What to pay attention to when choosing front doors?
The choice of exterior doors shouldn't be dictated only by aesthetic considerations - it's necessary to remember about several important technical parameters that will provide us with appropriate level of comfort and safety.
31/07/2018
The choice of exterior doors shouldn't be dictated only by aesthetic considerations - it's necessary to remember about several important technical parameters that will provide us with appropriate level of comfort and safety. What should we pay attention to when choosing front doors?
Protection against cold
Materials and construction have the greatest impact on thermal insulation - parameter that is often not taken into account by people looking for quality front doors. According to the regulations, external doors should have an appropriate heat transfer coefficient, which in 2021 will be 1.3 W. Exterior doors that are thick enough and also enriched with a larger layer of insulation (polystyrene, mineral wool or polyurethane foam) will provide high enough protection against cold. It's also very important to ensure that doors are properly matched to the frame and sealed. A good solution is to use doors opening outwards, thanks to which the wind will press them down to the frame, ensuring proper tightness.
Noise protection
Properly sealed exterior doors also protects the house against noise. The coefficient defining acoustic insulation that you should pay attention to in this case is Rw. The higher it is, the better your house will be protected against outside noise. The most optimal is Rw coefficient ranging from 30 to 35 dB. Effective protection against noise may be of particular importance in case of houses located near busy streets.
Anti-burglary protection
The entrance doors are provided by door manufacturers in several resistance classes - Rc ranges from 1 to 6. The higher the value, the higher the resistance to burglary. In other words models with the lowest security class will be able to provide you with only basic protection. In turn, doors with the highest level of resistance (all renowned door manufacturers should have at least one such model in their offer) will be able to withstand even the use of specialized power tools.
Choosing the right material
The material from which doors are made is not without significance. Currently on the market are available models made of steel, PVC, fiberglass, aluminum and wood. Steel doors are quite resistant to damage, but they provide not so much protection against noise and cold. PVC doors are characterized by good sound absorption, thermal insulation and easy installation process, but are less resistant to any damage, which can be very troublesome. Aluminum doors have great overall parameters, but they aren't cheap, so not everyone can afford such an investment.
A good choice when comes to the material for your front doors is wood. Wooden doors are not only stylish, but also very warm. What's important is the fact that modern constructions from wooden door manufacturers also provide adequate protection against burglary and outside noises.