Most homeowners want easy access to the back yard with a highly functional patio door. With a variety of choices, could a sliding door be the right option for you? Consider the pros and cons to help you see the value of sliding screen doors.
Pros of Sliding Screen Doors
Great Views
Compared to a hinged patio door, a sliding door provides a more expansive view to the exterior. Not only are sliding doors twice as wide, but the window portion tends to be larger as well, providing a wide, panoramic view of the yard and scenery beyond.
Natural Light
More glass found in sliding patio doors doesn’t just let you see out; it also allows more natural light to enter. This brightens your home and makes it feel more inviting. And don’t worry – the right window covering allows you to block out the light when you’re watching a movie or napping during the day and want it to be dark inside.
Function
Whether you’re moving a large piece of furniture into your home or carrying trays full of food outside for a backyard barbecue, a sliding screen door offers the best functionality. Throw the door open wide and keep it that way for as long as you need as you walk back and forth between the yard and your house.
Beauty
Sliding screen doors are functional, but they’re also beautiful. They add a high-end feel to your home, both inside and out, and tend to make the space feel large and grand.
Space-Saving Benefits
A hinged door requires the area in front of it to remain unobstructed to function properly. If your patio connects to the kitchen, a sliding door allows room for a table within a few feet of it. This helps you get more out of every square foot in your home than a hinged door does.
Ventilation
On fair-weather days, it’s nice to open the sliding door for a bit of fresh air. You could certainly open a hinged door for a breeze as well, but this tends to have an unprofessional look about it. A stiff breeze could even slam the hinged door shut. Plus, there’s the issue of bugs. With a sliding door, you can open the glass portion but keep the screen closed to enjoy a wonderful breeze without allowing any pesky insects inside your home.
Cons of Sliding Screen Doors
Higher Price
Sliding screen doors tend to cost more than standard hinged doors. Custom options consisting of wider openings and exotic materials cost even more. Still, choosing a high-quality yet affordable manufacturer helps you overcome this drawback.
Lower Energy Efficiency
Windows are the least efficient component of your home’s outer envelope. With a larger expanse of glass, sliding doors tend to be less efficient than hinged patio doors. Fortunately, with today’s increased emphasis on home efficiency, it’s possible to find sliding doors that employ advanced technologies to reduce heat flow through the glass. These provide higher efficiency ratings, helping to make heating and cooling your home more affordable.
Less Durability in Extreme Weather
Sliding screen doors are more susceptible to wind storms, hurricanes and tornadoes that whip up debris and fling it toward your house. However, all windows and doors with glass panes share this drawback, since they’re equally susceptible to these extreme conditions.
Need help installing a new sliding screen door? Leave the job to Glass Doctor®. To learn more about our installation procedure and other glass services, please contact us today. We’re here to handle all your home glass needs.