Arcana Windows & Doors

10 Benefits of Sliding Doors

If you are considering installing or replacing exterior sliding doors, you may find the following list of benefits useful in your decision. Undoubtedly you will be making a very wise choice.

1. Energy Efficiency

By design, sliding doors will help to retain your indoor air. Installing double pane glass doors will minimize the heat loss. In addition you can purchase doors which have argon gas between the two glass panes which acts as a better insulator. In summer you will be keeping the cool air inside your home and the heat out. The glass can also be coated or glazed to further improve its energy efficiency and to reduce harmful UV rays. This will reduce frost and condensation on the glass and at the same time you will have better acoustic insulation.

2. Indoor/outdoor Traffic Flow

These larger doors will allow for easier traffic flow into and out of the house. This means easier access in family get-togethers. It also means if you have large objects that must be moved into or out of the house, these doors provide easy access. 

They can be twice as wide as regular entry doors or even wider. For very big openings, two, three or even four panels can be installed. Such wide doors give maximum light and great views of the exterior landscape.

3. Safety

One obvious safety advantage for these doors is that they avoid anyone being hit by a swinging door. They stay where they have been left until someone decides to move them.

4. Security for Sliding Doors

outside sliding door

By their nature, sliding doors are very secure. When locked from the inside, there is no easy way to open them from the outside. The rails on which they run are interlocked so that they cannot be removed from the outside.

There are a variety of locking arrangements you can consider for your patio doors. Most will be installed with Multi-Point Locks.  These secure both the top and bottom of the doors and ensure a tighter compression of the door’s insulation.

In addition you can install Guardian Locks, which are mounted at the top of the operating door. The security bolt is engaged and locked into the top door frame (they are available in white, beige or brown).

You can also use Folding Security Bars, which mount on the fixed side of the door frame. When the security bar is swung down into the locked position, the door cannot be opened.

Another possibility is using Two Position Kick Locks, which mount on the bottom of the operating door. They are used as secondary lockd when the door is in the closed position. (These too are available in white, beige or brown).

5. Space-saving

The compact design of sliding doors means that they are ideal for saving space. This avoids the problem with most entrance doors which must take up additional space when they swing outward or inward from the house.

6. More Natural Light with Sliding Doors

With their large glass panes, sliding doors allow a great deal of natural sunlight into the house during the day. This may mean you do not even need to turn any lights on in your home during the day. At the same time as you are saving on your lighting bills, your home looks more welcoming and inviting.

Where it is possible, adding sidelites to the doors and a transom above the door can create a huge glass wall. This allows the maximum light to enter the room and will give a spectacular view on the landscape outside.

7. Superior Air Circulation

With smaller windows, the air circulation in your home may be somewhat restricted. With a sliding door, the open space is large enough that you can have large surges of air when you wish, which will cool the home and improve the air quality.

8. Better Visibility of the Outside Space

patio sliding door

The larger panes give better visibility if your children are playing in the back garden. They will be very much safer if you are able to keep an eye on them. At the same time, they will be more aware that you are close.  Clearly with the multi-panel doors already discussed and the possibility of sidelights and a transom, an even better view is possible.

9. Style and Appearance

Sliding doors are low-maintenance and are quiet in comparison to other designs. As already mentioned, there are a large variety of styles available including three or more panels and sidelites and a transom.  You can even have Mini Blinds located between the glass panels.  That gives you shade when you need it without creating another place for dust to accumulate. Just imagine how you can make your home even more beautiful with such renovations.

10. Sliding Doors Add Value to Your Home

The bottom line on all this is naturally that you will be increasing the value of your home when you install sliding doors. They can be an important factor when you come to sell your home.

One final word that should be added is that it is important to install a screen. These can be almost invisible but they are an important defence against any flying insect that may try to enter your home.

It is important that sliding doors are installed by professionals and Arcana Windows and Doors will be most happy to provide advice and assistance if you are considering such a project.

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