The above photo shows the view from my breakfast table this morning. Ah, except for the sickly-looking swath of grass, I bask in the view. This is relatively new for me - at least for the past few years. A few years ago, I was perplexed that the screen no longer fit the sliding door opening. It seemed that the house had settled since we built it in 1999. Or had it? Below is how the screen door fit/did not fit.
Notice how there is a vertical wedge of light showing at the right of the bottom half of the screen door? Bugs could get in. What did I do? Nothing. You may recall that I was otherwise engaged for a few years.
When I took the door out of the track, I could see that the bracketry that supported the adjusting screw mechanism on the one end had torn loose. According to a video that I found online, the only way to fix it would be to buy a bunch of parts and install them. Did I tell you that I have essential tremors - that make it nearly impossible for me to do repair work these days (and for the past 15 years or so?)
It took me a year, but I finally got around to ordering a replacement screen door. This was a process in itself. At the showroom, I showed the sales rep photos of the existing installation and picked out a similar door in one of the floor displays. Not good enough. What is the model number? Geez, fella, I don't know. I went through all of the paperwork and could find nothing telling me that. I had brought in the 8.5x11-inch sheet that had been attached to the old door (on the stationary, glass part) which turned out to tell the guy nothing that he wanted to know.
The guy (Dylan) was nice, but he insisted that there would be a sticker somewhere on the installation that would give the needed number. Me: I don't think so. Can I just bring the door in? WichiDude would probably let me borrow his pickemup truck to haul the door down here. And...why do you need the number?
Dylan: I need the number because once I order you a screen door, there are no cancellations and no returns. No, the door won't have the number. The markings would be on the upper, inside surface of the door frame. Or, if you bring me in the paperwork from your home builder, I can find the number for you. Me: I don't think so. I went over the specs and all they say is "Anderson sliding door". Remember the house was built in 1999. Doesn't that tell you anything? (Apparently not. And, oh by the way, the door will cost about $600.)
Dylan: Oh, the blueprint/paperwork has to tell you more than that! Bring me the paperwork.
I did. But before going back (a 35-minute drive each way), I checked the door frame. No sticker of any kind.
Dylan: Hmm...strange. The specs did, indeed, only say "Anderson sliding door" - in Hunky Husband's handwriting, no less. He had changed the spec from the swinging door actually shown on the blueprint.
It ended up that, when Dylan looked up the price of the door that I thought I wanted, it was more in the order of $250 than $600. I decided to bite the bullet and take a shot.
Three weeks later, the new screen door was delivered. I took it into the garage, removed the shipping carton from around it, installed the hardware for the door pulls on the screen door, and fitted the door into the track. Hmm...it won't fit in the track...the door is taller than the space...measurement confirms that the door itself should fit...I start screwing around with the upper rollers that are spring loaded...the downhill roller is nice and loose and will self-adjust nicely...the uphill roller is rock solid without any self-adjustment in its "spring loading"...*bang*...as I was pressing on the roller, something broke loose and the spring compressed just fine...I install the screen door, adjust the uphill and downhill screws to align the door with the door frame. All is well in my world.
I'm a happy camper. ☺
I had to mess with both the sliding door rollers as well as the screen door at the previous house. For something so simple, it can be frustrating! I don't miss that at all.
ReplyDeleteGood job finally figuring out which screen door was needed and getting it installed.
Thanks, Bogie. Our "things" take over our lives!
ReplyDeleteThe garage (personnel passage) outside screen door that was replaced the original, in 2020, is a case in point.
1) I no longer recall why the screen/storm door needed replacing,
2) I don't recall why we thought a screen/storm door in the garage was a good idea in the first place, and
3) I don't recall when the replacement screen door screen started ripping.
The door is one of the new-fangled ones where the screen doesn't even show during the winter when one needs a storm door and pulls down into place like a roller blind for the summer when the upper part of the storm door is lowered. My solution was not to have the screen portion replaced but to rip out the screen and just leave that portion as open space during the summer. It works for me!
P.S. I do recall that the builder wanted to install a screen door at the door between the garage and the mudroom. That seemed too cumbersome for getting into/out of the house with one's hands full. (You may recall that we had a fixed-screen door between garage and kitchen on Sunrise.) That probably had us thinking a screen door was a good thing, but we put it at the door between garage and patio. As that door is steel, it probably doesn't much need a storm door for protection, and the garage is not air-tight, so a screen/storm door isn't really effective. Oh, well.
ReplyDeleteI remember the screen door to the garage on Sunrise. In fact, I have been thinking about installing one on my basement entry door from the garage. That would help with cat control if I need to heat the garage in winter (as I did this past winter), or to help cool the house off during early morning hours during summer. It may be a bit of a hassle when transferring pellets from the garage to the basement, but I don't think it would be too bad with a closing cartridge that allows for locking open.
ReplyDeleteYour house and the sunrise house have a situation that is different from that in this house. From the mudroom, I step down to a landing, then turn right and down 5 steps to a landing, then turn left to step down to the garage floor - with handrails installed on two sides of the upper landing, extending down the 5-step stair.
ReplyDelete