The balcony block made of plastic requires periodic adjustment. The design may sag, which makes it difficult to open it. There are many reasons why plastic doors should be adjusted over time. You can call the master and entrust this work to him. However, with your own hands to cope with such a task is not difficult. How to carry out such an adjustment yourself will be discussed later.
Need adjustment
Adjustment of plastic windows and doors may be required already several months after their installation. There are many factors that affect such designs.
For the first time, adjustment is carried out after installing the balcony unit in a few weeks. Even with proper installation, a little setup is required over time. The mechanisms of this design are ground in the first few weeks after installation. They shift a little. This is a completely normal process. When shrinkage is complete, adjustments must be made in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
Also, the adjustment is carried out when changing the cold and warm season. In spring, you need to weaken the force of pressing the door. In autumn, on the contrary, in order to avoid the appearance of drafts, it will be necessary to strengthen the fit of the sash to the frame. This will also reduce heat loss.
Also, after several years of operation, adjustment may be required. After repeatedly opening and closing the balcony door, the mechanism gradually wears out.
Training
To make the adjustment of the plastic door of the balcony with your own hands, you will need to carry out some preparatory steps. First you need to study the instructions for setting up the mechanism. It is necessary to find out what types of structural faults are considered the most common. It is quite possible to deal with them yourself.
You will also need to inspect the balcony door. Under its own weight, the sash gradually sags. This is easy to detect upon examination. You can also see that the sealing gum, which is installed around the perimeter of the sash, has worn out. This situation will necessarily lead to drafts in the cold season. If the wear of the seals is small, increasing the density of the door against the frame, you can solve the problem.
Also, by the appearance of the sealing gum, you can determine whether the door is sagging. In one corner there will be an impression on the material. This means that the door has shifted slightly about its axis. This leads to uneven closure.
Common Malfunctions
To adjust the plastic doors yourself, you need to consider the methodology for this process. The reason for the appearance of a defect is established.
You need to open and close the door. Sagging the sash gives itself away simply. One corner at opening will slightly affect the threshold. If a similar defect appeared shortly after installation, it means that the master did not tighten the bolts sufficiently during installation. Also, a similar problem will appear often if the balcony block is very heavy.
Temperature differences also cause structural deformation. In this case, you can observe how the sash rubs against the frame in the center. A simple adjustment will also help in this case.
Often there are malfunctions in the handle area. Such defects are easy to fix.
In what cases is adjustment impractical?
Adjusting plastic balcony doors on their own is not possible in all cases. If the service life of the balcony block is more than 10 years, mechanisms and materials are considered worn out. The stronger this is manifested, the less likely it is that the adjustment will help to eliminate the loose fit of the sash. Sometimes the only way out is to install a new design.
Also, you should not carry out a similar procedure if the mechanisms are badly shaken. Even having tightened the screws all the way, it will not work to create the required stiffness of the balcony block. In this case, you can carry out major repairs. However, you can’t do this with your own hands. You need to contact a professional who will completely change the worn out accessories.
If the seals are very worn, it is easier to completely replace them. Even with a strong pressure, the deformed strips will not be able to ensure the tightness of the sash. In this case, you will need to purchase new gaskets. Their installation will not be difficult.
Preventive actions
So that for a long time it would not be necessary to adjust the plastic doors of the balcony, you need to pay due attention to the prevention of sagging. It is necessary to take into account the recommendations of specialists. They will help extend the life of the structure. It is necessary to supplement the system with some small details.
In some cases, the installation of the structure does not provide for the presence of a lift. If it is not, it is recommended to install a similar system yourself. This is especially necessary for heavy structures. Installing a lift on a light sash will also significantly extend its lifespan. A microlift is called a special support. When opening the balcony, she takes on part of the weight of the sash. As a result, the fittings are less stressed.
It is also recommended to install a limiter that will prevent the sharp opening of the sash and its impact on the slopes. This small part also significantly extends the life of the balcony unit.
Winter and summer
An important procedure during the maintenance of the structure is the adjustment of plastic doors for winter and summer. This work is carried out in the offseason. The setting will allow you to press the door to the frame stronger or weaker. Exactly the same action is required for plastic windows.
Such work will prepare the mechanism for changing weather conditions. In winter, temperatures can drop dramatically. To keep the heat in the room, you need to strengthen the force of fit of the sash. The sealing gum will not let even the smallest streams of warm air out. It is worth noting that such a tightness leads to increased humidity in the room and the development of fungus. To avoid this, you need to periodically ventilate the room.
An increase in the force of pressing the sash increases the load on the fittings. Therefore, with the onset of spring, it is necessary to weaken the tightness of the door. Periodically conducting such a setting, you can significantly extend the life of the balcony unit.
How to adjust the door in the offseason?
A simple instruction will help you to complete all the steps correctly. Adjustment of plastic doors is independently carried out by many owners of houses and apartments. To perform a similar procedure in the offseason, you need to open the door. At its end is an eccentric. This is a special device that looks like a small metal barrel.
During the manufacturing process, the eccentric is set to the middle position. If necessary, the owners can easily perform its adjustment. The notch of the standard eccentric is turned up.
Further, it is recommended to study the instructions that are specified by the door manufacturer. Most often, the procedure is simple. The eccentric is first lowered, and then turned toward the room (turn 90 °).
In the spring, carry out the reverse procedure. The eccentric must be turned in the opposite direction to the room. The notch will be directed towards the balcony room. To perform such actions, use pliers. You can also use a special hex screwdriver. Sometimes the whole procedure can be performed manually (if the instruction suggests).
Defect at the bottom of the sash
Considering the instructions for adjusting plastic doors, you need to pay attention to eliminating the deformation that appears due to sagging sash. Often, when opening, a sagging door slightly or sufficiently strongly touches the threshold with its canvas. In this case, you need to carry out a simple setup.
First you need to open the door. Carefully inspect the upper loop. There is a screw that has recesses for a hex screwdriver on its head. Sometimes the groove may have an asterisk configuration. To complete the setup, purchase the appropriate tools.
The screw is tightened a couple of turns clockwise. The door will rise vertically. If required, the procedure is carried out again. The canvas should not hurt when opening the threshold. If this also does not help, tighten the bottom screw. It is often closed with a special cap.
Middle defect
DIY plastic door adjustment may be necessary due to the impact on the design of different temperatures. Due to their difference, deformation is most often determined in the middle part of the canvas.
In this case, the adjustment will be made at the bottom of the door. However, another screw is tightened. It is located on the side of the canopy. It can be seen if you look at the door from the inside. This screw is tightened clockwise with a suitable tool. 2-3 revolutions are enough.
If this procedure does not help, you can tighten the screw of the upper canopy. Sometimes this manipulation allows you to fix a defect in the middle of the door.
Angle offset
Adjusting the plastic doors of the balcony allows you to extend their life. Sometimes deformation is determined in the region of the upper or lower corner of the sash. This situation is also easily fixable.
It is necessary to remove the cap from the upper loop. The sash is held on this mechanism. It is necessary to tighten this screw first in one direction. If the displacement becomes even greater, carry out the reverse movement. Turns perform the other way. This will lead to the fact that the upper corner will again fall into its original place.
If the skew is observed below, the same procedure is performed on the lower canopy. When the sash is in the correct position, you need to put on the plugs on the fittings.
Latch
Adjustment of plastic doors may be required in the latch area. If it is of a magnetic type, self-tuning will not work. In this case, they simply acquire new fittings and, using the appropriate tools, install them in the same place.
Only mechanical latches are independently adjusted. Over time, such door elements become loose. The roller latch mechanism has a spring. It needs to be pulled up. First, set the sash to the correct position. If the latch does not fasten correctly, you must adjust it.
In some cases, you will need to move the latch plate up or down the end of the door. This can be done by unscrewing the screws. You can also try to unscrew the loose latch. The nut that holds it is loosened on the reverse side. A small washer is placed under the spring. You can try stretching metal curls. After that, the latch is assembled in reverse order.
Pen setting
Adjusting the plastic doors may involve such work as adjusting the handle. Over time, this part can also become loose. The procedure does not cause any difficulties.
First, they check how the mechanism rotates. If the handle moves heavily around its axis, it will need to be lubricated. This procedure is carried out very carefully so as not to stain the balcony block. If this does not help, you will need to purchase a new pen.
The old fittings are dismantled. In its place, with the help of bolts, a new product is screwed.
Having considered all the intricacies of the process of adjusting plastic doors, you can return the previous functionality of the design. Timely maintenance of mechanisms will significantly extend the life of the door.