Pedestrian doors – Weighing up your Options

Posted by in Home Improvement

A pedestrian door is the first point of visual appeal, commanding most of the attention from the streets even before a guest enters a buiilding. There are different types of pedestrian doors in the market and despite the fact that the majority perform well overall, they are made of distinct materials which have there are strengths and weaknesses for each and every model. Fiberglass, wood and steel will never be the same when considering an ideal entry door. While steel is cheaper compared to wood which goes for a price almost five times as much, it faces a great challenge with regard to wear and tear. This simple guide can help you get the best entry door regardless of your budget and personal preferences.

Consider energy efficiency 

With the current global trends, energy efficiency is something that every homeowner desires to achieve. When looking for an ideal front door, always remember that fiberglass and steel have more insulating properties compared to wood. In general, however, energy efficient doors will feature tight-fitting frames and energy efficient cores. If you opt for any model which is made of glass, settle for nothing less than double or triple-panel insulating glass. This reduces the process of heat transfer, thereby increasing energy efficiency in a building.

Safety

Safety stands as one of the major reasons why people must have a roof over their heads. It takes the best quality door lock to prevent invasion by burglars. While most thugs gain access by kicking the door in, studies have also proved that there is a very little variance in strength across different door materials. It takes a beefed-up strike plate and lock to increase a door’s resistance against kick-ins. When buying pedestrian doors, therefore, this factor should be considered to ensure that you don’t have just a shutter but rather a door that will assure you of some safety.

Installation

Entry doors are commonly identified as door systems because they come with a frame and are predrilled for a deadbolt and knob. If you choose an excessively large door, therefore, it may require you to add sidelights, which essentially translates to a complete redoing of the door framing. This job is best suited for a contractor. Unless you are offered referral or installation services, it is not advisable to buy a door from such a seller. If you are not a skilled carpenter on the other hand, it may take the services of an expert to replace front doors regardless of their fitting nature. Before making a purchase, it is essential to know whether they offer installation services and if not, where exactly you can get a qualified person for the job.

Give online stores a thought 

Rather than visiting physical stores to look for an ideal door, online sites can save you the burden of travelling. Online stores give a variety of doors to choose from and besides, manufacturer sites will offer a detailed description of the materials used. Online retailers can also help you in locating a local retailer without the need to travel long distances.

Conclusively, pedestrian doors are highly functional that you can’t afford to make a mistake during purchase. Knowing exactly what you need before delving into the market is a sure way of avoiding such mistakes. With such a handy guide, your purchase is made ABC easy.