Patio, entry and storm door glass
Most door problems in Oshawa homes are smaller than they look: worn rollers, a latch that won't catch, a cracked storm pane. One worn part is a job worth booking. We'll connect you with an independent local pro who fixes that kind of door; they quote the work.
Sliders that stick
Sliding patio doors: rollers, tracks, handles and locks
Won't slide, or drags
Usually flattened rollers or a track packed with grit. New rollers and a cleaned track get most heavy sliders moving again.
Won't lock or close all the way
As rollers wear, the panel sinks and the latch misses its keeper. Raising the rollers or a new lock usually sorts it.
Comes off the track
A bent track or dropped roller lets the panel ride out. Leave it where it rests and don't force it back.
Glass in doors
Glass in doors: sealed units, inserts, sidelights and storm doors
Fogged or cracked patio door glass
The sealed unit in a slider or garden door can usually be replaced while the frame stays, in safety glass made to size.
Front door inserts and sidelights
A cracked insert, a fogged sidelight or a storm door pane can be replaced and the door kept, even with privacy glass.
A glass door broke tonight
Keep people back, photograph it for insurance, then cover the opening. New glass is made to size, so a cover comes first.
Past repair
When a new patio door is the better buy
Frame or sill is done
Soft frame corners, a sill letting water under the floor, or panels that won't sit square. That's when repair stops paying.
A bigger or different door
A garden door in the same opening is one job. Widening the opening is another, and needs a building permit.
Still not sure?
Our repair-or-replace guide walks through the questions a pro asks about windows. Most apply just as well to a patio door.
Front and summer doors
Entry doors and screen doors
Front and entry doors
A draft or stiff lock is often weatherstripping, a sweep or a hinge. When the slab or frame is done, compare steel and fibreglass.
Storm and screen doors
Older Oshawa homes often have an aluminum storm door out front. Closers, handles, rollers and mesh are small, fixable parts.
Window screens
The City expects a screen on every window that opens in a home. Torn mesh is usually a quick rescreen.
Condos and rentals
Condo and apartment balconies: who approves the work
Condo owners
Check your declaration and property manager before booking. Changing a balcony door can be an alteration that needs board approval first.
Tenants
Report a balcony slider that won't lock or glide to your landlord in writing. The City expects doors kept in good repair.
Landlords and managers
Several stuck sliders or torn balcony screens can go in one request. The permit exemption covers houses only, so check with the City.
Questions
Door questions from Oshawa and Durham
Where pros work
Door help across Oshawa and Durham
Pros cover Oshawa, Whitby, Courtice, Bowmanville and beyond. Near the edge of Durham? Share your address and we'll check.
Send a photo and say what the door is doing
A photo and a line will do. We pass it to a local pro and check that you've heard back.