When it comes to home improvement, there are many things to consider. Balancing the aesthetics of a home with the cost of the upgrades and the color schemes and the new appliances . . . it can be a lot. However, there are many home upgrades that are kind of no brainers. For example, fixing drafty windows. Window replacement services are one of the most sought after home improvement items because a drafty window can increase the energy bill of a home by over 20%! How long do windows last? That depends. Wood windows will be different from others, but we will cover that in another article.
Today we want to talk about the benefits of sliding doors, another no brainer when it comes to home improvement.
The Benefits of Sliding Doors
While large French doors might look great in the front of the home, when it comes to the back yard or patio door, they aren’t really necessary. In fact, the best type of door to use in the back is usually a sliding door. Sliding doors come with a number of benefits including:
Increased Energy Efficiency: That’s right, just like getting your windows replaced, having a sliding door is going to save you quite a bit of money in the long run. Because of their design, a sliding door helps retain indoor air. Additionally, if you install a double pane glass door it will help minimize heat loss. This is especially true if you purchase doors which have argon gas between the two glass panes, as the gas acts as a great insulator. This keeps the cool air in during the summer and the hot air in during the winter.
Better Traffic Flow: One of the main benefits of sliding glass doors is the ease of traffic flow in and out of the house. This is especially important for big events when people will be moving in and out of the house such as a family get together, a neighborhood bbq, or any other type of gathering. Additionally, if you ever need to move large objects (such as a new couch) into the house, having a sliding door makes this much, much easier.
Added Security: This is perhaps one of the most overlooked benefits of sliding doors. By their nature, sliding doors are very difficult to open from the outside. There is no easy way to “pick” a sliding door lock, unlock traditional door knobs. This discourages people looking to break into the home and steal things.
Space Efficiency: In addition to being energy efficient, sliding doors are also very space efficient. Rather than needing to make space for the swing arc of a traditional door, sliding doors simply slide in and out of a slot. This makes it much easier to plan furniture and decorations throughout the house.
Increased Natural Lighting: Because of the large glass panes that come with having a sliding door, there is a great deal of natural sunlight that gets into the home. This means there isn’t as much of a need to run electrical lights (yay for more savings!) and it has the added bonus of being NATURAL light. Everyone loves natural light over artificial light. Natural light creates a much more inviting and welcoming atmosphere.
Increased Visibility of Backyard Area: In addition to allowing more light into the home, sliding doors also give a great visual field of the outside. This makes it easy to enjoy the beautiful landscape around your home, even in adverse weather. Additionally, if kids are playing outside, it is easier to keep an eye on them if you need to be doing other work inside the home.
Great Style: When people think of benefits of sliding doors, style rarely comes to mind. However sliding doors are very low maintenance and quiet compared to other door options and there are a large variety of different styles to choose from. Adding more panels and side lights are just a couple of ways to customize your sliding doors. This can help you create a beautiful look that is unique for your home, and keeps all of the added benefits on top of it.