If your uPVC door isn’t opening and closing properly, or is rattling in its frame, it’s important to know how to adjust its hinges. In this helpful guide, you’ll learn how you can adjust your door’s height to prevent draughts and to stop it from catching on the floor.
It’s fairly normal for uPVC doors to drop after regular use, or to develop looseness in their hinges with time. That’s why it’s wise to regularly check your door’s hinges so you can make adjustments in a timely manner to ensure your door stays fitted snugly into its frame.
First and foremost, before trying to adjust your door, make sure that you have no guarantee or warranty from the installer or manufacturer, since making any adjustments would render it void.
Check For Misalignments
The first step to adjusting your door is to check where the misalignments are. Look first at its corners to see whether the mitres line up with the frame. Use a spirit level to check the door is level and check for the gap between the frame and the door. Open up the door a little then look at the side of the lock to determine whether there is a consistent gap along the length of the frame and door.
Check For Warping
If your uPVC door was a cheap model, it’s possible that I has warped over time. If the door meets at both the bottom and top of its frame but not at the middle, it’s likely to require replacement.
Hinge Types
Once you’ve checked your door’s alignment, you need to determine the hinge style of your door. There are three types – flag hinges, T hinges, and butt hinges.
Flag hinges are typically found on up-to-date uPVC doors, giving you greater control when making adjustments. You can carry out lateral, vertical, and compression adjustments to these hinges.
Butt hinges are older but are still sometimes used. Some of these hinges have only lateral adjustments, or vertical and lateral adjustments, while others have no adjustments at all.
The T-hinge is similar to the flag hinge, allowing for vertical and lateral adjustments.
What Equipment Will I Need?
To adjust your uPVC door hinges you’ll require:
- A Philips head and a flat head screwdriver
- A hex or Allen key (typically 5mm)
Adjusting Butt Hinges
It’s possible to adjust some butt hinges laterally by 2mm or less. If the hinge has two Philips screw on its side, turn the top or bottom screw to achieve sideways movement. You can also use your Allen key at the hinge’s top to adjust the hinge down or up – you’ll have to open the cap to the top in order to expose its screw. When butt hinges have a grub screw at its centre, it must be loosened before adjusting the pin.
Adjusting Flag Hinges
Often, a flag hinge will have a plastic cap to hide its lateral adjustment screw. You’ll need to remove the cap first by loosening the Philips screws inside the hinge before popping off the cap using the flat head screwdriver. Sometimes, caps have to be removed on both the bottom and top of the hinge in order to access the compression and door height screws.
Usually, the hinge’s top screw will adjust the height, and the tolerance will typically be 4.5mm. The screw to the side will laterally adjust the door, and the tolerance will typically be 5mm. If the hinge’s bottom has a screw it will be for adjusting the compression and the tolerance will be 2mm.
You can adjust the screws by using the Allen key, turning it for one or two rotations before testing the difference, and continuing to turn the screw in increments until you reach the ideal position.
Adjusting T-Hinges
T-hinges are similar to flag hinges but usually have no compression adjustment. You can follow the above instructions to adjust your t-hinges.
Adjusting A uPVC Door To Prevent Draughts
As hinges, latches, and screws loosen after regular use, it’s common that uPVC doors will eventually become misaligned. You can fix this problem by adjusting the latch so its lock will sit tightly within in, pulling to door into its frame snugly. Adjusting the hinges or latch will allow you to draught-proof your uPVC door. When uPVC doors are loose in their frames, they rattle when the handle is pulled. You’ll also be able to feel the draught when you run your hand around the door frame’s edges.
If your uPVC door will shut in its frame but isn’t catching in its latch, you may have to reduce the door’s compression by widening the gap between the frame and door. You can do this either by loosening the strike plate screws then sliding it to the door’s entrance to make the fit tighter, or sliding it towards the interior of your house, loosening the fit and allowing the latch to catch.
Adjusting uPVC Doors That Have Dropped
If your door has dropped and is dragging on the floor whenever it’s opened or closed, you need to make a simple adjustment. It will work best if the door has dropped to the handle side rather than the hinge side.
Use your Allen key to loosen the screw at the hinge’s door side. Begin with your door closed, turning one or two rotations clockwise before testing to see whether the door is still dragging. Continue to tweak the hinges until the door opens and closes smoothly.
Adjusting the height of your uPVC door can also be done by adjusting the screw controlling the hinge’s vertical movement. Again, use your Allen key, starting with one or two full rotations before tweaking further from there to achieve the ideal opening and closing movement.
Adjusting Compression
When your door is set away from its frame in either the bottom or top corner, it’s possible to turn its compression adjustment screw to tighten its fit. Usually, the screw you need to adjust is the bottom one – just use the Allen key when making adjustments, starting with one or two full rotations then tweaking from there.