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Retractable Screen Door: Summer Patio Living

by Zack Gilbert

If you're looking to increase airflow and accessibility to your patio, while also keeping unwanted critters at bay, your best solution might be adding a retractable screen door. Although flush-mounted screen doors are relatively inexpensive and easy to install, there are a few modifications and tricks you can use to improve their efficiency and durability.

Sight Lines

Because retractable screen doors are designed to seamlessly blend into your door frame's existing casing, they can often be an invisible hazard to homeowners and guests alike. If you don't want to opt for a darker screen color, you can increase the visibility of the screen door by adding an eye-level and low-level sight-line. It's important to add two sight-lines to make sure that the retractable screen is visible for your shorter guests, children, etc.

  • Fishing Line Trick: you can cheaply add sight-lines by weaving brightly colored braided fishing line through your retractable screen door. Because the braided fishing line has a narrow diameter and is naturally slick, it will weave effortlessly through the screen. Before weaving the line through the retractable screen door, it's important to make sure that your line is level. Putting up up masking tape with a builder's level can help ensure that your lines are level across the length of the door.

Tracking

Retractable screen doors are useful only when they are easier to use than a typical storm door. To make guarantee the efficiency of your tractable door, you must make sure that your tracks run true and have protection against debris that might prevent them from sliding smoothly.

  • Rubber Sealing: to ensure that your retractable sliding door slides smoothly on the track, you can add rubbing sealing to the top and bottom groove. When adding this rubber sealant, typically sold for quickly patching roof leaks and cracks, make sure that the grooves are clean and dry. Add the rubber sealant into the groove sparingly. After adding the rubber sealant, allow the product ample time to dry before attempting to slide the tractable screen door along the groove. The rubber sealant should provide a smooth opening and closing by giving the retractable screen door wheels some cushioning. Thus, when dirt and debris get into the groove, the detritus won't create as much friction on the wheels. If you notice that the opening and/or closing action becomes less smooth, vacuum out the groove and reapply another coating of the rubber sealant.

For more information, contact a company like All Seasons Retractables today.

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