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There’s more than meets the eye regarding the appearance and functionality of your patio doors. From providing dependable security and reliable structural integrity to accentuating the architectural beauty of your home, your patio doors offer a variety of housing accommodations that are easy to take for granted.

But quality patio doors don’t stay perfect forever. Whether you have more traditional and standard styles of patio doors or recently installed a French rail sliding patio door system, it takes spending the occasional Sunday afternoon applying a little maintenance to these doors to ensure their longevity and appearance.

If you want to keep your patio doors looking and operating at their best for many years to come, check out these tips for maintaining them.

Cleaning the Patio Door Tracks

Dirty shoes, food crumbs, yard debris – the list of stuff that can get stuck within the tracks of your patio doors can go on and on. And the longer these forms of litter remain caught within your patio door tracks, the more maintenance issues you’ll likely experience moving forward.

As a general rule of thumb, you want to vacuum out your patio door tracks once a month while also giving them a hard scrubbing and rinsing at least every other month.

For more advice on door maintenance, here are some more door-cleaning tips to follow.

Lubricate the Sliding Rails

In addition to maintaining clean patio door tracks, you should consider pulling out the sliding rails underneath your patio doors and applying a patio door retailer-approved lubricant. This will help prevent your patio doors from sticking to the rails and making them difficult to open and close.

While most popular forms of lubricant are safe on your patio door rails, you should refrain from using lubricants of any kind if you have aluminum sliding tracks, which won’t rust anyway.

Lather up Your Frame

While they can be easy to forget, it’s amazing how much dirt or debris accumulates on your patio door frames over time. Every few months, you should start lathering up your exterior and interior patio door frames with not-so-soapy water and give them a nice wipe-down with a towel or washcloth.

Just make sure you’re not using any cleaning products that contain harsh chemicals that will impair the finish of your patio door frames.

Wipe Down the Glass

Keeping your patio door windows as shiny as possible is essential to maintaining their pristine appearance. You don’t have to get too fancy when cleaning your patio door windows – simple glass cleaner and paper towels will more than do the trick.

Doing this every couple of weeks will ensure that dust doesn’t begin to significantly accumulate upon your luxury patio door windows.

Signs It’s Time to Repair or Replace Your Patio Doors

Taking good care of your patio doors will ensure they last longer and look better. So, it’s important to clean them regularly and maintain them using the tips in this guide. However, it might be time to repair or replace your patio doors over time or because of damage.

Here are some signs you need to call a window and door contractor for a replacement:

●        The door keeps getting stuck: If you have difficulties opening or closing your patio doors, we can likely repair the issue.

●        There is broken glass: The most obvious sign you need a patio door replacement is if the glass is damaged or broken. This is often an emergency situation, so reach out right away.

●        The style is outdated: If you don’t like the look of your patio doors, getting a new one is an excellent idea. The door doesn't have to be in bad shape to warrant a replacement.

●        There are gaps or cracks: Noticed large gaps or cracks around the patio door? These will let in drafts and moisture, so call our window contractors to request a replacement as soon as possible.

Patio Door Replacement Options

If a patio door repair isn’t possible, Window World Twin Cities provides various types of replacements. Two of the most popular options are sliding doors and French doors.

Sliding doors are easy to open and feature large windows that are great for letting in natural light. On the other hand, French doors are a classic style that looks elegant and elevated. They also offer a bit more privacy.

Contact Window World for Breathtaking Patio Door Styles

Before you experience the beauty and craftsmanship of a professionally installed set of patio doors, you need to purchase them for yourself! Whenever you need top-quality and perfect-functioning patio doors, Window World has the best selection in all of Minnesota!

Our standard and French rail-styled patio doors will accentuate your home’s curb appeal, guaranteed! Contact us today to find the perfect patio door style for your house!