Security screen doors are great at protecting your property and family from criminals while also keeping small children and pets from escaping as soon as your main doors are open through the cooler months. This can make them seem indestructible.
Plus, if your screen doors are powder-coated, you may take their care for granted. And while powder-coated surfaces tend to be more durable than the metal that’s just been painted with regular spray paint, they still need your attention from time to time to keep them looking great.
Below are handy sets of do’s and don’ts for maintaining your steel sliding security screen doors in peak condition for so long as possible.
- Do Powder Coat: Do invest in powder coating for your steel security doors if they weren’t already powder coated when you bought them. Powder coating your doors will protect them from environmental factors much longer than regular paint will and is also more resistant to rust. Your entries will also be scrape, scratch-resistant. Powder coating doesn’t peel either. One of the best kinds of power coating is aluminium powder coating.
- Don’t Use High Pressure: It’s ok to use a minimal amount of water on a towel or delicate comb to completely clean your screen doors, but high-pressure cleaning can damage your door’s surface, even powder coated surfaces. High-pressure cleaning can dislodge your door’s screens. Plus, the high volume of water can indicate even powder-coated gates will suffer from rust.
- Do Clean: It’s fine to clean your security screen doors. We shall never inform you to leave dirt or other grime in your entries. You can wash steel doors with a delicate cleanser like Windex and a wet cloth or soft brush. Don’t use a hose to rinse or spray your doors, and filtered water is best.
- Don’t Use Harsh Chemicals: Avoid harsh chemicals, abrasive materials, and anything that can scratch or damage the paint or powder coating in your doors. If your doors have rust or something you can’t remove with gentle cleaning, then it’s time to have a professional repair your door indeed.
- Do Lubricate: We recommend you lubricate your door’s levers, locks, and hinges with WD40 or another lubricant. This may eliminate squeaks and ensure they work smoothly. Just wipe away any excess with a soft cloth.
- Don’t Use Water: Only a little water is ok; just dry any water off. Also, avoid installing sprinklers to hit the screen door directly. Your security door is sure to get wet, but you don’t need to add more water from a sprinkler system or cleaning. We recommend drying your steel doors when the storm has passed with a soft towel.
- Do Adjust: From time to time, the closer in your screen door will have to be adjusted to keep it closing correctly and to stop it from slamming. We made this video to exhibit to you how to regulate your door closer yourself.