Signs of track trouble
- The door catches or jumps at the same spot every time.
- You can see a groove, flat spot or dent in the raised rail.
- Water pools in the sill after storms instead of draining.
- The door rides noticeably higher or lower at one end.
What causes the damage
Rails get dented by furniture and grills being wheeled through, and worn down by rollers that have stopped turning. Pool sand, soil and leaves pack the channel and block the weep holes that let rain drain out. Standing water in the sill speeds up corrosion of both the rail and the rollers.
How we repair it
We clear and clean the channel and open the drainage paths. Minor dents are straightened and rough spots are smoothed. Where the rail top is worn, we can fit a replacement rail cap that gives the rollers a new running surface. Then comes the step most quick fixes skip: alignment.
Squaring the panel
We adjust roller height at each end until the panel sits square: an even gap along the top, the side meeting the jamb evenly, and the interlock engaging smoothly with the fixed panel. A square panel seals better against wind-driven rain and lines its latch up with the keeper, so the door actually locks.