Drafty french double doors

NoClueWhatImDoing

Hello!
A friend told me this forum might be able to help me.

Relatively new homeowner here with some drafty doors that really seem to be a problem now that the cold is setting in, see image below. I hadnt noticed until now that both the inside and outside seal is missing the frame. On the outside, about 30% of the door is missing entirely and on the inside, around 50%.


With some help we found the door hinges I have and a video explaining how they work. It doesnt allow me to post links so if interested:
Hinge Name Fab Fix ERA Anchorage Upvc Flag Door Hinge Heavy Duty
Youtube Video Name How to fit and adjust the Anchorage Heavy Duty captured flag door hinge (youtube.com/watch?v=zAXO2BTqGxo)

Armed with this information I tried the following:

Job done I thought but not quite.
The outside door seal is hitting properly I think. I can no longer see out through the gap in the door, from the inside.
The inside door seal however is aligned to hit my door all the way around but the seal is not actually touching the door all the way around, so I can see to the chamber between the two seals on the door. If I pull the door towards me I can see the gap closes, but I need to use some force. Once I let go the door 'falls back' out into its resting position which causes the seal to mostly be off the door.

It's much more pronounced on the right door than the left door but both has the issue. The seals along the side of each door (on the walls) are fine but the top and bottom both have this issue on both doors and the right door is much worse. Here are pictures from the inside.

ka7e

I have a similar problem but putting the door into "lock" position, closes the gap. My R-hand door is the one most used and was open for most of the summer. One day I couldn't shut it at all and it turned out the extreme heat had caused the hinges to move slightly. Luckily they are still under warranty and a chap came out to realign them. Now the weather is cooler, the gap has appeared!

NoClueWhatImDoing

Been googling this all day and just found that its possible to change the sliders in the side of the door to lean more to either side. Doing this doesnt seem to help however from what I can tell, even if I lean them all as extreme as possible..
Also when leaning them extremely to the side, I can't lock the door so I've put them back to their standard position.

greenface2

slave door locks into something . can they be adjusted to make the door tighter so the master door comes in tighter ? hinges . try popping the top cap off to move them in and out to make them tighter to the frame . top doors out of line . pop off the hinge cap to see if you can adjust them in and out to make them level at the top . Or google toe and heel glass units to lift the one that's dropped . I could have found the problem quicker than it took you to post all the info up and fixed it within 30 mins . get someone in to fix it if unsure .  

greenface2

If your gasket is missing completely that's the main problem . Its mainly 4mm bubble but take some off and go to your local upvc care shop or supplier to identify ( screwfix do some ) If you can get the right stuff but in Q-lon then better still
 

greenface2

sliders work on a off set cam but will only tighten into the slave door . you need the slave door to tighten up first 

NoClueWhatImDoing

greenface2 said:

*snip*

You're absolutely right someone who knows what they are doing could probably do it in 30 minutes. I have never been a homeowner before but it is time for me to learn so apologies for being slow / needing things spelled out for me.
Thank you for helping out, I hope you don't mind me following up with more questions/info to get the best advice I can get.

The door hinges: I've done what I can here I think. I aligned the doors to be plumb and as level as I can. The seal WILL now hit the door if the door just comes close enough.

I tried increasing compression but it was already maxed out. I tried other settings but it just made it worse.

The slave door lock side:
As you can see here there is room to adjust the top part whereas the bottom (the lock mechanism) can't be adjusted, at least from what I can see. Attempting to move the upper one stops me from closing the door (it doesnt grab on) so I had to leave it where it was.


The slave door lock top and bottom:

These don't look like I can adjust them at all but please tell me if there is something I can do here.

greenface2 said:

google toe and heel glass units to lift the one that's dropped

I find a lot of different things here. Any chance you can direct me to what I need in my situation?


Considering the outside seal is hitting properly already I am considering just getting some seld-adhesiveweather strips to put round but the trouble is the drop.. There's no real place to but it, other than on the door itself which would look a bit naff. I've found that apparently 'door pillows' is a thing here in britain..! Feel a bit silly as I never heard about it but considering getting one. There may be something I can put inside the compartment itself which would yield better results?

greenface2

the first pic has plenty to adjust which would solve your problem with compression . I take it youre saying when you move them in the handle doesn't fully lift to engage the mortice (bottom part of 1st pic . I doubt that's the problem . It will be hitting the keepers in pic 2 and or 3 . Take off the 3 screws and have a look underneath to see if there is a way to move the top plate (3 screws ) in . if not see if you can move the lot in by unscrewing the lots and pulling it in . you need anout 3 or 4 mm that would do it . Its trail and error . I often strip off the lot and start again from the pic one moving in . Pics 2 and 3 should have some wiggle room behind the 3 screw part to pull them in . you can get compression hinge side although I cant see the hinges by popping the top cap and often a 5 or 6 mm allen key will pull them in a bit . if the hing has screws when the door is open unscrew and again often a 4 or 5mm adjust to take them in and out to level up the doors . Give me some pics and the whole door to see if I can see what type they are 

greenface2

Hard to tell but do you have a low level threshold too . also try to avoid adding more draught excluder . your just chasing the problem 

greenface2

Righto take the three screws in pic 2 and 3 out and remove the top plates . pull the adjusts in in pic 1 and try it without the plates on and see if it locks . then put plates back on pulled inwards as much as you can see what happens ,