Anyone considering bifolding doors for their home will naturally have a lot of questions. We have already written an article explaining where bifolding doors can be installed and the uses they can have. There are also other considerations with bifolding doors and in this mini bi folding door guide we will answer some of the most popular questions.
Let Aluminium Trade Supply answer your questions about aluminium bifolding doors.
Whichever bifolding door product you choose, the modern bifolding door remains a very desirable addition to a home. But how can you be sure that it is the right product for you? There is a lot of conflicting information about bifolding doors and in this article we give you some information to assist you.
So what would you like including in a Bi Folding Door Guide?
For the purposes of this article we will concentrate on aluminium bifolding doors but many of the questions asked can apply to bifolding doors or sliding folding doors in other materials such as upvc or timber.
What we do know and verified by many home improvement companies is that for bifolding doors, aluminium is the preferred material. Please use the Ask A Question form at the bottom of this article for anything you would like to ask about bifolding doors.
Are bifolding doors worth having considering the British Climate?
Despite the unpredictable British weather, what we do know is when the sun in out, we do our utmost to enjoy it! The news will often report increased sales in drinks, barbecue food, ice cream and other products that make us feel good when the sun is out.
When the weather is sunny we open our doors and windows and let the sun and air come into our homes. Bifolding doors whilst more expensive than patio doors or French doors take this one stage further because of their size and flexibility. Even if we may use our doors infrequently when they are open, there is no other product that can open up a space like a bifolding door. However even in winter and depending upon the type of property you live in a closed set of bifolding doors will give much more glass area, greater view outside and let in much more light than a large window or typical hinged doors.
The final consideration is the value that bifolding doors will add to your property. With the love affair the British have with their homes and adding value, talk to any estate agent and look at any property particulars and you will always find the fact that the property has bifolding doors mentioned.
Are sliding patio doors now out of fashion?
Absolutely not! Patio doors still have their place in the home and our article about what type of door is best for your home offers some guidance.
Patio doors have progressed significantly in recent years and they may be the right product for you as well as bifolding doors.
Ultimately whether you have bifolding doors or sliding patio doors depends on your particular home and more importantly what you are trying to achieve in your home. Patio doors will contain far less aluminium than bifolding doors and very large sliding leaves can be manufactured. If large expanses of glass are your preference, choose a patio door. If you want the flexibility and a complete open elevation, choose bifolding doors. Patio doors today are as technologically advanced as windows, doors and bifolding doors and have very much kept up with the times.
How many bifolding door panels are best?
Our advice is to go for as few panels as possible. Not only will this work out cheaper as the more door panels the more expensive the doors. But there are other reasons.
The first thing to consider is the size of the opening that the doors will be fitted into. With most bifolding doors available in the marketplace being available in maximum sizes of 1 metre to 1.2metres typically this is what you should consider when deciding how many panels to have. The less panels, the more glass and less visible aluminium is also a simple rule. Every bifolding door system is different in it’s minimum and maximum sizes. Some doors even at 1.2metres when folded back together may intrude into your outside or inside space.
In considering how many panels to go for, it is very important to also consider how your doors will be used. If you would prefer all panels to slide in one direction then you won’t have an access leaf. The access leaf is important if your bifolding doors are the only set of doors to the outside of your property. You won’t want to slide the doors back every time you want to open the door. If your bifolding doors are your only route out into the garden then we recommend an access leaf on the one side that acts like a normal hinged door for normal or winter use.
I don’t like trickle vents. Why do i need them?
The use of trickle vents falls under the current building regulations. The building regulations call for background ventilation in all new build properties and extensions built. On most bifolding door systems an aluminium add-on is applied to the frame head to give the additional depth required to house the trickle vent. Whilst trickle vents are a legal requirement the reality is that many people find them ugly, rarely use them and don’t understand why they are needed in the first place. People even ask why not just open a window?
It is well known that poor ventilation in properties is bad for health and as buildings and windows become more weather and air tight so the need for additional ventilation is greater. Trickle vents are intended to provide background ventilation into habitable rooms where clean air trickles through them and enables the replacement of stale air by moisture, cooking smells and more. The reality is that the air trickle vents bring into a room is hardly noticeable but many people will put their hand up to the trickle vent, feel cold air and close it. Trickle vents do an important job and are a legal requirement in most cases.
If you do not want trickle vents but appreciate they are a legal requirement then other forms of ventilation can be set into the room such as wall vents. Your building or architect should be able to advise you further.
Is there any point in triple glazed bifolding doors?
Many bifolding doors are available triple glazed but seek advice as to what benefits they will bring.
The door and window industry is presently very active in determining the advantages of triple glazing. There are already many door systems that can accept triple glazed units. Whilst companies like Everest are offering “free upgrades” to triple glazing, that is too simplistic in itself.
A window or door product today must go through thermal testing before it hits the market. A salesmen may tell you that triple glazing will improve your windows but this may not necessarily be true in the advantages it offer you. A door that has a double glazed unit replaced with a triple glazed type won’t automatically be “improved” simply because it has higher specification glass. There are tests and procedures in establishing the performance of windows and doors and some windows have actually shown less overall thermal efficiency as triple glazed products!
Speak to an experienced window company or use the ask a question form below and we can advise you further about triple glazed windows and doors.
How much do bifolding doors cost?
Unlike other products like consumer goods, bifolding doors like kitchens, bathrooms or building work are subject to many factors before a price can be determined. The Origin Bifolding Doors website is one website that gives some indication of typical prices of Origin doors but installation factors and other considerations will affect the price you pay.
Please get in touch if you have any other questions about bi folding doors.
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