The door is hard to open or close

Not sure this is what's wrong? Try the free diagnosis quiz — eight questions about what the door is doing, then the likely causes and what is safe to try.

What has probably happened

• The rollers under the panel have worn flat, seized or lost their bearings, so the door skids instead of rolling.
• Sand, grit, pet hair or leaves have packed into the track and the wheels are ploughing through it.
• The track itself is bent, or the raised rib the wheels ride on has been ground down into a groove.
• The panel has sagged on tired rollers and is rubbing on the sill, the header or the fixed panel.
• The frame is out of square after the house settled or after a door was forced.

What the technician does

• The technician runs the door and tells the difference between a dirty track, a worn roller and a worn track before quoting anything.
• Rollers replaced with the right assembly for your door's make and profile.
• The track cleaned and checked, and repaired or capped where it is worn or bent.
• Roller height adjusted so the panel runs level, clears the sill and lines up with the lock.
• The lock and keeper realigned after the adjustment, because they move when the door does.

Why it happens where you live

Near the coast, salt air seizes steel roller bearings; around pools and on sandy lots, grit gets into the track and grinds the rib flat. In the sunbelt a patio door opens many times a day, so rollers reach the end of their life in a fraction of the years they would last elsewhere.

Free tools for this

• Rollers, track or door?Is it the rollers, the track, or the door itself?Open →
• Roller adjustment guideWhich screw do I turn, and which way?Open →

Questions people ask

Can I just clean the track?

Yes, and it is worth doing first: vacuum the track and wipe it with a damp cloth. If the door glides again, it was the dirt. If it still drags, the rollers or the track are worn, and cleaning will not change that.

Is it the rollers or the track?

Often both by the time it is bad, because a flat roller wears a groove in the track and a grooved track wears every roller after it. The technician will show you which and give you the price for each before anything is done.

Will it need a whole new door?

Rarely. Most dragging doors are rollers, a track repair, or an adjustment. The frame and the glass are usually fine, and the technician will say so plainly if they are.

Questions about this: hard to open or close

• Why is my sliding glass door suddenly so hard to open?

Find your city

Something else going on?

• Rollers worn out
• Bent or worn track
• Lock won't catch, handle loose
• Door is off its track
• Broken or foggy glass
• Screen door torn or off
• Drafts, whistling or water coming in

One Call Sliding Door Repair arranges the visit; the technician does the work and gives you the price.