How to Remove and Adjust a Patio Door Screen and Lock

For this project you’ll need safety glasses, gloves, a phillips head screwdriver, and a putty knife.

To remove screen door locate the screws at the top and bottom of either side of the screen.  Using a phillips screwdriver turn the screw counterclockwise until you see the head of the screw.  Repeat on the opposite side.  Next raise the screen and locate the wheels.  The wheels are located at either end of the screen.  Place the putty knife under the wheel, push in, and lift up.  Once the wheel is up, gently slide the screen towards you, do the same on the other side.  To re-install the screen, line up the top two wheels back inside the track and push up the screen as high as it will go.  Pull the screen out slightly and push the roller wheel up with a putty knife and slide the screen back into the tracks.  Do the same thing on the other side.  Before you operate the screen, the rollers must be adjusted.  Using a phillips screwdriver, turn the screws clockwise until you see the screen lower into the track.  Repeat the same procedure on the other side.

To install the door latch, first unscrew the latch pack from the door by loosening the bottom screw removing the pack then re-tightening the screw.  Put a removable mark like pencil or tape on the door frame level to the bottom of the handle tab.  This is the lowest place to put the point of the keeper, any lower and the tab on the screen handle won’t engage.  With a phillips head screwdriver install the bottom screws into the slot, then check to make sure the screen locks.  After opening screen and checking that the locks work, insert the second screw above the first one.  Each time the screen is re-installed, check to make sure the screen locks.  If it doesn’t, loosen the bottom screw, readjust the keeper then tighten the screw.

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