more aggravating item that was common with all properties and that was sliding glass doors. Sliding glass doors was and still is a major problem with multifamily rental,   condominium properties, dry cleaners and single family housing containing sliding glass doors.

With my research, trial and error and supplier connections from the early 80’s  I was able to refine and define a repair program that would absolutely refurbish a sliding glass door to slide with “One Finger” pressure. Of course with today’s more updated and modern double insulated glass the weight of sliding glass door panels has gone from a mere 60lb. to some weighing sometimes more than 150lb. we sometimes need “Two Fingers” to open some doors just because of the sheer weight being moved.

Even though the door weight has more than doubled in some cases, the design of components like aluminum track materials and assemblies, wheel assemblies and wheel bearings has been virtually unchanged from sliding glass doors from the 70’s to current date. So there is no question that most modern sliding glass doors have more problems sooner than their older counterparts.

I still use products developed in the late 70’s to beef up a dilapidated, divited spots on aluminum tracks with stainless steel track repair parts for a smooth as silk operation.