Almost everyone is now trying to change old wooden balcony blocks for new plastic ones. After all, such structures are more attractive in appearance, do not lose this quality over time, better protect the room from the penetration of cold or, conversely, hot air from the outside. However, even the most expensive PVC structures have an unpleasant feature: at some intervals, they require adjustment and adjustment of the pressure. Let's find out how to properly adjust plastic balcony doors on their own, without recourse to specialists.
When is adjustment of plastic balcony doors needed?
Adjustment of plastic doors to the balcony is carried out if the following violations in the operation of the mechanism are noticed:
- it is necessary to make an effort to open;
- closing the doors on the balcony, you can feel how the canvas clings to the door frame;
- the handle of the lock is loose or, on the contrary, it turns too tightly;
- if the lock is open, the door swings open spontaneously;
- blowing from under the closed door.
The detection of these symptoms indicates the neglected state of the plastic structure and the need for adjustment. It is possible that simple adjustment will not help, repair or replacement of some parts will be required, which entails extra costs. To avoid such a situation, we recommend that the doors on the balcony be adjusted regularly and in a timely manner. Violations can be identified in several simple ways.
Methods for identifying the need to adjust plastic structures
You can check if the door structure needs to be adjusted using simple steps.
- Do not fully close the door leaf. If it is not held in its original state, but begins to open / close on its own, then it's time to adjust.
- Stand on the opposite side from the opening direction. Using a simple slate pencil, circle the edges of the door. Now open the balcony, take a closer look at your "drawing", if the lines you have drawn are parallel to the edges of the door frame, there is nothing to worry about. Otherwise, it's time to get the tools.
- Clamp a notebook or newspaper sheet with a balcony door, try to remove it. How much effort did you have to put in? Repeat this manipulation should be in different places. Everything is fine with the clamp and adjustment is not needed if the same efforts were made to pull out the sheet.
How to adjust plastic balcony doors?
Before you start adjusting the balcony doors with your own hands, make sure you have the following tool available:
- screwdrivers of different sizes, flat and cross-shaped;
- pliers;
- keys with different profiles;
- yardstick;
- plastic gaskets with a self-adhesive layer;
- erasable marker or pencil.
In some cases, it may be necessary to have a liquid plastic that hardens upon contact with air.
Directions for adjusting plastic doors
This process is carried out in several directions:
- frontally;
- horizontally;
- vertically.
We propose to consider each of them in more detail.
Horizontal adjustment
Temperature fluctuations can cause deformations, due to which it is difficult to close the doors, they begin to rest against the mechanism. Closing is possible only with considerable effort. However, these actions are undesirable, because by doing so you provoke further deformation.
To adjust, you will need to tighten the door hinges. This is done using the H4 hexagon.
- Insert the tip of the screwdriver into the adjustable screw on the side. Access to it is located on the lower side plane of the door hinge.
- Pull the sash to the hinge by tightening the screw.
Thus, you will be able to achieve a sash displacement of 1 cm to the right or left. If necessary, a similar adjustment is made with the upper loop. After that, closing problems should disappear.
Vertical adjustment
Sagging does not allow the door to be opened for ventilation, it begins to touch the threshold when opening and closing. You can correct the situation by adjusting the height of the hinge. Actions are performed with a loop located below:
- Remove the protective cap from the hinge.
- Insert a screwdriver into the hole located in the upper end, tighten the screw clockwise. If the door, on the contrary, needs to be lowered, the action is carried out counterclockwise. Almost always 2-3 turns is enough.
If you decide to adjust the balcony door yourself, check the result after each turn of the screwdriver. In the end, the sash should begin to freely, without interference, close tightly and open without problems.
Not all PVC constructions have hexagonal holes, you may need to use an asterisk wrench.
Front setting
The pressure control mechanism depends on the product modification:
- On the opposite side from the hinges, eccentrics can be located at the end of the door, they must be turned with the help of improvised tools.
- A number of models have a trunnion on the fittings. It is turned with pliers. Maximum pressure can be achieved if you give it a direction perpendicular to the door block.
- In some cases, it is necessary to move the reciprocal bar. To perform this action, use the hex screw located under the bar.
Some recommendations for setting up plastic balcony doors
The following tips will help you properly take care of plastic balcony doors:
- The adjustment procedure should be carried out at least twice a year. For the summer period, a weak pressure is set, and for the winter - a strong one. So you extend the life of the seal.
- By thoroughly cleaning the surface of the fittings, monitoring its condition, you will increase the service life of the entire PVC structure.
- If the turn of the handle does not reach the end when closing, clean, lubricate and adjust the fittings.
- Opening limiters, microlifts will help reduce the frequency of adjustment.
You can learn some additional nuances of the process of adjusting plastic doors by watching the video below.
