What Should You Know Before Upgrading to Sliding Patio Doors?

Upgrading to sliding patio doors can transform your Pikesville, MD home. With the right sliding doors, you will flood your home with natural light and improve the indoor-outdoor flow. When you choose the right doors, you’ll also increase your resale value. And the best news is that modern door options are far superior to the older type of sliding doors that leaked air, fogged up, and were constantly sticking. However, there are still some things to consider before you upgrade.

What Style and Configuration Do You Want?

Sliding doors glide on tracks, so no swing space is needed. This makes them space-efficient and great for furniture placement, but you still have a couple of styles you can choose from. The common options are:

• Two-panel (one fixed, one sliding): This style is the most affordable and common.
• Three-panel or double-sliding: This style offers wider openings, better views, and easier access.
• Multi-slide: This style has large panels that stack or pocket for a panoramic “wall of glass” effect.

If budget is your biggest consideration, then you might want the two-panel version. If you want to have a better view, or more room for moving in and out, the three-panel is probably right for you. The multi-slide option is particularly good for modern home architectural styles.

What’s the Best Material for You?

You basically have four options

• Vinyl
• Fiberglass
• Aluminum
• Wood

Vinyl is the most popular because it’s affordable, doesn’t require much maintenance, doesn’t rot or warp, and offers excellent insulation. Fiberglass has similar maintenance and insulation benefits, plus it’s even better than vinyl at resisting expansion and contraction with temperature change. However, fiberglass comes at a premium price.

Aluminum offers a sleek and modern look and is great for large panel models. However, make sure you get aluminum doors with thermal breaks, or you won’t have good energy efficiency. Wood requires the most upkeep and maintenance, but it also offers a warm and traditional aesthetic that may be perfect for your home.

Is Energy Efficiency a Priority?

The old types of sliding doors were huge energy wasters. If you’re thinking that you need to get rid of glass doors entirely to save energy, the good news is that modern doors have double- or triple-pane glass with Low-E coatings and argon/krypton gas fills that provide excellent insulation. Also, the frames are now insulated and come with advanced weatherstripping. Look for ENERGY STAR certification.

Are They Secure?

Security is always a concern with glass doors, so for your upgrade, make sure that you get ones that have:

• Multi-point locking systems, so there’s not just one lock to force.
• Tempered or laminated/impact-resistant glass, which will also make your door safer in storms.
• Anti-lift tracks, so the panels can’t be lifted up and out when locked.
• Smart-home integrations so alarms and notifications go out the instant someone messes with the door.

Upgrade Your Pikesville, MD Patio Doors Today

Upgrading to modern sliding patio doors is a high-ROI project when it’s done right. Talk to us today at Green Solutions Remodeling in Pikesville, and we’ll talk through your options and what’s best for your goals.

Tags: door installation, patio sliding doors
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