01 Oct Factors That Matter When Choosing Patio Doors

When the time comes to replace a patio door, we hope you’ll choose Andersen patio doors. But while you may know which brand you can trust most for your patio door needs, you may not be as well-equipped to choose the right type of door.

Not unless you know which factors to consider when making your selection. You have a wide range of patio door options from which to choose, with options that swing, slide, and come in French and bi-fold designs. But while you may even know which one you prefer, it may not be the one that is best suited for your home.

So don’t go patio door shopping without first giving yourself a quick education on the various types and styles that exist. But it’s not all about aesthetics either, as you will need to consider the functionality of the doors and whether or not they work within the space you have available.

Got all of that so far? Good, now here are some of the most important things you need to keep in mind as you choose the best patio doors for your home.

Materials

The material used in the manufacturing of your patio doors plays no small role in helping you decide which ones are best because these doors will serve many very important purposes in your home. Getting the right materials will enable your doors to fulfill those purposes to the best of their ability.

In order to do that, you want the materials of your doors to be able to withstand everything that the surrounding environment will throw at them. This includes impacts like extreme weather, constant sunlight, and many other instances of normal wear and tear that might force the doors to prematurely break down.

So when you’re comparing patio doors, you have materials like wood, aluminum, fiberglass, and the most popular option, vinyl. All of these options have certain pros and cons about them you’ll need to weigh as to whether or not the material will be able to withstand everything your region of the country may throw at it.

But in addition to the durability of the material you ultimately select, you also want it to match your home’s specific décor.

Spatial Concerns

Since not all patio doors are designed or built the same, due to the materials being used or the style of the door itself, you want to make sure you have enough space to accommodate when you open or close it. This is particularly important with doors that swing out. You need to be sure you won’t be taking up too much floor space to give the door enough room to move.

For smaller patios, it might make more sense to go with a door option that slides instead of swings. It may also be advisable to go with just the one door instead of a pair of them, to conserve as much space as you can.

Weather Challenges

As you compare one door style to another, you also want to keep in mind that your doors must be resilient enough to take on the challenges that come with inclement weather. We’re talking about more than just high winds, heavy precipitation, and extreme temperatures. Your door should be able to resist other environmental impacts like dust, pollution, and even pests that might want to crawl into your home as a place for shelter.

This is all very important considering that your doors are covering large openings in the exterior of the home. These walkways need to be kept secure from the impacts that can damage the interior of your house if they’re allowed to make their way inside.

Fully Secure

To further the point of keeping the interior of the home well protected, you want a patio door to offer complete and total security from more than just the elements. You should also pick a door that is going to provide top-notch security from any intruders who may want to break in while you’re home or away.

Protecting your family is your number one priority and you’ll want to select a patio door that comes with the best security features including thick glass panes, fortified frames, and redundant locking mechanisms that all work to keep unwanted visitors from sneaking into your home and putting you and your family and your personal belongings in jeopardy.

Most quality patio door makers will install multiple security measures in their products to make sure you are bringing additional protection for the home.