Why Bi-Fold Doors Become Difficult to Open, Close or Lock
Why Won’t My Bi-Fold Doors Close Properly?
If your bi-fold doors have suddenly become difficult to close, started catching on the frame or floor, stopped rolling smoothly or no longer lock as easily as they once did, there is usually an underlying reason.
At Windows Xpress, we come across a range of problems with bi-fold doors. Sometimes the solution is relatively straightforward, such as cleaning and maintaining the tracks or adjusting the doors. In other cases, worn components, poor installation or problems that have been left for too long can mean replacement bi-fold doors are the more sensible long-term option.
The important thing is not to keep forcing a bi-fold door that isn’t operating correctly. A relatively small problem can eventually start affecting other parts of the system.
Common Reasons Your Bi-Fold Doors Won’t Close Properly
There isn’t one single reason why a bi-fold door stops closing correctly. The problem could be caused by the rollers, alignment, glazing, locking system, seals or even something as simple as debris collecting in the track.
From our experience, some of the most common problems include:
- Dirt and debris obstructing the tracks
- Rollers becoming stiff, worn or damaged
- Doors dropping out of alignment
- Glass not being correctly toe and heeled
- Locks and latches no longer lining up
- Rubber seals shrinking or being incorrectly fitted
- General lack of maintenance
- Movement caused by changing temperatures
- Components becoming worn over time
- Problems resulting from the original installation
The first thing we normally do when inspecting problematic bi-fold doors is look at how the entire system is sitting within the frame.
Have Your Bi-Fold Doors Dropped?
One of the things you can often physically see is whether a bi-fold door has dropped.
Look at the gaps between the door panels and around the outer frame. Ideally, these gaps should appear relatively consistent. If one section is noticeably tighter while another has developed a larger gap, the doors may have moved out of alignment. You might also notice the door beginning to scrape, catch or require more effort to move.
Another common sign is a locking problem. If the door has dropped, the locking points and latches may no longer line up with their original positions. You might find yourself having to lift, push or move the door slightly before the handle will operate and the door will lock.
Don’t simply keep forcing it.
If the locking system is repeatedly being operated while everything is out of alignment, what started as an adjustment problem could eventually contribute to damage elsewhere.
What Does Toe and Heeling a Bi-Fold Door Mean?
Toe and heeling is an important part of correctly setting up glazed doors. The glass itself has considerable weight. Packers are positioned around the glazing unit to help distribute that weight correctly and support the door frame.
When we toe and heel a door, those packers can be used to help bring the door up or down and keep the frame correctly aligned.
If the glazing hasn’t been properly toe and heeled, the door can begin to sag. Eventually, that can affect how easily it opens, closes and locks.
A correctly installed bi-fold should also account for the fact that some movement can happen over its lifetime.
This is one reason why the quality of the original installation matters so much.
Problems With Bi-Fold Door Rollers and Tracks
The rollers are another area we regularly look at.
Your bi-fold doors rely on their running gear to move the panels smoothly along the track. If the rollers aren’t operating properly, or something is obstructing the track, you’ll start to feel the difference when opening and closing the doors.
A door that once moved smoothly might suddenly feel heavy, judder, catch or become increasingly difficult to move.
Tracks can collect dirt and debris, particularly during periods when the doors are regularly left open.
Keeping the track clean is therefore one of the simplest things homeowners can do themselves.
Rollers and appropriate moving components should also be lubricated periodically. As a general rule, we’d recommend carrying out basic bi-fold maintenance around two or three times a year, although doors that are frequently opened may need their tracks checked and cleaned more regularly. Locks can also benefit from suitable periodic lubrication to keep their moving parts operating correctly.
Can Hot Weather Affect Bi-Fold Doors?
Yes. Temperature can play a part in how doors behave.
We’ve experienced increasingly hot periods here in the UK, and materials naturally expand as they become hotter and contract again as temperatures fall. That doesn’t mean your bi-fold doors should become unusable every time we have a hot summer.
A correctly installed and adjusted system should be set up with movement in mind. Correct glazing, toe and heeling, functioning rollers and good overall installation can all help minimise problems.
We recently attended a property where the bi-fold doors were installed within a conservatory. During particularly hot weather, the door had dropped to the point where the homeowner was struggling to open it.
Because it was scraping, continuing to use the door in that condition could potentially have caused further problems with how the system rolled and closed.
It’s a good example of why we’d rather see a problematic door sooner rather than after several components have started being affected.
Don't Ignore a Bi-Fold Door That Is Becoming Difficult to Use
One of the biggest pieces of advice we give homeowners is to deal with changes in their bi-fold doors early.
If something visibly or mechanically isn’t working as it originally did, there is normally a reason.
Warning signs can include:
- Scraping along the frame or floor
- Doors becoming noticeably harder to move
- Rollers no longer running smoothly
- Having to force the doors open or closed
- Having to lift or push a door before it’ll lock
- Locks or latches not lining up
- Uneven gaps appearing around the doors
- Doors no longer closing completely
- Visible damage to components or seals
The danger with continuing to force the doors is that one problem can lead to another.
For example, a roller problem could prevent the doors from sitting in exactly the right position. That can then affect how they close. If the doors aren’t closing in the correct position, the locking points might not line up properly. Continually forcing the lock in that situation could eventually create another repair that wasn’t originally necessary.
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What Can You Safely Check Yourself?
There are a couple of straightforward maintenance jobs homeowners can carry out.
You can keep the tracks clear of dirt and debris and appropriately lubricate relevant moving parts such as the rollers and locks. However, we’d be much more cautious about attempting to dismantle the doors yourself.
Bi-fold panels and their glazing can be extremely heavy. We wouldn’t recommend homeowners start removing glass, hinges or other major components, particularly when working alone. If the problem involves alignment, glazing, rollers, hinges or the locking system, having the doors professionally inspected is the safer option.
What About Shrinking Rubber Seals?
The rubber seals around bi-fold doors can also cause problems over time.
Rubber can shrink, particularly after years of exposure to changing temperatures. That’s something that should be considered when the doors are originally installed.
When fitting bi-fold doors, allowing additional length in the rubber can help compensate for future shrinkage. If this hasn’t been allowed for, gaps can eventually appear as the seals contract. Depending on their condition and how they were originally installed, replacement seals may be required.
Should I Repair or Replace My Bi-Fold Doors?
This is ultimately the question many homeowners arrive at.
Not every problematic bi-fold needs replacing.
Our first approach is to establish what’s actually wrong with the existing doors. If the problem can sensibly be repaired or adjusted, we’ll look at that option. Depending on what we find, this could involve adjustment or replacement components such as rollers, locks or handles. If specialist replacement components are required, these may need to be ordered before we return to complete the work.
However, there comes a point where continuing to repair an ageing, badly installed or heavily worn bi-fold system doesn’t necessarily represent the best value.
Replacement may be worth considering when:
- Several components are beginning to fail
- The doors repeatedly fall out of alignment
- Previous repairs haven’t solved the underlying problem
- The frames or running system are significantly worn or damaged
- The doors were poorly installed originally
- Parts are becoming difficult to obtain
- The system no longer operates or seals as it should
- Repair costs are starting to mount up
- The existing doors are simply no longer fit for purpose
In those circumstances, investing in new aluminium bi-fold doors can provide a better long-term solution than repeatedly spending money keeping an unsuitable system going.
Why Correct Installation Matters
A good bi-fold installation isn’t simply about getting the doors into the opening and checking that they close on installation day.
You need to consider how the doors are likely to behave afterwards. When we’re installing bi-fold doors, this includes correctly toeing and heeling the glazing, allowing for potential movement, fitting the seals appropriately and checking the complete locking system before leaving the property.
Everything should open, close, slide and lock correctly. Occasionally, a bi-fold may require some adjustment after installation as everything settles. But anticipating these potential issues during the initial installation can significantly reduce the likelihood of problems developing.
That’s also why, if an older set of doors is repeatedly giving you trouble, replacing them with a properly installed modern system can sometimes be preferable to continuing to repair problems originating from the original installation.
How Often Should Bi-Fold Doors Be Maintained?
We’d generally recommend giving your bi-fold doors some basic attention around two to three times per year.
If you use them constantly throughout the warmer months, check them more regularly. Pay particular attention to the tracks. Open doors make it much easier for dirt and debris to enter the running system. Keeping everything clean and appropriately lubricated can help prevent unnecessary wear and gives you an opportunity to notice changes before they develop into bigger problems.
And importantly, pay attention to how the doors feel.
If they’ve always moved easily and suddenly require considerably more effort, don’t assume that’s just part of the doors getting older. Get the cause investigated.
Do My Bi-Fold Doors Need Replacing?
If your bi-fold doors aren’t closing properly, it doesn’t automatically mean you need new ones.
But equally, repeatedly adjusting and repairing a bi-fold system that is worn, poorly installed or no longer fit for purpose isn’t always the right answer.
At Windows Xpress, we’d rather inspect the doors and establish what’s actually happening. Where a sensible repair can resolve the problem, we can advise you accordingly. Where the condition of the existing system means you’re likely to keep experiencing problems, we can discuss whether replacement bi-fold doors would provide a better long-term solution.
Having Problems With Your Bi-Fold Doors?
If your bi-fold doors are scraping, sticking, difficult to slide or refusing to close and lock correctly, don’t wait until one problem causes another.
Windows Xpress can inspect your existing doors, identify what’s causing the issue and advise you on the most appropriate next step.
And if your existing system has reached the point where repairing it is no longer worthwhile, we can help you explore your options for new aluminium bi-fold doors, professionally installed and correctly set up from the start.
Get in touch with Windows Xpress today to arrange an assessment or discuss replacement bi-fold doors.
