The Anatomy of an Energy-Efficient Patio Door

Much like high-performance windows, energy-efficient glazed, exterior doors are part of your home’s complete thermal enclosure system. They help keep your rooms airtight and reduce the transfer of heat. Plus, they reflect the invisible portions of the solar spectrum that affect indoor comfort.

To choose the right ENERGY STAR–certified products, it helps to understand the anatomy of energy-efficient patio doors:

Multiple Panes

Insulated glass is today’s standard. In most climates in America, double glazing provides enough energy efficiency to meet the requirements set by ENERGY STAR. At Renewal by Andersen® of Dallas and Fort Worth, we offer several High Performance™ Low-E4® glass packages. Each option has a different but equally exceptional set of energy performance ratings to provide excellent benefits for heating, cooling, visible light transfer and UV protection.

To keep your home cool during the summer months, we recommend the Low-E4 Sun glass. It has a subtle tint that allows our double-pane contemporary and French doors to block 74% of solar heat.

Improved Core Materials

Although patio doors have lower glass-to-frame ratios than windows, the framing material used to construct your units contributes to energy efficiency. Most companies use hollow vinyl, but we utilize rigid wood panels with vinyl cladding. Instead of empty chambers, the sash and frame of our doors have raw, laminated, veneer lumber and treated pine, respectively. As a result, our products offer the best trade-off among energy performance, durability and maintenance requirements.

Enhanced Weather-stripping

Smart use of weather strips is paramount to ensure a tight seal and reduce air leakage around the edges of your windows and doors. For instance, our sliding doors have continuous weatherstripping and interlocking design to keep your interior draft-free. Furthermore, Renewal by Andersen of Dallas and Fort Worth’s doors come with a sophisticated locking system to help improve security and weathertightness.

Our fully glazed patio doors meet the energy efficiency requirements of the South-Central Climate Zone where Dallas, Tarrant, Denton, Parker and Wise counties are located. Call us at (877) 605-2922 to learn more about products and discuss your project needs. We’ll be happy to schedule your FREE, in-home consultation in Dallas, TX, or any nearby areas at your convenience.