Replacing regular entry doors with sliding glass doors has become quite common nowadays. Sliding doors do not just open up your living spaces superbly. They make a stylish statement too. These doors come in various patterns and hardware finishes. As a result, you could customise them to create a more personalised look that complements your existing space perfectly. Nowadays, these glass doors are available with Energy Star certifications too. Thus, they will make your homes energy-efficient and comfortable too.
Why You Need to Weatherproof Your Sliding Glass Doors
Sliding doors can suit almost any living space in your home perfectly. However, these doors could leave your home open to the elements. For instance, it is quite common for small stones and debris to accumulate in the sliding glass channels. Pushing the door over these stones could raise the door in the track. The small crevices created will result in drafts and energy loss. To eliminate these occurrences, ensure that you vacuum within the door’s channels regularly,
Similarly, glass is not a good insulator. Hence, when used in sliding doors, glass enables the escape of heat. On hot days, it could facilitate the entry of solar energy indoors. Makers of steel doors and windows face similar issues as well. So, they apply weather stripping and spray foam insulation around the door jamb and beneath the door to eliminate drafts. To achieve a similar effect in sliding doors with glass, consider purchasing doors with low-emissivity (low-E) glass. This kind of glass features a special coating that prevents energy from radiating through the glass.
Insulate Your Sliding Glass Doors with Rubber Compression Strips
Professional door and window installers use adhesive-backed rubber compression strips for weatherproofing doors and windows. These strips comprise neoprene rubber. Thus, they are both moisture and chemical resistant. Moreover, these strips will not contract in cold conditions. The installers will cut these strips to fit the length of the sliding door channel. These strips will serve to add airproof seals in the channel and around the sash of the sliding door.
Weather Stripping Makes Steel Doors and Sliding Doors Weatherproof with Minimal Fuss
The installation of brush fin or fin seal weatherstripping can make your sliding doors weatherproof. Install the weather stripping between your sliding doors to eliminate the loss of energy. Brush fin and fin seal weatherstripping comprise synthetic brush filaments that restrict the flow of air in gaps between the sliding doors. Moreover, the fin seal adds a Mylar ridge embedded in the brush. This serves to form an additional seal.
Purchase Window Insulation Kits to Prevent Energy Loss through Your Sliding Doors
If you’re finding that your sliding glass doors are facilitating the loss of energy, you will do well to purchase window insulation kits. These kits feature a plastic polymer called shrink wrap, which shrinks when exposed to heat. For installing these, simply cut the plastic sheet to fit your sliding door. Use the double-sided tape provided in the kit to secure the plastic to the door frame. Thereafter, heat the surface with a hairdryer. The plastic sheet will shrink and compress to create an energy-efficient barrier.
When you need energy-efficient and stylish steel doors or staircases, think of L’Officina by Vincenzo. We offer customised and innovative design solutions. Our rich steel artisanship will enable you to turn your dream designs into reality. Click here to view some of our projects.
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