What is the most energy efficient sliding glass door

If you're thinking of updating your home with a new door, there are a number of factors to consider. The process can be a bit overwhelming, but US Window & Door is here to help!

There are quite a few routes you can take to enhance your home's appearance and functionality. Adding or replacing a sliding glass door is one of them. Offering an improved world of style, convenience, views, natural light, and ventilation, you can't go wrong by selecting such an inviting upgrade. However, before jumping on the sliding glass door bandwagon, you need to make a wise and informed decision about your own specific needs.

Glass is a critical part of many remodels, and you definitely don't want to go into the process without a good understanding of it. Serving the greater San Diego area as well as Southern Orange County, as the #1 rated Milgard product supplier and installer, US Window & Door will guide you through the process of improving your residence from start to finish.

To begin, you need to examine your options of door types and materials, and what they have to offer. Taking the time to study and learn what's available will ultimately result in the most favorable long-term outcome. Your decision is an investment, so you want to ensure that it will pay off in the future.

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What Affects the Energy Efficiency of Sliding Glass Doors?

The material used in a sliding glass door affects its energy efficiency. Yet this is only part of what you need to look into when choosing the best option.

What type of architecture is your residence? How about privacy, safety, and security? Does your house's orientation expose you to breezes or excess sunlight? Where will your sliding glass doors lead?

These are just some of the questions you need to ask yourself before making a decision. Consider these angles, and go from there.

Frame Materials

Did you know that different door materials will yield different results? Gaining a working knowledge of what's available will lead you to an ideal outcome when it comes to purchasing the most efficient and sound sliding glass door.

Thanks to technology, aesthetics in this day and age can be adapted to fit a number of different residential styles. From Colonial to mid-century homes, the best sliding glass doors can go with any type of architecture. You simply have to pay attention to how it will work for you. Your goal should be to gain a long-lasting improvement in aesthetics and security while simultaneously taking advantage of nature for maximum energy efficiency. In essence, you should be ready to spend money on quality now, so it will save you on costs down the road.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a great option when it comes to an unassuming complementary material for any structure. Plus, it has anti-corrosive properties, making it a beneficial choice for salty San Diego humidity. It can stoically defend a home against the elements with its impenetrable composition.

Due to its extrusion process, aluminum is much stronger than wood or vinyl. Additionally, Milgard’s Aluminum Series provides the option of increasing energy efficiency by adding thermal improvement. This insulating barrier will keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, as it's resistant to harsh temperature changes.

Great for large, encompassing areas, aluminum is more budget-friendly than some other materials. You definitely can do a lot of customizing with it, all while having the reassurance that it's not causing your energy bills to skyrocket. Keep your wallet closed while opening the door to smart and efficient savings!

UPVC

Unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC), or vinyl, is one of the best low-maintenance building materials for doors and windows. It offers excellent protection through its durability and reliability.

Specially-formulated through Milgard's own advanced formula, Milgard sliding glass doors were built to last and have the track record to prove it. Plus, they meet Energy Star requirements, often exceeding them. Therefore, on a basic level, they afford great protection and efficiency.

But it doesn't stop there. Preferences for vinyl sliding glass doors include product lines with varying features, like the Tuscany series, with a SmartLock bolting design for security, providing an additional layer of protection from the outside world, including pests, intruders, and the elements.

Vinyl used to be a lesser-desired material in window and door replacement, but not anymore. Its strength and affordability have taken the glass world by storm, and it's now one of the best and most adaptable options money can buy!

Wood

Once standard in construction, wooden doors are going by the wayside. Their maintenance is high compared to other materials, and the durability a homeowner needs simply isn't there. They can warp and crack, especially when exposed to heavy sunlight and weather changes.

Yet, many homes would benefit from a wooden aesthetic. This is where fiberglass doors come into play, especially with sliding glass doors. By negating the fickle temperament of wood, fiberglass presents itself as a reliable, enduring alternative. Made to mimic the appearance of wood grain, it's a modern-day solution to yesterday's problems.

Fiberglass frames will help keep your home safe from intruders and harsh elements. Designed to withstand the weather, they're a long-lasting and smart substitute. Milgard's Ultra series, for example, comes standard with SunCoat Max insulated glass, enhanced with temperature regulation and ultraviolet (UV) protection.

Multiple Layers of Glass

It's debatable when the first modern-day double-paned window made its appearance on the market. Regardless, by the early 1950s, it found its place in history. Soon after, triple-paned, and even a more industrialized quadruple-paned glass, came about.

If manufactured properly, these multiple panes will produce a superior product when it comes to retaining ambient temperatures within the home. Sometimes, there is air between the panes, but more advanced solutions use gases.

Gas Between the Panes

Initially having gas inserted as a buffer, some windows had a small plug in the corner to both allow for injection and to close the hole afterward. This is known as insulated glass or thermopane.

Since this time, the technology has dramatically improved both aesthetically and functionally. Filled with inert gases such as argon, other glass gas options can include more costly alternatives, such as krypton or xenon. These are known as monatomic gases, and they have a much lower heat transfer than poly-atomic gases. As a general rule, the more glass and buffers there are, the more weather-resistant the window or glass door is, dramatically slowing down the heat and cold transfers.

This works the same on sliding glass doors. Fabrication allows for the gas insertion and a protective barrier seal to prevent air leaks while also staving off humidity and moisture buildup within.

Glass Coatings

Coating glass adds another element of protection and insulation to your sliding glass doors. Basic tints dampen the natural brightness entering your home while creating subtly-colored exterior aesthetics. But some coatings do more, like adding filtration for harmful light.

Aside from visible sunlight, UV rays and infrared light are two harmful factors outside of the human visibility range. UV rays cause your home's interior and furniture to fade, and infrared light unnecessarily heats it in the warmer months.

A good silver oxide coating, like SunCoat Low-E, helps prevent this damaging light from entering your home. Working in conjunction with argon gas, its effectiveness intensifies.

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Measuring the Energy Efficiency of Your Sliding Glass Doors

Energy efficiency is a mathematical science. Measuring the energy performance of glass is a critical factor in determining what benefits your electric bill, satisfies local requirements, and demonstrates the most beneficial environmental impact.

Before looking into measurement standards, it's best to understand the three different ways heat is transferred. All of these have a role in averaging quality conventions.

• Radiation: heat released by objects
• Conduction: heat transferred through a given material
• Convection: transferring heat between a fluid and a solid

Several factors come into play when assessing how efficient your glass will perform. Visual transmittance (VT), which is the measurement of visible light entering the structure, is only the beginning. Several different standards are weighed when calculating glass's performance efficacy, each being the sum of a whole. For total coverage and peak operation, all of these criteria need to be considered.

R-Value

R-Value all has to do with resistance. The higher the R-Value, the more improved resistance the sliding glass door has to heat transfer. In the window industry, it's essential to recognize that some companies put more stock in R-Value than others. In many cases, it isn't a mitigating factor like other measurement criteria. However, it's best to have as much information about a product as possible when it comes to energy efficiency.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)

When sunlight hits a sliding glass door, some of it enters the structure, some of it is reflected, and some of it is retained by the glass. This latter eventually goes into the structure or emits itself to the exterior. This is the SHGC, which is a complex calculation of the sun's heat in regard to solar radiation transmission rates. The lower the SHGC, the more heat it deflects from the structure. Therefore, it's important to also look at the visual transmittance in regards to personal light entrance preferences.

U-Factor

The U-Factor determines how well your sliding glass door will insulate your home. In essence, it's easiest to understand that, for the most part, it's the reciprocal number of R-Value.

U-Factor, also known as U-Value, is all about thermal transmission. It's the rate of heat transferred through the glass. How it's measured depends on the weather: when cold, it's determined from the inside to outside, and when it's warm, outside to inside.

Glass's efficiency is higher when the U-Value is lower. With Low-E coating on double-panes, for example, the gas separates the glass. Whereas the exterior reflects the outdoor temperature back to the outdoors, inside, the other pane retains the internal temperature, blocking it from exiting and returning it to the interior.

Glazing Level

The glazing level for sliding glass doors is arguably the best factor when determining efficiency. Glazing is simply alternate terminology for panes. Therefore, in conjunction with proper fillers and seals, the more panes of glass there are, the higher the insulation value will be.

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Update Your Home With an Energy-Efficient Door Replacement in San Diego

For sliding glass doors, you want to invest your time and money into something that will pay off on a grand scale later down the road. That's why US Window & Door exclusively features Milgard products. Reliable and backed by an iron-clad, confident guarantee, you're sure to get the highest quality solutions for a fair price.

With a lifetime limited warranty, you'll have the reassurance of two trusted companies who will take care of any issues that may arise. Even if you sell your home within ten years of installation, the warranty carries over to the new owners for the remainder of that period. This just goes to show how confident US Window & Door is in its team of consultation and installation experts, and how trusted the Milgard lineup is when it comes to assurance and peace of mind.

Saving money on energy is the right thing to do. California's codes are some of the strictest in the nation, but US Window & Door is knowledgeable in everything that you need to stay on par with local and state requirements. Milgard products often exceed these rigorous standards, providing you with an even better and more efficient product than mandated. What more could you ask for in an investment?

It's easy to see why US Window & Door is the total package. In the Greater San Diego Area and Southern Orange County, it's the place to go for all your window and door installation and replacement needs. Make a decision that will pay off in the future. Be good to your home, yourself, your loved ones, the environment, and your wallet. Trust the skilled pros who will help you every step of the way! Call us to schedule a free in-home consultation today!