Tilt and Turn Conservatory Door: rubber seals now sticking together

Annemos

Have a Tilt and Turn Conservatory door.

The Conservatory is not integrated with the house, so no heating in there. 

This has just started happening.  It is sometimes difficult to open the door, because the Rubber Seal on the Door is stuck to the Rubber Seal on the Frame. 

Then I have to give it a shove and half the rubber on the Frame then pops out. (About 4 feet of it). I have to ease it all back in again. 

Just wondering what has caused this? Is it just old age and expansion? (Like me!)

Or does the rubber surface itself change, which makes the two rubber seals stick together? 


I am hoping our great local chap that replaces glazing units would be able to help. 

Many thanks. 

CliveOfIndia

Could it be that the two strips are getting frozen together?

But whatever, the simplest thing to try first of all is to thoroughly clean the whole lot, make sure it's completely dry, then give it a spray of silicone lubricant.  Easily available online, at DIY shops or places like Halfords (it's commonly used on car door seals).

There's nothing lost by giving it a try, and the lubricant isn't expensive, so it's got to be worth a shot I would have thought.

Annemos

Excellent. Thank you very much. It has only started happening in the last month. (Midlands). 

I had to have the Kitchen Door Lock replaced yesterday and he recommended maintenance with WD40-Specialist Silicone. So I was already planning to pop down to Wickes for it. 

Thank you. 

Albermarle

Here is the probable technical explanation.
These rubber like strips are not made from just one material, but are made from a mix of materials.  These can be a rubber like substance + an additive to help resist ageing/weathering and a liquid to make it more flexible for example.
Over time some of these additives can migrate to the surface, which could result in say discolouration, or stickiness.
Ideally it should not happen, but if the strips were maybe not the best quality in the first place, then it is quite common.
In the short term you can just wipe them clean and as suggested maybe some silicone spray. Probably though they will need replacing sooner rather than later.
Also if liquid keeps migrating to the surface and you keep cleaning it off than the strip itself will become more brittle and maybe break.

CliveOfIndia

Annemos said:

he recommended maintenance with WD40-Specialist Silicone.

Yep, that's the stuff (be aware that it's NOT ordinary WD40, it's a completely different beast).  But to be honest, there are dozens of manufacturers who make silicone spray specifically for this purpose, take your pick

Annemos

He had it with him. 

I was very impressed with the thin red nozzle!