Perhaps you’ve wondered how to fix rattling glass on a door? This “red flag” signals the development of a problem. For some reason, the glass does not rest securely within the frame. If left uncorrected, a rattling piece of glass may break when someone shuts the door firmly. It could even cause injuries if it falls on children or pets.
Resolving this issue may require contacting a professional contractor or a glazier. However, as a preliminary matter, taking some simple steps if you discover rattling glass in your doors may help conserve money.
Determine The Type of Door
Since many types of doors contain glass, the solution to rattling glass depends upon the conformation of the specific door causing problems. Do you notice rattling in a sliding glass door or an exterior door?
A Special Case: Sliding Glass Doors
When a sliding glass door rattles, the sound often arises, not from the glass failing to rest securely within the frame, but as a result of the frame itself not traveling smoothly across its metal track. If the glass in your sliding glass door has cracked, a risk exists that the glass may fall away from the frame and cause injuries. Often cracks in mobile doors will expand over the course of time due to adverse weather conditions. If a sliding glass door has cracked, for safety reasons you should contact a professional glazier or a home contractor to replace the door.
If the glass has not cracked, but simply rattles when the door moves, the chances remain good dirt or some other obstruction has occluded the track. Sometimes portions of a throw rugs or other carpeting, pet hair or debris from the outdoors will collect in the tracks and cause sliding glass doors to move irregularly.
It may prove helpful in this case to thoroughly vacuum the tracks and then clean them. Some sources recommend physically removing the doors beforehand and lubricating the tracks after cleaning, although this complex step may prove unnecessary if a simple physical obstruction caused the problem.
Removing a sliding glass door requires at least two people and the steps involved depend upon the specific model of door. If in doubt, or if the problem persists after cleaning, contact a licensed home contractor for assistance.
Exterior Doors With Windows
Today, many beautiful exterior doors incorporate glass windows. The first step in understanding how to fix rattling glass on an exterior door involves determining the specific type of glass involved.
Some doors contain clear panels designed to offer a view. The frames hold single panels of glass that may occupy a large portion of the surface area. By contrast, other doors use glass primarily for decorative purposes. A lot of custom-designed doors include very lovely glass block or stained glass insertions, for instance. Usually, a specially-constructed frame holds several smaller pieces of decorative glass.
Repair Considerations
A property owner may want to consider contacting a glazier or professional contractor to correct rattling glass on an exterior door. Why? Because an inexpert or botched repair could allow an intruder to gain access to the premises.
Several factors complicate the repair of exterior doors containing glass. The glass in an exterior door obtains heavy use when people open and close doors. Most household tend to move doors on a daily basis, so these structures often obtain greater “wear and tear” than windows. Additionally, weather conditions cause wooden frames to change conformation over time. And one added complication exists: today, many newer exterior doors contain metal or fiberglass materials, not wood, according to Consumer Reports.
As a short-term, temporary solution until a contractor can address the problem, some sources recommend gently tapping any brads securing glass more firmly into place and sealing the area along the rim of the pane and frame with silicone glue, according to San Francisco Gate. These steps may prevent loose glass from falling out. However, if the glass has broken, or if a strong risk of falling exists, it may become necessary to remove the pane to prevent accidents during the interim.
Today, most exterior door manufacturers take great care in manufacturing high quality products. Especially in the case of customized front doors, rattling glass indicates a serious problem that a property owner should not dismiss as trivial.
A Beautiful Door With Secure Glass
Glass windows in doors enliven a living area. They provide additional light, and enable occupants to see the outdoors more easily. By caring for your doors properly and obtaining maintenance to keep them in good working condition, you’ll help enhance the quality of life of everyone in your household. Knowing how to fix rattling glass on a door bring greater peace of mind.
Related Resource: Replace Window Pane Dividers
