Patio doors are more than a simple entrance because they serve to frame your porch and welcome you to the outside. When you choose a patio door, there are many options to consider. Some options are based on safety, while others focus on insulation. Of course, some options are purely cosmetic. Choosing the right patio door for your home is a choice not to rush. Here are some options to consider when choosing patio doors for your home.
Sliding doors vs. Swinging doors:
Sliding doors slide open while swinging doors swing open. Swinging doors are a more classic door. In places with limited space, sliding doors are ideal because they do not take up any more space when opened. However, opening a swinging door can offer all the welcoming feelings of opening a main entrance way.
Multi-point Locks:
Multi-point locks are locks that extend most of the length of your door. They offer more security than a standard lock, and multipoint locks also help to protect the door against warping. Unfortunately, they are much more difficult to replace or repair than standard locks. Multi-point locks locking options can be: roller, hook, tongue, and deadbolt among others. The two main reasons to choose a multi-point lock include their added security, and the protection against warping they give wooden doors.
Door material:
The choice of door materials is not a simple choice of door attributes. What you are choosing when you choose a material for your door is not only how the door looks, but also the level of maintenance you want to put into your door. Wooden doors need the most maintenance. Metal doors need less. Fiber glass need even less. Last, vinyl doors need the least maintenance. When choosing a patio door material, ask yourself how much time you want to invest in your door.
Argon and Krypton Gas:
When choosing a patio door, you should think about energy efficiency. One choice to better energy efficiency is to choose a gas-filled window for the door. There are argon and krypton gas doors. These gasses help to insulate the window, and they decrease convection between the panes of glass. However, these gasses have their own risks. If the window leaks, it will quickly become a standard window and condensation may form between the two panes. There are rare circumstances where differences in temperature have caused these windows to implode. This implosion is rare but it is a risk worth noting. Those risks aside, internal gasses offer remarkable energy saving.
Decorative glass:
Decorative glass is the least important aspect of a patio door regarding its function, but it has the potential to increase the cost the most. There are different types of glass including stained and textured that are worthwhile to consider. Your patio door is an important part of your home, and although cosmetic glass changes functionality minimally, it can alter the feel of your entire patio. These were just some of the options to consider when choosing the right patio door for your home. If space is scarce, security is important, and you want minimal upkeep for your door, a sliding vinyl door with a multi-point lock is your best choice. However, if your porch opens to a large field, and the door opens level with your porch, you want to consider a classic, country look and choose a wooden swinging door.
