How to plug sliding door gap?
Name Classified
There is a gap between my sliding doors and heat is escaping.
See the pic:
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/8092/slidingdoorgap.jpg
You can see light coming through.
What can I get to perminantly block the air but will allow the door to
open and close?
Thanks
The Daring Dufas
You can use a brush type door sweep for a weather seal. The fine brush
will conform to odd shapes without interfering with the door clearances.
http://www.reeseusa.com/item/963G
http://preview.tinyurl.com/36agzg2
TDD
Harry K
wrote:
And face the fact that no solution will ever turn a sliding door into
a well engineered wall opening. I put one in 30 years ago because
wife insisted on it. We have both cursed it ever since. Promised her
that comes spring that abortion is disappearing.
Yes it was a quality door (Anderson).
Harry K
Art Todesco
sliders in the previous house and they were very tight. That
coupled with the Low-E glass, made them almost feel like a wall. In
this house we have an el-cheapo door. While it's not that bad, the
Anderson was far better. The only reason we didn't get Anderson,
was because this unit came in at less than half the cost.
Vic Smith
I looked around on the net expecting to find ready-made vertical seals
for sliding doors. No luck.
Don't know why. It's not rocket science.
You could make your own by gluing hollow rubber seals or even foam to
beveled wood strips.
Like this, top view where the left and right sides are the leaking
door faces when closed.
!\\!
Another option is vertical cleats on both doors, one with hollow
rubber or foam weatherstripping on it to press against the bare cleat.
The rails are plenty wide to accommodate them.
You just need to watch the depth.
Sort of like this, top view, not quite closed.
!__!
__
! !
No reason sliding doors can't be well sealed on the vertical.
It's the top and bottom where it has to be loose to move well.
There you might as well stick rags in when you need them.
--Vic
Frank
I had 3 Andersons put in 3 years ago and one warped slightly to let in
air and warped half was replaced by contractor under warranty this
spring. Waiting for repair, I stuffed foam in the crack.
With new E glass, they made a huge difference over the old sliders which
were double paned but seals leaked.
HeyBub
In addition to the other suggestions, consider heavy, full-length, drapes.
Tony Miklos
The heavy drapes will work well if you staple them to the wall with no
air leaks, otherwise any savings is so small it's not worth the bother
The heavy drapes just create a downward convection current with all the
cold air coming out the bottom and your warm air going in the top.
Oren
<stran...@gmail.com> wrote:
I would use a long level and check the door for plumb (front and
side).
Have you had this door off? Can it be sitting in the wrong part of
the track? What brand is this door? Easy to operate like it is?
Oren
<thismaila...@comcast.net> wrote:
>I looked around on the net expecting to find ready-made vertical seals
>for sliding doors. No luck.
Maybe this?
http://www.randysurleymfg.com/stripping.htm
_Meeting Stile Weatherstrip_
Looks like it would work
cl...@snyder.on.ca
<thismaila...@comcast.net> wrote:
An interlocking fin seal is best, and what MANY doors have (had) from
the factory
DerbyDad03
You've had lots of suggestions for weather stripping, but I gotta ask
this:
How did the gap get there?
If it's been there since installation, it was a piss poor
installation.
If it has appeared over time, then either the door is warping or your
house has some serious settling issues.
A gap that big needs the root cause determined and fixed, not just
stuffed with weather stripping.
benick
news:38a233c2-fc61-4a2e...@37g2000prx.googlegroups.com...
Harry K
I agree with Harry...For some northern climates like here in Maine where it
can drop to 10 below they just plain SUCK...Other climates they might be
OK...I got rid of mine and the difference was amazing...So much so my dad
ditched his as well...Both of us now have a nice full view steel entry door
, full view storm door with built in screen with a new window next to
it..Header was already there just had to frame window and door opening
...Vinyle siding was a breeze to do and I do drywall for a living..Trimming
them was easy too..Couldn't be happier and MUCH warmer..To each their own
ofcourse...
Oren
<teama...@eznet.net> wrote:
>A gap that big needs the root cause determined and fixed, not just
>stuffed with weather stripping.
I mentioned above, about using a long level. Even asked some probing
questions.
Pending info from the OP.
Ed Pawlowski
"benick" <ben...@fairpoint.net> wrote
>
> I agree with Harry...For some northern climates like here in Maine where
> it can drop to 10 below they just plain SUCK...Other climates they might
> be OK...I got rid of mine and the difference was amazing...So much so my
> dad ditched his as well...Both of us now have a nice full view steel entry
> door , full view storm door with built in screen with a new window next to
> it..Header was already there just had to frame window and door opening
> ...Vinyle siding was a breeze to do and I do drywall for a
> living..Trimming them was easy too..Couldn't be happier and MUCH
> warmer..To each their own ofcourse...
I'm in CT but we get some below zero. I have Pella 8' slide in the family
room. If I had to take it out, I'd sell the house. That big glass opening
is one reason I bought the house, so I could enjoy the view of the woods
next to me. I really don't get drafts and the room is the same temperature
as the rest of the house.
DerbyDad03
When we were looking at the house we live in, I walked into the family
room, which is at the back of the house and full story above the
backyard. I looked out of the 2 side by side double hung windows and
the first thing that came to mind was "This place needs a deck."
The first summer we were in the house I built the deck, tore out the
windows and put in a Crestline wooden sliding door. 25 years later and
I don't regret it for a second.
The previous owners raised 4 kids in this house (as did we) and they
spent 30 years walking out of the front door and all the way around to
get to the back yard. 6 months after the wife and I were in, we were
sliding the door open, crossing the deck and walking down the stairs
into the yard.
I wouldn't change a thing.
Harry K
> "Harry K" <turnkey4...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> - Show quoted text -
I made the promise to myself and SWMBO to replace it as I was kneeling
there digging the snow out of the track at about 15 degrees with a
blizzard going. Dogs want out, open door, shut door and it shoves a
plug up against the jamb. Get out hair dryer, screwdriver and dig
away while gtting snow blown down my back. Repeat as long as the
wind is blowing snow around every few times the dogs go out.
Harry K
Harry K
>
> - Show quoted text -
A set of french doors would accomplish the same thing, seal better,
lock one whale of a lot better, no more replacing wheels (what a fun
job that is!), no more cleaning out tracks, etc. No matter how you
slice it, a slider is not a well engineered solution to having a way
through a wall. Yes, there are ways to "improve" them with
aftermarket stuff but it still comes down to trying to "polish crap".
Harry K
DerbyDad03
I've had to replace a wheel on my Crestline once in 25 years. Piece
of cake. I don't what kind of door you have that makes you say "what a
fun job that is" but my Crestline is no problem at all.
As far as locking, my Crestline has a deadbolt that goes into the oak
sill and another that goes into the oak strip that holds the slider in
place. You can't lift my door out, you need to remove the interior oak
strip (10 screws) and then the door falls into the room. Coming in
through my garage would probably be easier than coming in through my
slider.
Do french doors open 180 degrees (serious question) or do they take up
space in the room when open? That wouldn't work in my family room
without some very inconvenient rearranging.
As far as cleaning out the tracks, I'll give you that one. Snow can be
a pain, but the few times that it's an issue is far outweighed by all
the other things I like about the door.
To each his own.
Ed Pawlowski
"Harry K" <turnk...@hotmail.com> wrote
>
> I made the promise to myself and SWMBO to replace it as I was kneeling
> there digging the snow out of the track at about 15 degrees with a
> blizzard going. Dogs want out, open door, shut door and it shoves a
> plug up against the jamb. Get out hair dryer, screwdriver and dig
> away while gtting snow blown down my back. Repeat as long as the
> wind is blowing snow around every few times the dogs go out.
>
> Harry K
When my house was built, it had an aluminum framed slider that froze closed
and I has similar issues. Metal framed doors a dumb north of Atlanta.
When it came replacement time, I considered French doors, but at 8', it was
not a good idea. I chose a Pella slider and could not be happier. It has
never stuck or froze or needed track cleaning in the snow. We use this
door as our main entrance also so it gets a lot of use.
Harry K
>
> - Show quoted text -
You are aware that french doors can be installed to open _out_? It is
amazing how much interior room is saved by 'out opening' doors. My
entry and back door are that way now and when I replace that abortion
it will also open out...maybe. Where it, and the furniture inside
winds up would also work for an in-opener.
My BIL in Canada replaced his slider when he bought the house with an
"out-opener"
Harry K
cl...@snyder.on.ca
There as a cheap sliding door in our house when we bought it 29 years
ago - it was 8 years old and a real peice of trash. It's the first
repair we did to the house the following summer - vinyl clad wood door
- kinda like a golf ball. It has been totally trouble free for 27 or
28 years, and seals nice and tight. Never any leakage problems, even
with the nasty winters we sometimes get here in south/central Ontario.
Being on the south side we get some solar heating in the winter, and
being shaded by a big maple, it does not overheat in the summer.
No way I'd ever replace it with french doors (my experience is they
generally don't seal any better, if as well) or get rid of them in any
other way.
cl...@snyder.on.ca
Good luck getting out when you have a 4 foot drift across the door.
With an in-opener or a slider you have a way out. (might need to keep
the snowshovel inside)
Harry K
> On Tue, 21 Dec 2010 09:36:22 -0800 (PST), Harry K
>
>
>
>
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
Yep, my back porch door has that problem. Had quite a pushing
experience getting it open two weeks ago. Didn't want to walk around
the house through the snow to shovel it clear. Only happens when the
wind is coming from an odd direction though.
Harry K
DerbyDad03
re: "You are aware that french doors can be installed to open _out_?"
You are aware that open _out_ doors can't be opened when there's snow
piled up outside the door?
Sliders can.
You are aware that open _out_ doors can't (shouldn't?) be opened when
it's raining?
Sliders can.
You are aware that open _out_ doors take up room on the deck?
Sliders don't.
Besides, I'm not looking to replace my slider door with french doors.
I *like* my slider. If and when it ever needs to be replaced, it will
be replaced with another slider.
By the way, I'm not talking about some ugly, aluminum, drafty sliding
door. I've got a good quality, wood interior, white aluminum clad
exterior, double pane glass, with a nice oak sill.
Like I said, other than the rare times I've gotten a little snow in
the tracks, I couldn't be happier with my slider.
k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz
wrote:
>On Dec 20, 11:42 pm, Harry K <turnkey4...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Mine do, modulo the width of the hinge and door knob. Ours have sidelights
the width of the doors, so basically the whole wall is window. There's
nothing to see but the screened in porch, though. It's a Southern exposure so
does let a lot of light in and the porch keeps the direct sun out of the great
room in the Summer (rather important in Alabama).
>As far as cleaning out the tracks, I'll give you that one. Snow can be
>a pain, but the few times that it's an issue is far outweighed by all
>the other things I like about the door.
I never had any real problems cleaning the tracks in previous houses. It took
a little work, but no biggie. I broke a wheel once, but I don't really
remember replacing it (it was over 20 years ago). If I had a slider again I'd
get a good wood one, though. Aluminum doors in Vermont was a very bad idea.
>To each his own.
Sure. I could go either way, though now having French doors, I do prefer
them.
k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz
wrote:
>On Dec 21, 12:36 pm, Harry K <turnkey4...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Are you aware that there are such things as eves and porches? ;-)
>Sliders can.
>
>You are aware that open _out_ doors can't (shouldn't?) be opened when
>it's raining?
>
>Sliders can.
>
>You are aware that open _out_ doors take up room on the deck?
>
>Sliders don't.
>
>Besides, I'm not looking to replace my slider door with french doors.
>I *like* my slider. If and when it ever needs to be replaced, it will
>be replaced with another slider.
>
>By the way, I'm not talking about some ugly, aluminum, drafty sliding
>door. I've got a good quality, wood interior, white aluminum clad
>exterior, double pane glass, with a nice oak sill.
>
>Like I said, other than the rare times I've gotten a little snow in
>the tracks, I couldn't be happier with my slider.
That's why they make both.
Harry K
Odd, I jsut posted where I had just done it.
> Sliders can.
>
> You are aware that open _out_ doors can't (shouldn't?) be opened when
> it's raining?
>
And jsut why would that be?
> Sliders can.
>
> You are aware that open _out_ doors take up room on the deck?
>
You are aware that open _in_ doors take up room inside?
> Sliders don't.
>
> Besides, I'm not looking to replace my slider door with french doors.
> I *like* my slider. If and when it ever needs to be replaced, it will
> be replaced with another slider.
>
> By the way, I'm not talking about some ugly, aluminum, drafty sliding
> door. I've got a good quality, wood interior, white aluminum clad
> exterior, double pane glass, with a nice oak sill.
>
> Like I said, other than the rare times I've gotten a little snow in
> the tracks, I couldn't be happier with my slider.- Hide quoted text -
>
Well goody for you
I'll give you credit though, you didn't bring up the usual lie about
'open out resdential doors' being banned by code.
Harry K
cl...@snyder.on.ca
<k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz> wrote:
SNIPP
>>>
>>> My BIL in Canada replaced his slider when he bought the house with an
>>> "out-opener"
>>>
>>> Harry K
>>
>>re: "You are aware that french doors can be installed to open _out_?"
>>
>>You are aware that open _out_ doors can't be opened when there's snow
>>piled up outside the door?
>
>Are you aware that there are such things as eves and porches? ;-)
Are you aware snow DRIFTS. A 4 foot overhang will not prevent snow
blowing in and packing against the door, although it does help, and
might give you six inches space between the door and the wall of snow.
Which is enough to open an in-swing door or a slider, but only gives
you a little bit of swinging space to batter the snow back with an
outswing.
DerbyDad03
Sure you did: "Had quite a pushing experience getting it open two
weeks ago."
On the other hand, I'm not sure I would want to subject my door to
that kind of torque. To each his own.
I guess it also depends on the amount of snow. Let me know if you can
open with a couple feet of wet/frozen snow on the other side.
> > Sliders can.
>
> > You are aware that open _out_ doors can't (shouldn't?) be opened when
> > it's raining?
>
> And jsut why would that be?
Perhaps I should have said what I was thinking and not required you to
read my mind.
I'm assuming an open out french door has an interior finish that is
meant to be indoors most of the time. So I'm thinking that an
unprotected (no overhang, canopy, etc) open out french door shouldn't
have it's interior surface out in the elements for an extended period.
A slider can be left open for hours on end during a nice summer rain
storm. BT do T.
> > Sliders can.
>
> > You are aware that open _out_ doors take up room on the deck?
>
> You are aware that open _in_ doors take up room inside?
Why are we going around in circles?
Earlier in this thread I asked if a french door opened 180 degrees
because if they don't then it would an inconvenience in my situation.
You came back with "You are aware that french doors can be installed
to open _out_?" When I responded that an open out door will take up
room on a deck (which a slider wouldn't) you came back with "You are
aware that open _in_ doors take up room inside?"
Isn't that exactly where we started and right back to what I would
find inconvenient?
> > Sliders don't.
>
> > Besides, I'm not looking to replace my slider door with french doors.
> > I *like* my slider. If and when it ever needs to be replaced, it will
> > be replaced with another slider.
>
> > By the way, I'm not talking about some ugly, aluminum, drafty sliding
> > door. I've got a good quality, wood interior, white aluminum clad
> > exterior, double pane glass, with a nice oak sill.
>
> > Like I said, other than the rare times I've gotten a little snow in
> > the tracks, I couldn't be happier with my slider.- Hide quoted text -
> Well goody for you
Thanks!
>
> I'll give you credit though, you didn't bring up the usual lie about
> 'open out resdential doors' being banned by code.
You give me credit for not telling a lie? I would think that that
would be an expected behavior, something not worthy of recognition.
> Harry K
Harry K
>
> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
I answered your post in the tone you used to post it. You want
sarcasm? You got it in return. Basically your objections are nothing
more than nit picking.
About your only halfway valid point it the 'opening against a snow
bank'. That is easily solved by either pushing it open as I did or
toodling around the house with a shovel.
That you are enamored of one of the poorest solutions to a wall
opening ever invented is fine by me. My slider will disappear in the
spring.
Harry K
DerbyDad03
Basically my *points* are the differences between sliders and open in/
out doors and how they might impact an individual's lifestyle.
You don't like your slider? Fine, remove it.
I don't want the door that connects my family room to my deck to swing
open in either direction for all the reasons I mentioned above.
Having to rearrange either my family room or limit my deck space to
accommodate a swinging door is far from "nit picking".
Like I said, to each his own.
>
> About your only halfway valid point it the 'opening against a snow
> bank'. That is easily solved by either pushing it open as I did or
> toodling around the house with a shovel.
Again, that all depends on the amount of snow and how much stress you
want to put on the door. As I stated earlier, the words you used were
"quite a pushing experience". That tells me that were abnormally high
stresses put on the frame and hinges. That's simply not something I
would want to subject my expensive door to.
But again, to each his own. If you're OK with that, that's fine.
Really.
>
> That you are enamored of one of the poorest solutions to a wall
> opening ever invented is fine by me. My slider will disappear in the
> spring.
Oh come, is a slider a poorer invention than these?
http://tinyurl.com/WorseThanSliders
>
> Harry K
Happy Holidays!
cl...@snyder.on.ca
A Jalousie window has to be the worst!!!
Wayne Boatwright
> cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote in
> news:jc68h650o05e6c3og...@4ax.com:
> o gawd, I have them,too! 4 Sets in the enclosed porch. I only
> opened the 1 set last year and had a difficult time to close them
> this fall. There is a full length screen on the inside framed in
> wood. There is a small slot to try and reach in to press on the
> lever for the windows. I had to get a very long screwdriver and
> tapped with a hammer. The windows closed a bit. Then I went
> outside and gently pressed down each window as far as I could.
> That's the way they have to stay until spring. I't too darned
> cold and I'd probably break something.
> p.s. I have a sliding door,too. ack!
> L.
>
The key to properly operating jalousies is maintenance. My parents
owned a home for many years that had a 32' x 20' back porch with 6'
tall jalousies lining three walls. My dad lubricated and operated
the mechanisms on a regular schedule and there was never a problem.
They cranked open and closed tightly with minimal effort. Jalousies
are not a type of window to be ignored for months or years on end.
--
~~ If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it. ~~
~~ A mind is a terrible thing to lose. ~~
**********************************************************
Wayne Boatwright
cl...@snyder.on.ca
<waynebo...@xgmail.com> wrote:
>
>The key to properly operating jalousies is maintenance. My parents
>owned a home for many years that had a 32' x 20' back porch with 6'
>tall jalousies lining three walls. My dad lubricated and operated
>the mechanisms on a regular schedule and there was never a problem.
>They cranked open and closed tightly with minimal effort. Jalousies
>are not a type of window to be ignored for months or years on end.
My point was, if you think a decent sliding door is a "hole in the
wall" heat-wize and air-leak-wize, it cannot compare to even the BEST
jalousie style window.
Wayne Boatwright
I would never recommend jalousies as windows into a heated or air
condition space, nor would I particularly want sliders for the same.
However, jalousies can be a very nice window for a 2-3 season porch.
Wayne Boatwright
> Wayne Boatwright <waynebo...@xgmail.com> wrote in
> news:Xns9E584B77F843wa...@198.186.190.71:
> These windows are from 1950s, as well as the house. The previous
> people didn't maintain very much. The framed screens are nailed
> to the wall. And varnished the same as the walls.
> Our windows look about 6 feet also. There is almost no way to get
> at the mechanisms. They don't crank. There is a lever that is
> suppoed to go up or down. As I said, I have to wait for the
> spring to get the levers working right. It's about 20 degress all
> the time and too cold to play around with glass.
>
> I found this picture:
> http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/233101507/glass_jalousie_window.jp
> g
>
> The nailed on framed screens only leave a small slot opening for
> us to operate the lever. However, you can hardly get a grip on
> the lever. The lever isn't long enough to extend into the room.
> That's why I needed the long screwdriver. My fingers could hardly
> get into the slot. All I can do is pinch the end of the lever
> with my finger tips. L.
You inherited an unfortunate situation that someone else created, and
I undestand your dilemma. Quite unlike my parents' situation. This
has been such a long thread that I probably missed it, but are your
windows on a porch or windows to your home itself?