Want to upgrade the look of your home, energy-efficient patio doors are the answer. Most of the time, these are sliding glass doors. They are highly functional and stylish, making them a great fit for any home. Most importantly, they open up your home to the great outdoors without exposing you to harmful elements. Enjoy the relaxing and beautiful views of your backyard and beyond.
These patio doors also improve airflow when you use the operable panels. And since they are glass, these doors also affect the inflow of natural light, making your home brighter. Unfortunately, plain glass is a weak link when it comes to preventing heat transfer or cold penetration. The wrong glass patio doors will make your utility bills skyrocket. Learn more about choosing energy-efficient patio doors below.
Four Factors That Make Your Patio Door Energy-Efficient
Having the right kinds of patio doors installed in your home will save you a lot of money on heating or cooling costs. Because glass serves as poor insulators, your HVAC will tend to overwork during summer and winter to control your property’s ambient temperature. Thankfully, modern and more energy-efficient glass patio doors do an excellent job of keeping the heat where it ought to be. Look at the factors that make your patio doors more energy-efficient.
Utilization of Multiple Glass Panes
If you have ever been near a single-paned glass door or window at the peak of winter, you will notice that the air feels a lot cooler in that area. Similarly, homes equipped with single-paned patio doors or windows will leak cold air during the summer season. Thus, it will be harder to maintain indoor air temperature, and your HVAC system will continuously work nonstop, resulting in higher energy bills.
Thanks to innovation, you will now find more modern and energy-efficient patio doors with double-paned glass. Those in temperate regions even go as far as utilizing triple-paned glass. However, for those with homes that do not experience extreme weather and temperature fluctuations, the added expense is not essential compared to the minimal energy savings.
For best results, speak with an expert patio door dealer. Their team will assess your local weather conditions. From there, they can help you choose the right door that offers the best efficiency for your home.
Presence of Gas Between The Panes
Patio glass doors are not automatically energy-efficient because of the added glass layer. What is important here is that the space between the two glass panes is filled with gas. The widely-used gas for this is the element argon.
This has a high thermal conductivity rating that clocks in as ⅔ of air. As a result, it will effectively inhibit heat loss, which can make a big difference during winter. In the summertime, it will keep cool air coming from the air conditioning system from escaping.
Alternatively, some manufacturers use krypton gas. This offers better insulation than argon. However, it is a lot more expensive and will jack up the price of your patio doors.
Check for Low-E Coating
If you want better insulation, manufacturers will coat the glass panes with a Low-E or low emissivity coating, which contains tiny metallic particles. What do these do? They help reflect heat indoors when the weather outside is frightful and freezing.
At the same time, it has the power to reflect heat outside during warm summer months. Your HVAC will thank you for this, so expect lower utility bill ratings. The effect of this coating is so powerful that some experts find it comparable to putting up another layer of glass on your patio doors.
The Low-E coating can be applied sandwiched in between two panes. You can also opt to have it on the outside panes of the patio doors. That being said, putting it inside proffers a more substantial effect and better product longevity. However, it can also jack up the price of the patio doors.
Pay Attention to the Material of the Frame
The patio framing can also make a world of difference in efficiency. Whether you have hurricane patio doors or impact-resistant patio doors, the framing affects the overall look, as well as functionality.
It does not matter if you have a standard sliding glass door or a French patio door style; the frame material will impact heat loss and transfer. When it comes to insulation, fiberglass and vinyl are the best there is. Wood is not far behind, but it is more expensive and requires the most maintenance to prevent warping and wood-rot. Without proper maintenance systems in place, your doors will look a lot older than they are.
Finally, aluminum patio doors offer the least insulation because metal is a conductor. However, many clients still opt for aluminum because it is the strongest. In fact, homeowners in hurricane-prone areas prefer aluminum. If you choose this, you can count on longevity and durability.
Energy Rating Terms You Need to Know
Patio doors will protect your home efficiently without blocking the gorgeous views. If you are planning a patio door or window replacement project, you must prioritize energy efficiency. Here are four terms you need to be familiar with as they will help you when you shop for your doors:
SHGC
This acronym stands for solar heat gain coefficient, and it assesses how well the door can mitigate solar heat from infiltrating the property. Look for the lowest SHGC possible because this is more energy-efficient. The less solar heat comes in, the better the shading ability your door proffers.
Glazing Level
The glaze focuses on the quality of the glass materials. For best results, make it a point to search for a patio door that provides a high-performance glass package. This means you can optimize the energy efficiency of your property.
U-Factor
A term referring to how fast your patio transfers heat. You must prioritize getting a patio door with the lowest u-factor rating as equates to best in quality. U-Factor rating is inversely proportional to insulation. The lower it is, the more insulation it provides. As a result, you can keep your home warmer in winter. Ask your door supplier for advice if you want this feature.
R-Value
This value focuses on how well the door can prevent heat from escaping from your home. Usually, the value will fall under R-5 or R-6. The higher the rating, the better the insulation capabilities. This is a polar contrast to U-Factor and SHGC.
Why You Ought to Prioritize Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is now a buzzword in these modern times, especially since a high carbon footprint leads to environmental degradation. For this reason, many feel impassioned about reducing emissions to offset the depletion of the ozone layer and to reduce greenhouse gases that continue to damage the earth.
One of the answers for this is energy efficiency because it entails the generation of more output with lesser energy consumption. This does not only reduce energy expense but minimizes carbon footprint. Thus, as a responsible citizen who is also a steward of Mother Earth, it is your responsibility to select building implements that control the flow of energy inside your home.
And this includes your patio doors and even windows. Keep in mind, poor-quality items can promote energy loss. If you choose energy-efficient materials, you can facilitate the flow of light, heat, and air. As a result, you can deter energy loss as best as you possibly can. Energy efficiency can also help you with the following:
Reduce Utility Bills
The leading perk of energy-efficient patio doors is that they will lower your energy consumption and bills. The majority of your energy costs are due to heating and cooling your home. In selecting an energy-efficient patio door, you cut down power consumption and electric bills significantly because you can manage the flow of natural resources.
Helps Protect the Environment
If you want an eco-friendlier solution, choosing energy-efficient materials is the answer. By switching to an energy-efficient door, you play your part in reducing toxic emissions. As a result, you can lower your carbon footprint dramatically. With this cleaner and greener solution, you know you are playing your part in preventing pollution. This is a major win for the future generation.
Enhance Air Quality
When you have energy-efficient items, you improve the air quality in your home. On top of that, you reduce your dependence on artificial heating and cooling systems. Since it also helps with the inflow of natural light, you can also reduce your reliance on artificial lights. These implements consume high carbon monoxide emitting fuels, like propane, gas, and wood. They will, in turn, dump everything into the environment, filling it with particulate matter, which you can inhale. No wonder there is a higher incidence of allergic rhinitis, asthma, and sinusitis. Every little thing you do counts!
Enjoy Clear Views
No matter how big or modest your space is, a patio door can complement your home. It suits any home design and will significantly improve curbside appeal. Apart from enjoying clear views, which helps enhance aesthetics and provide you with a sense of peace, patio doors can make any room look bigger and spacious. It can help your mental health not feel cramped inside your own home.
Boost Overall Home Value
Finally, energy-efficient patio doors increase your property value. Since this glass material creates a virtually seamless division between the interior and exterior spaces of your home, you maximize visual appeal on both sides. Thus, patio doors are a great investment. Should you want to sell your home, energy-efficient patio doors allow you to command a higher price.
3 Common Types of Energy-Efficient Patio Door Styles
When choosing your patio doors, you also pay attention to the aesthetics. After ensuring that the glass door is energy-efficient, you want a well-designed piece that will bring out the best in your home. Apart from choosing the color and materials, you must also select the best style that suits your preferences and design needs. Check out the details below to help you decide:
French Doors
Nothing can beat this classic patio door that you will commonly find in traditional homes. These versatile doors can work with both traditional and temporary designs. However, they will require more clearance space when swinging the door open. This style can be rather pricey because it entails a lot of frameworks to support the whole structure and protect the glass.
Bi-Folds or Concertina Doors
This is vertically stacked, allowing all sides of the door to fold neatly to give unobstructed views. It creates an illusion of seamless and fluid design integration between your exterior and interior spaces. This also proffers flexibility because you can open it up halfway or all the way. This requires multiple frames and maintenance to ensure the tracks and casters function well. Because of the style, weather-stripping is not as efficient.
Frameless Doors
This is another style that offers uninterrupted views of the great outdoors. This can be quite pricey because they use high-quality, custom-fit glass panels. The glass is super safe because it is 5x stronger than regular glass. It is even stronger than heat-resistance tempered glass.
Work with a Reputable Window and Door Company
If you need someone to install new patio doors or replacement windows in your home, you must look for a reputable supplier. This is critical because the right team will provide high-quality materials that last. On top of that, you can count on superior workmanship, ensuring better build quality and performance.
Should you need assistance in choosing patio doors for a new custom home build or a renovation, do not hesitate to get in touch with our team at North Shore Window Inc. We are the leading service provider in the area when it comes to patio, entry, and interior doors, windows, and shades. Give our team a call or fill out this contact form to speak to our representatives. We are always happy to serve you.