Glass bi-fold doors are a wonderful addition to any home; they provide lots of natural light and in doing so, help to make the rooms in which they are fitted look far brighter and much more spacious.
If you have decided to fit these types of doors in your house, here are two factors you should take into consideration before purchasing and installing them.
Security
If you live in an area with high crime rates, it's important to make sure that the bi-fold doors you purchase offer a high level of security.
First and foremost, the glass from which the door's windows are made should be tempered. Tempered glass is much more robust than standard glass and as such, will not shatter when struck, unless an enormous amount of force is used.
This means that it would be very difficult for a burglar to break the doors' windows and gain entry to your home unless they are extremely strong.
The shatter-resistant nature of tempered glass will also ensure that, should you or another household member accidentally slam the bi-fold doors a bit too forcefully when closing them, the windows will not shatter and leave sharp, potentially dangerous shards of glass all over the floor.
Secondly, you should make sure that the locks on the bi-fold doors are of a high-quality. This is important, as if a burglar realises that they cannot gain entry by shattering the door's windows, they will then probably attempt to break open the door's lock.
Ideally, you should opt for a door with a lock that has an anti-snap cylinder, as many burglars will attempt to break open locks by damaging this component.
Energy efficiency
If you don't want your household energy consumption levels to rise after you install your new doors, it's vital to ensure that you choose ones that will not allow the cool or warm air generated by your HVAC system to escape.
The simplest way to do to this is to choose a set of doors which come with double-glazed windows. The narrow gap between double-glazed panes contains argon gas, which prevents the indoor air from passing through to the outside, and the outdoor air from permeating the panes and getting inside.
Additionally, make sure that the frame which surrounds the door's windows is made from an insulating material, such as vinyl or fibreglass, which will prevent the hot or cold air inside your home from seeping out.