Narrow French DoorsInternal French DoorsDouble French DoorsOak French DoorsInternal PorchNarrow WoodInternal DoubleFrench WindowHardwood GlazedForwardGlazed hardwood French doors | For looks (company is in UK)- Does your pvc door catch on the frame. - On the side or the bottom- Does it get worse when the sun is shining- The darker colours and timber effects can be worst than white pvc as they attract more heat Once your door does drop or sag it can also effect how your lock works. If you have a multi point lock where you have to lift the handle to operate the lock. This action can get harder to do because your lock is now out of line due to your door sagging. This can happen to a lot of pvc doors over time. The most common cause is that the hinges just need to be adjusted. Plus it can get worse if the sun is shining on the door because pvc expands with heat. To adjust hinges is an easy job which can be carried out by almost anyone. In most cases all that is needed is a set of Allen keys & a screwdriver
Below is a guide on how to adjust some of the main door hinges used by window companies Flag Hinge : One of the most common hinges used in the UK & Ireland is the flag hinge. This hinge has 3 different adjustments. The first one is on the bottom if you use your Hex key and turn the screw on the bottom it will lift your door. The second is on the top first you will have to clip of a pvc cap than you will see the screw if you turn this it will tighten the door sash against the frame given you a tighter seal. This is needed sometimes because as time goes on you seal may shrink or flatten a small bit. So you use this adjustment to make sure you don't start getting a draught through your door.The last one is on the side if you look into the hole on the side you will see a screw which will take a 5mm hex key. Turn the screw one way and the door sash will move to the left and turn it the other way and the door moves to the right.There are many different types of flag hinges but they all work in the same way.
They may just look a bit different. T -Hinge : This is another type of hinge used on pvc doors. It has only 2 types of adjustments. The first one is on the top & bottom and this will tighten the seal against the frame. The other one in on the side and this will move it left or right depending on the way you turn the screw Butt Hinge : This hinge comes with only one adjustment. If you look at the side you will see a philips head screw. If you turn this it will move the door left or right. But before you try to turn this screw check to see if there is a small grub screw as this locks the hinge in place so the door won't move. Not all butt hinges have this but the door won't move unless you loosen this. Plus a lot of the older Butt hinges have no adjustment at all. If this is the case you will have to reline the hinges. If you have tried adjusting the door hinges but your door is still catching. Than maybe you need new hinges. Remember new hinges don't cost a lot and are not to hard to replace.
Most window companies will do this for you and it won't cost the earth. But just to be safe it is better to ring at least two company's to get prices Feel free to ask any questions by posting them in the comment box below Letter boxes / plates should be considered as an aperture which can be used by the criminal, either to extract goods from within in close proximity to the door, commonly door keys, or to work vulnerable locking devices from the inside. Letter plates should conform to British Standard. They should be positioned not closer then 400 mm from the door lock and under no circumstances should they be fitted to the bottom rail of the door. An internal cover plate offers additional security, as does a letter basket, though you might wish to consider removing the bottom, allowing the mail to fall to the floor and thus preventing theft of the mail. A rim latch (Yale type) on its own is not sufficient. The door should also be fitted preferably with a 5 lever mortice deadlock, though insurance companies will accept a rim automatic deadlock;
both must be to British Standard 3621 or the equivalent European Standard EN12209. Quality locks are only as strong as the doors and frames to which they are attached. Ensure that the frame is sound and the door suitable for external use; for instance, a wooden hollow core door would not be suitable. It should be of substantial construction, at least 44mm (13/4") thick to support the mortice lock and hung on three strong 100mm (4") hinges. The rim latch and the mortice should be fitted 45 to 60cm (18-24") apart. In the door itself recessed or decorative panels should be a minimum of 9mm (1/3") thick. Consider fitting a London Bar (metal strip on frame side) to support the strike box, or Birmingham bar to support the frame on the hinge side. If the door is weak consider fitting a sheet steel plate or door reinforcer on the outside covering the lock area. Timber frames should be sound and securely bolted or screwed to the the walls every 600mm (23") around the whole frame.
Doors with glazed panels are inherently less secure than solid doors, hence the need for a deadlock. Consider replacing ordinary or toughened glass panels with laminated glass - two pieces of glass bonded together with a sheet of laminate - as they offer much greater resistance to attack. For added safety and security fit a spy hole and door chain or limiter. These will enable you to deal with callers to your front door whilst retaining a level of security. UPVC/PVCU front doors are generally unsuitable for retro-fit security devices. Not only is the material not strong enough to support devices fitted with steel screws unless secured into the internal metal framework, but such changes to the original design may invalidate an existing warranty or possibly damage the integral locking assembly. If in doubt, consult the installer/manufacturer. Modern designs will usually incorporate deadlock shoot bolts or a multi-point locking system, both throwing a number of bolts from the door into the frame.
Under these circumstances there will not normally be any need for additional devices. Advice on front door security while the house is occupied will vary, depending on whom you speak to. Fire Safety Officers will advise that, for safety reasons, the mortice deadbolt should not be engaged when the house is occupied, as locating and engaging the key can cause unnecessary delay in escaping from the scene of a fire. Crime Prevention Officers may suggest that a rim latch on its own is insufficient in providing adequate security and that engaging the lock would increase this, as well as the safety of young children in preventing them from wandering. Clearly these are issues which need to be considered. If you feel fire safety is the priority, additional security can be obtained by fitting draw bolts to the top and bottom of the door. The door should be fitted with a 5 lever 2 bolt mortice sash lock halfway up the door, (a deadlock with a handle for convenience). Unlike front doors, many insurance companies do not specify that they should be to British Standard 3621 or equivalent European Standard EN 12209, though the use of this standard of lock is recommended.
The sash lock should be supplemented by mortice rack bolts (bolts fitted approximately 150mm (6") from the top and bottom of the door into the wood and operated internally) or surface-mounted locking bolts top and bottom. They should always be fitted at 90º to the grain of the wood, reducing the likelihood of the wood splitting if subjected to pressure. Any glass panels should be laminated and fitted from the inside to prevent the putty or beading being removed. Grilles could also be fitted to the inside of the panels. Also known as French windows, they are intrinsically less secure than single leaf doors, which may reflect on their comparative lack of popularity as compared with the modern patio door. However, this need not be the case provided that suitable security measures are taken. Both doors should be fitted with mortice rack bolts (bolts fitted within the door and operated internally by a threaded key). They should always be fitted at 90 º to the grain of the wood, reducing the likelihood of the wood splitting if subjected to pressure.
Alternatively, use surface-mounted locking bolts (push to lock, key to open). Whichever type you use, fit top and bottom to provide rigidity. If the style of door is capable of it, a mortice sash lock can be fitted for extra security (rebate sets may also be required). As most French Doors are outward opening, the addition of hinge bolts is also recommended. They should be located 100-150mm (4-6") below the top hinge and similarly above the bottom. Note: It would be acceptable, for insurance purposes, for key operated bolts only to be fitted top and bottom of both doors. Consider replacing ordinary or toughened glass panels with laminated glass - two pieces of glass bonded together with a sheet of laminate - as they offer much greater resistance to attack. UPVC/PVCU French doors are generally unsuitable for retro-fit security devices. Entry through a patio door is a common means of entry and therefore, unless the doors are fitted with a multi-locking system, it is best to fit extra locks.