5 Signs You Need to Replace Your Patio Doors

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Many people love to spend quality time on their patios, making it a favorite outdoor space. According to research, investing in the right energy efficient French doors can help homeowners save up to $300 annually. Paying close attention to your patio doors can go a long way in helping you minimize repair and maintenance costs. It all begins with knowing when your patio doors no longer fit your home or fail to provide the purpose for which they were set up. Most often, inefficiency and being outdated are the two top reasons people decide to change their patio doors. However, there are other signs you can look out for, including those listed below. 

• A sudden or gradual spike in monthly electric bills

Your monthly electricity bills may go up when you have energy-inefficient doors. This increase can either be gradual or sudden. Patio doors usually lose their ability to conserve heat or coolness inside the home after several years of installation, leading to cracks and gaps along the edges connected to the wall. Although a poorly done installation may cause this, it’s pretty standard for crevices to crop up after ten years of installation.

 

Fortunately, modern patio doors are created with heavy insulation to contribute to optimum energy efficiency, and you don’t have to worry about heat seeping out of your home during the winter. In the same way, you won’t have to worry about your air conditioner working overtime to compensate for leaking cool air. Most modern doors manufactured today have a Urethane covering that boosts energy conservation. Additionally, they’re shatter-proof and don’t quickly deteriorate at the mercy of changing seasons, saving you money.

• Outmoded patio doors that have outlived their functionality

Most homeowners change their patio doors because they look old, are out of place, and have outlived their functionality. It’s worth noting that outmoded patio doors can become security threats to occupants of the house. For example, intruders can easily open them from the outside. Furthermore, if you have young children or pets, outmoded patio doors may become more of an inconvenience. Besides the aesthetic appeal of these doors, they play security roles for occupants of the house. However, when this functionality becomes compromised, safety and security become crucial.

 

Patio doors may also look outmoded after you remodel your home. Because house remodeling and renovations add a modern look to an old structure, existing fixtures tend to look out of place. This new look may require you to update other areas for consistency, including your patio doors. You’ll find it beneficial to invest in more stylish and contemporary patio door designs with dual-purpose functionality.

• Defective mechanism

Your patio doors are designed initially to open and close smoothly without any resistance. Therefore, when you notice that they require excessive force to open, close, or lock, it’s an indication to get new ones. While inferior grade patio door material may be the culprit, moisture accumulation is the cause in many instances.

 

Naturally, aging doors develop expansions on their frames, which occurs when either rainy or snowy weather exposes your doors to excessive moisture. When water seeps into the interior components of these doors, it causes interruptions in the mechanism. Therefore, it’s best to replace it entirely when you notice this.

• Repeat repairs

Sometimes, it’s more economical to install a new patio door instead of spending a lot of money on repeated repair works on the same faulty patio doors. This is due to the numerous requirements that repairing a defective door repeatedly demands, which will cause you to spend more than you may have budgeted for. Therefore, it’s best to purchase and install new patio doors to minimize avoidable and frequent repairs. Contrary to what most people think, new patio doors aren’t always pricier than frequent repairs, so they’re an option worth considering. 

• Condensation

Visibility through your patio doors can be significantly impaired when air and moisture get trapped between the glass panes due to a broken seal. Condensation could be a result of defective initial installation or an aging material. If you ignore this condition for a while, it will cause further problems for your home’s heating and cooling processes.

 

When you invest in quality patio doors, you’re assured of better energy efficiency, security, safety, and enhanced aesthetic appeal for your home. Besides, you can have peace of mind and not worry about frequent repairs. Hopefully, these practical tips will help you quickly identify when it’s time to replace your patio doors.