For this project, we’ll be replacing a pair of patio doors that face onto an inside corner. The original sliding panel doors aren’t exactly paragons of energy efficiency, and they have also fallen victim to other problems of disrepair as well, as we shall soon see.

Behold a large part of the problem: rot. The gaps present at the lower corner of this door are quite obvious; this will require definite attention before any new installation can be made. One may also notice that the door itself is not in the best of condition, and the glass panel is showing some signs of leakage as well. In any case, this door is a definite energy efficiency problem, and its mate is in just as sad of shape.

After setting up tarps on the inside of the home to minimize dirt and disruption during the course of the work, the original doors are removed completely, right down to the frames. With the old door out of the way, we can now see the rot around the frame to a greater extent. This rot will be cleaned up and repaired prior to any new installation being attempted. Once the issues of rot have been taken care of, that work can begin.

The new doors are installed. The grids visible on one of the panels in the following photo are easily installed or left out by a professional at the time of installation; the homeowners may choose whether or not to have them in place. These doors also employ the latest technology for maximum energy efficiency, and we have taken steps to assure that the installation continues along these lines. Insulation is placed in all open areas around the frame, and all joints will be properly sealed as appropriate. This not only increases efficiency, but also decreases the chance of rot returning to plague the new installation as time goes on.

Here we see both of our new patio doors in their (very nearly) finished state. The frames are ready to be stained or finished in whatever manner the homeowners may choose, and the doors are ready to provide secure, energy efficient service for years to come.