What Should You Look for When Upgrading Patio Doors in Northern Ireland

0 1 4 minutes read

Upgrading your sliding patio doors will ensure that they last long and insulate your home well. But which features should you look for when upgrading these doors? Find out in the post below.

Patio doors have many advantages.

They allow people to enjoy the view of the outdoors from the comfort of their homes. These doors also let a lot of natural sunlight in, and let homeowners easily access their gardens and balconies easily.

For example, people who have sliding patio doors can push the doors open to enter their yard or their balcony.

But it has been a while since you’ve installed these doors, and now you wish to upgrade them. What exactly should you consider before doing that? That’s what we’ll be talking about in the sections given below.

Table of Contents

Weather-Resistance: Built for Northern Ireland’s Climate

Since Northern Ireland faces a generally wet climate, with chilly winters, you should look for weather-resistant doors. These doors should be made from materials like aluminium, fibreglass, or uPVC.

Aluminium patio doors are generally quite durable and have an impressive weather resistance. They have an oxide coating present on them when in contact with air, which prevents corrosion later on.

Aluminium doors also do not crack or twist under the influence of heavy thunderstorms or hurricanes. So, if your home is near the coast, these doors will protect you.

On average, aluminium windows last for between 20-40 years, so you won’t have to replace them for a long time.

Fibreglass patio doors like sliding patio doors are preferred for their weather resistance and durability. These doors are considered to be 1.7 times stronger than steel. Their anti-corrosive properties make them ideal for places like Northern Ireland, where it rains a lot.

Fibreglass doors are also fire-resistant, so they won’t catch fire in case of lightning-induced fire.

uPVC patio doors are also quite weather-resistant and can withstand the effects of saltwater. This makes them ideal for homes in Northern Ireland located directly on the cliffs or near the sea.

These doors are resistant to the influence of insects, such as termites, whose population increases during heavy rain.

Energy Efficiency and Insulation

Energy efficiency is another factor that you should look for when upgrading your patio doors Northern Ireland. That’s because the energy efficiency of these doors impacts your energy bills, which will affect your long-term budget.

Patio doors that manage to trap the heat during the chilly winters ensure that you don’t have to turn on the heaters. In summer, the patio doors will keep your home cool by preventing too much heat from entering.

So you should choose sliding door materials with low U-values or heat conductance ratings.

Some materials you can consider are aluminium, fibreglass, or uPVC.

Aluminium doors also have a U Value of 1.4 W/m2K. Fibreglass doors, on the other hand, have a U rating of 0.14 W/m2K. uPVC doors have a U value of 1.1 W/m2K.

Ideally, the door materials with the lowest U values are the most energy efficient.

You should also look for doors with low emissivity or E-rated glass, since they let in ideal sunlight.

Security Features

Security is another feature that you should consider when upgrading your bifold or sliding patio doors in Northern Ireland. For example, say you have your patio doors on the ground floors of your single-story home.

Nowadays, you will find that patio doors come with multi-point locking systems. These systems ensure that you can protect yourself from intruders. If you don’t want multi-point locking systems, you can opt for:

Keyed Bolt Locks: prevent people from forcibly entering
Hook-like Locks: prevent people from simply removing the doors from their tracks

In case you have your patio doors on the upper floors, you will not have to worry about intruders. But you should still opt for these locks just to be sure.

You should also consider doors that have triple-glazed glass panes, since these glass panes are quite durable. Additionally, you should also opt for doors that have a PAS 24: 2022 (Publicly Available Specification 24) rating.

This rating governs the security ratings for doors and windows.

Style and Aesthetic Options

The aesthetic design of your doors is also something that you should consider. For instance, you can upgrade from sliding patio doors to bi-fold or French patio doors.

Bifold patios look like an accordion when opened to one side. They help you maximize the space when opened. These doors are great if you’re considering upgrading your patio doors on your balcony or backyard.

French patio doors are preferred since they can open inward and outward. Inward French doors are ideal if you have a balcony and wish to maximize space in that area.
However, if you have enough space in your balcony, then you can opt for outward-opening sliding doors. This will prevent your interior space from being compromised.

You should also opt for lightly coloured sliding doors, since they will absorb less sunlight and avoid cracking. For example, light coloured uPVC doors will never flake or peel.

Ease of Installation

Installing your sliding doors properly also determines their insulation capabilities. That’s why you should opt for professional installers for your patio doors. They will ensure that the doors’ locks are properly latched and that the doors are weatherproofed.

The professionals will also waterproof your doors accordingly to prevent water from seeping in during heavy rainfall.

You will also save money in the long run since you won’t have to replace them for a long time after installation.

Maintenance

You should select sliding door materials that are low-maintenance to avoid spending too much effort cleaning them. Some examples of low-maintenance materials include uPVC and aluminum doors.

You can maintain these windows by cleaning the frame, glass, and tracks, and lubricating the rollers. Another thing you should do is replace the old weatherstripping material. You should clean them every three months if you live in a coastal area.

Remember to periodically inspect the windows once annually to check for cracks, warping or any other issues. You will be able to detect cracks in case you feel air coming in through one point in the window.

That’s because not doing so can lead to air or water getting in and affecting your home’s dampness and insulation.

Wrapping Up

You should consider factors like security, weather resistance, aesthetics, energy efficiency, and ease of installation before upgrading your patio doors. Considering these factors will help you make a balanced decision.