If your hinged insect screen is binding or rubbing against the door sill, it may be because the screen sweep, a thin plank that attaches to the bottom of the insect screen, is misaligned and needs adjustment to prevent friction.
Fix an Insect Screen that is Binding or Rubbing on the Sill
Below are instructions for resolving a misaligned hinged insect screen sweep.
Safety Warning
Tools and Supplies Needed
- Safety glasses
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Tape measure
Let's Get Started
1. Adjust the Insect Screen's Sill Sweep
- Look at your insect screen from inside your home.
- Slightly loosen the screws that secure the sill sweep to the insect screen.
- With the screws loosened, shift the sill sweep slightly upward.
- Tighten the screws to secure the sill sweep to the insect screen.
Resolution
If adjusting the sill sweep on your hinged insect screen resolved your concern, you're all set. If not, proceed to step two (2) below.
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Screen Sweep Adjustment
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2. Still Having Trouble? Try Checking the Insect Screen's Alignment
If adjusting the sweep doesn’t resolve the issue and the insect screen is still binding or rubbing, the insect screen frame may be out of square. Follow the steps below to check the frame alignment.
- Remove the insect screen from its frame by removing the hinge pins from the hinges.
- Only follow step 13 on Page 8 in the Hinged Insect Screen Installation Guide (0005449)
 to remove all of the hinge pins that connect your insect screen panel or panels to the screen frame.
- With the insect screen removed, measure from the lower left-hand corner to the upper right-hand corner of the insect screen's frame, which is still installed in the doorway.
- Note: Be sure to measure the insect screen's frame and not the patio door's frame.
- Record that measurement.
- Measure from the lower right-hand corner to the upper left-hand corner of the screen's frame.
- Record that measurement and compare it to the first measurement.
- If the measurements are different by more than 1/8 inch, the unit is out of square. We recommend replacing the unit insect screen.
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Hinge Pin Removal Demonstration
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Resolution
If that resolved your concern, you're all set! If the steps above did not resolve the concern, Contact Andersen® Windows and Doors for assistance or refer to the similar symptoms section below.
Similar Symptoms
Unit Installation
If the insect screen is square but continues to rub, drag, or bind, the patio door frame itself may not be plumb, level, or square. To check the patio door installation, see Checking Window or Patio Door Unit Installation, or schedule service assistance, by Locating Andersen® Window and Patio Door Service Providers.
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