Your patio doors are the gateway to outdoor fun. When the kids want to run out to the pool, they’re going through your patio doors. When you have people over for a barbecue, they’re going back and forth between your kitchen and your backyard through your patio doors. When the dogs (or the kids) track mud into the house on summer afternoons, they’re coming in through the patio doors! While all of these are not exactly desirable, they are side effects of good family fun, all assisted by your patio door. So what happens when said patio door starts to fail? The fun comes to a stop and the work begins.
Whether your old patio door is failing due to energy efficiency, function, or it simply doesn’t fit in with your kitchen’s overall aesthetic, knowing what kind of patio door you want or need can be tough to figure out on your own, especially while trying to clean up muddy footprints from your kitchen! If your patio door is failing and you’re thinking about replacing, here are the quick facts you should know when considering a sliding patio door:
Space
The space for your patio door is completely unique to your home and your needs. What might work for one homeowner doesn't always work for another. For this reason, homeowners should keep their space and unique habits in mind when replacing a patio door. Consider how your space is used day-to-day and where a patio door would best serve you. You want easy access to what you use most. For instance, if you mostly use your sliding patio door for access to the grill on the back deck and pool parties in your back yard, a sliding patio door in your kitchen might be the best fit for your space and lifestyle.
Function
When we say function, what we really mean is how you’re going to get the most benefit out of your new patio door. Sliding patio doors are huge space savers. Unlike French patio doors, they don’t open into your space and take up an area that you might need for a kitchen table or couch. This is why we offer a wide variety of different sizes of patio doors. Sliding patio doors also offer benefits beyond being a portal to the outdoors. They can frame the beautiful view of your backyard, let a huge amount of light into your home, and let in fresh spring air with a sliding screen to keep out bugs.
Aesthetic
Realistically, aesthetic is probably the first consideration you make when thinking about replacing your patio door. From the color of your new patio door to the size, one of the biggest factors to consider is how exactly you want your sliding patio door to complement the rest of your home. Do you want wood, fiberglass, or vinyl? Do you know what color you want on both the inside and outside? What size door do you want versus what size of door can fit in the opening or area you have? When making these decisions, be sure to take into consideration the fact that a good patio door, and especially sliding patio doors, really let the light and colors of the outside blend with the inside of you home.While these are the 3 largest factors to consider when choosing a sliding patio door, every home and every family is different and will have different needs. Determining your top priorities in terms of your patio door can allow you to make the best decision for your home. If you’re thinking of replacing your patio door, give us a call or sign up for a free in-home consultation here. We can help you determine what sliding patio door is going to be the best fit for your home and your family’s needs.