Here at Fitter, we take security very seriously. If your uPVC back door is poorly adjusted, then your home will be susceptible to burglars and intruders. Or, in bad weather conditions, draughts will enter your property, allowing cold air to seep into your home. It is essential that your door is aligned properly because otherwise, it will look unsightly and unattractive. However, it is very easy to adjust your door, so in this article, we will show you how to do it.
The first thing you must do is check if the door is aligned correctly. When the door is aligned properly, it will open and close smoothly, Have a look at the corners and check if the miter joints are in the correct place. Alternatively, grab a spirit level and check if the doors are level with each other. Grab a screwdriver or Allen key that matches the heads because this will make the job much easier. Whatever tool you decide to use, make sure it fits snugly into the screws.
After this, it is essential to see what hinge you have on your doors. uPVC doors use three types of hinges: A flag hinge which makes it easy to moderate the height, lateral, and compression adjustments, T hinges which only allow you to make lateral and compression adjustments, and butt hinges, which are placed on the bottom of the door to minimise intrusion in the knuckles.
You will need an Allen wrench to adjust the height of the flag hinge, while the lateral adjuster is held by a plastic cover with two Phillips screws.
Take the screws apart carefully, and there should be a hinge with an Allen bolt. If you turn the door clockwise, it will move towards the hinge, while turning it anti clockwise will move it away from the hinge. The compressor hinge is concealed by a plastic plug. By using a flat head screwdriver, pop the plug out of the hinge, and you will see the Allen bolt, Use the Allen key to tighten the bolt, creating a tight seal.
If the door is placed too low or too high, you simply need to adjust the height, while if the door is too near or far from the frame, you only need to adjust the height laterally. However, if the door is dropping, you need to use all three adjusters. This is a common occurrence which is caused by gravity and humidity. In order to rectify this problem, adjust the top hinge towards the frame and the bottom hinge away from the frame. Then, make the compression tighter, which reduces wear and tear.
As previously mentioned, the T Hinge only has two adjustments: compression and lateral. For a compression adjustment, the hinge will move away from the jamb, which tightens or loosens the seal. The lateral adjustment will be hidden behind a plastic cover and removed with an Allen key.
Butt hinges are one of the most common hinges that are used on uPVC doors. They consist of a simple plate which fits on the door and the frame. Adjusting them is simple. First, you will need to open the door and find the two screws. Once you have found them, remove the top cap from the hinges, so you will identify where they are adjusted to. If you want to put the hinges back to their original position, use a marker pen if you want to put the hinge back to its original position. However, take note that the butt hinge can only be adjusted between 2mm backwards and forward.
These methods are helpful, however, sometimes, the hinges will become old or damaged over time. It is important to replace them where necessary. Not only is it affordable, but it can be done without the need for professional help. Alternatively, the door itself could be an issue, so replacing the frame and door itself is worth replacing. One of the main benefits of uPVC doors is that they last between 10 and 35 years, so if the door is past this stage, then it is worth looking at a new one.
We hope you have found this article helpful in adjusting your uPVC back doors. Our friendly team of experts are knowledgeable about uPVC doors, so they will be on hand to help you if you get stuck. To get in touch, call us on 01279 799818 or on 01322 515960 or fill out our online contact form. We will get back to you as soon as we can.
Categories: Home Improvement
