When choosing a hinged vs. sliding patio door for your home, here’s what you should consider:

• Architectural style
• Room lighting
• Airflow
• Walkway and furniture placement
• Whether or not you want screens
• Do you have room for an inswing or outswing door

Pros & Cons: Hinged Door vs. Sliding Door

Hinged patio doors

Hinged patio doors can be opened to the full width of a door opening compared to sliding doors that open the width of one door. Hinged patio doors do not come with screens and require a storm door add-on if you want to keep bugs and the elements out.

Renewal by Anderson’s Frenchwood® hinged patio doors are built with the ability to choose a door that swings out or swings in. Therefore, this style of door requires more room than low-profile sliding patio doors. The traditional style of French hinged patio doors is a classic design option that adds value to any home.

Sliding patio doors

Sliding patio doors are easy to operate, take up very little space, let in a lot of light, allow for maximum ventilation, and are available with oversized screens. Sliding patio doors come in a wide variety of finishes and sizes so you get a look and scale that fits your home design. Sliding patio doors fit well with clean, contemporary architecture. They come with options like screen panels to let fresh air in while keeping dirt and insects out.

Renewal by Andersen of Alaska carries three types of sliding doors:

Perma-Shield® sliding doors are a contemporary style of door that provides the widest view with maximum glass area.

Frenchwood® sliding doors offer the traditional design of standard French doors but in a sliding door style.

Narroline® sliding patio doors are designed with vinyl-clad wood, a low-maintenance exterior, and a stainable natural pine interior.

How to choose an energy-efficient patio door

Whether you choose a hinged patio door or a sliding patio door it’s important to consider glass, energy ratings, and locks—all of the things that will keep you comfortable, save you money, and keep you safe.

Look for a patio door with a strong glass package: something with double or triple-pane glass and a Low-E coating to slow the transmission of UV rays and conserve up to 50% of your heat during winter months.

It’s also important to look for a patio door that is ENERGY STAR® Certified. ENERGY STAR® ratings indicate a door meets federally mandated guidelines regarding energy efficiency. Doors that show the ENERGY STAR® Certified rating have:

• Multiple glass panes
• Energy-efficient core material
• Magnetic weatherstripping
• A tight fit

Still wondering which patio door type is right for you?

We offer free consultations to connect you with an expert from our team. We’ll answer any project questions you have and can talk you through the replacement process from quote to installation.

The post Which Type Makes a Better Patio Door: Sliding or Hinged? appeared first on Renewal by Andersen of Alaska.

The post How Do You Know if You Need a New Patio Door? appeared first on Renewal by Andersen of Alaska.

Matching Windows and Doors

The human eye is trained to appreciate symmetry. This is why we like things to match, from our outfits, the spines of our book collections, and parts of the house, including trim and window frame colors. Matching colors and styles is an easy and effective way to achieve visual symmetry, and, thanks to modern manufacturing technologies, it’s much easier to match the color of a new component to an existing one. This is why many homeowners choose to match their doors and windows—it’s easy and, for the most part, effective.

Should Your Windows and Patio Match?

Easy as it may be, matching the patio and entry doors with the windows is not your only option. When you have a door and window replacement service like ours that allows virtually any style, color and finish on your doors and windows, you should at least consider expanding your selection. Front entry doors, for instance, have more flexibility in terms of color selection and even the brightest colors will work with any exterior color palette.

There’s also the matter of authenticity. Certain home styles call for certain styles, and sometimes their style requirements sound counterintuitive on paper, but the installation would often look good—not to mention look more authentic—when completed.

Custom Replacement Windows and Entry Doors

With such requirements, you need more than just off-the-rack replacement windows and entry doors. Custom ones are the way to go. Renewal by Andersen offers a wide selection of styles, colors, and finishes that give you the opportunity to achieve virtually any combination of patio doors and replacement windows that your house style calls for. And with ProVia® entry doors, our selection is further extended to custom entry doors.

Renewal by Andersen of Alaska is your leading provider of patio doors and replacement windows. Give us a call or fill out our contact form here. We serve customers in Anchorage, AK, and surrounding communities in the Kenai Peninsula, The Valley, and Fairbanks.

The post Should Your Entry and Patio Doors Match Your Windows? appeared first on Renewal by Andersen of Alaska.

Find out the truth about sliding patio doors from leading door and window installers. 

Sliding Patio Doors Are Hard to Operate

Improvements in hardware and engineering have made today’s sliding patio doors easier to operate. Older models usually simply sliding the bottom gasket of the door via the track, making larger units hard to open and close. Modern styles like lift-slide doors are top-hung, meaning the panels are lifted from the floor. These doors usually have top-grade hardware, such as precision rollers, for smooth and seamless operation. 

Sliding Patio Doors Aren’t Energy-Efficient

The energy efficiency of replacement windows and doors depends on their material and components. For instance, multi-pane glass can prevent heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter. At Renewal by Andersen®, our patio doors feature dual-pane High-Performance Low-E4®  glass. Together with our insulated panel options and expert installation, we assure you that our sliding doors can give you energy savings. 

Sliding Patio Doors Are Unsightly 

Many sliding doors on the market have thinner frames for more expansive views. They also come in a wide range of customization options. You have almost endless options when it comes to colors and finishes. Nickel and bronze-colored hardware can give your home a more modern look and feel. 

For quality door and window replacement services, turn to Renewal by Andersen® of Alaska. We offer some of the most energy-efficient windows and doors on the market. Call us at (907) 308-7784 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free in-home consultation. We serve clients around Anchorage, AK.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column]
[/et_pb_row]
[/et_pb_section]

The post Busting Common Myths About Sliding Patio Doors appeared first on Renewal by Andersen of Alaska.