Sliding Door Types & Brands - Complete Service Guide
Our service mix
Per ENERGY STAR, sliding doors account for up to 25% of conditioned-space air leakage in older Florida homes - more than windows in many cases. Type matters: pocket doors and French sliders typically seal worse than well-maintained patio doors because of the additional moving parts.
Door types we service
Manufacturers we service
OEM parts vs. OEM-equivalent: about 78% of our repairs use original-manufacturer parts (genuine Pella, Andersen, PGT rollers, latches, weatherstripping). The remaining 22% use OEM-equivalent components when factory parts are discontinued or back-ordered. Both options come with our 1-year hardware warranty.
Designer Series, Lifestyle Series, Architect Series. Florida-coast common.
200, 400, A Series. Frenchwood gliding doors.
WinGuard, EnergyVue. Native Florida manufacturer.
Sentinel, Targa, Estate. Miami-based, HVHZ-rated.
Tuscany, Style Line, Trinsic. Aluminum-clad common.
Premium vinyl + aluminum sliders.
Folding + sliding panel walls.
Multi-slide telescoping systems.
Per the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) standard 920, sliding glass doors must endure 100,000 open/close cycles in test conditions. In coastal Florida service, we see real-world hardware life of 30,000-60,000 cycles for premium brands and 15,000-25,000 for value-tier - both due to salt-air, not cycle wear.
Helpful reads
Questions about sliding door types
What types of sliding doors do you repair?
All major types: traditional sliding glass (patio) doors, pocket doors, French sliders, multi-slide, automatic storefront, bifold, accordion, and hurricane impact-rated systems. Our techs are trained on Pella, Andersen, PGT, CGI, Milgard, Eclipse, and Jeld-Wen hardware.
What's the difference between a sliding glass door and a pocket door?
A sliding glass door (also called a patio door) glides along an exposed track and stops at the frame. A pocket door slides into a hollow wall cavity, disappearing when fully open. Pocket doors require track-in-wall repair access; cost averages 30-40% more than equivalent patio door work.
Are impact-rated sliding doors required in Florida?
Yes, in High-Velocity Hurricane Zones (HVHZ) - currently Miami-Dade and Broward counties - per Florida Building Code §1626. Other coastal counties (including Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River) require either impact-rated glazing OR approved storm shutters. Most new construction here uses impact-rated systems for insurance and convenience.
What's the lifespan of a sliding glass door in coastal Florida?
Frame and glass: 25-40 years if maintained. Hardware (rollers, locks, weatherstripping): 7-15 years - shorter near the coast due to salt-air corrosion. The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) lists 7-10 years for coastal hardware vs 15+ inland.
Can you repair automatic sliding doors at storefronts?
Yes. We service automatic doors from Stanley, Horton, Besam, Record, and Nabco. Common repairs: motor replacement, sensor calibration, belt + drive train, header alignment, ADA-compliant button or wave-sensor installation.
Do you work on commercial multi-slide doors?
Yes. Multi-slide systems (3-panel, 4-panel, telescoping) require specialized rollers and head tracks. Brands we service: NanaWall, Eclipse Walls, La Cantina, Western Window. Repairs run higher than residential ($895-$3,400 per panel) due to weight and head-track complexity.