If you’re interested in purchasing a set of exterior folding doors, then you’re probably doing your due diligence to see if these doors are actually going to be a good choice for your home or business.

One of the most pressing concerns that customers have when searching for a new door system is whether or not they’re a good choice for the climate that they plan on installing the doors in. Those who lice or own a business located in an area with extremely hot or cold temperatures often wonder whether it’s a good idea to install a large glass door system.

Thankfully, most high-quality folding door companies offer a number of different options when it comes to customizing your folding doors! From efficient glass systems to weather-resistant door panels and doorframes, you can fully customize your folding doors to make sure that they’re the right choice for you and your family.

In today’s post, we’re going to take a look at the most commonly asked questions regarding installing folding doors in extreme climates and areas prone to strong weather patterns. Let’s dive in!

Why It’s Important To Consider Your Climate When Shopping For Folding Doors

If you’ve already started to compare the prices of various folding door companies, then you’re probably well aware of the fact that folding door systems can be a heft investment. Depending on the manufacturer that you’re working with, a set of porch folding doors can easily cost thousands of dollars or more. The total cost can be even greater when you factor in the cost of hiring professional contractors to install your doors.

That being said, it’s important to choose the right folding doors from the jump. Once they’re installed there’s no going back, unless you want to purchase an entirely new system.

Thankfully, though, most folding door systems can be fully customized to order. This means that you can purchase energy-efficient or weatherproof doors for almost any climate. You just have to know what to look for first.

Folding Doors And Extreme Climates

In the past, it would have been impossible to install a large folding glass doorway into a home without losing a significant amount of hot air from your furnace or cold air conditioning. However, thanks to today’s energy-efficient weather-resistant glass window panes, it’s now possible to create low-profile doorframes creating a seamless look that limits the bounds between the outdoors and the indoors.

Can You Purchase Energy-Efficient Bi-Fold Doors?

Yes! In fact, most of today’s top-selling multi-fold door systems feature low-E glass window panes that are naturally resistant to thermal transfer (e.g., cold outside air seeping through and cooling your nice warm house).

To create low-emissivity glass, manufacturers use a dual-glazed glass system that consists of two panels aligned in parallel, one facing the exterior and one on the interior. There is usually a small vacuum space between the two glass window panes that is filled with Argon gas.

Due to its chemical properties, Argon resists temperature change and likes to remain the same temperature. This, in turn, prevents the outside air from getting into your home or your home’s inside air from escaping outside. Ultimately, low-E folding doors reduce your energy costs by reducing the number of times your furnace or A/C has to turn on each day.

What Are The Best Folding Doors For Cold Weather?

When it comes to cold weather climates, you mainly need to be concerned about two things:

• Snow and ice.
• Extremely cold temperatures.

As we discussed above, customizing your folding doors with Low-E glass is the best way to ensure that your doors are able to stand up to the cold temperatures in the middle of winter.

However, the second problem you’ll have to deal with is snow and ice. In a non-weather-proof system, snow can pile up in front of your folding doors, eventually melting and seeping under the door, causing puddles inside your home.

To prevent this from happening, you’ll want to customize your folding door system with a raised lip on the sill. This will provide a small watertight barrier that snow, ice, and water won’t be able to penetrate through, keeping all of the moisture outside of your door.

What Are The Best Folding Doors For Hot Weather?

When it comes to extremely hot weather, you’ll want to start by adding the same low-emissivity glass that you would use for extremely cold climates. This will prevent the sweltering heat outside from seeping through the glass and affecting your nice air-conditioned climate.

Generally speaking, moisture isn’t a huge concern in hot, arid climates, so you may not need to install a raised door sill lip. However, what you will want to invest in is a ceramic tint. Sometimes this can be applied by the manufacturer; however, you may need to hire a third-party company to install aftermarket tint on your folding doors.

Ceramic tint contains microscopic particles of ceramic that naturally resist heat change, adding to the power of low-E glass and decreasing the U-value of your windows. Plus, the tint will deflect some of the sun’s rays, so the interior of your home won’t be too bright.

Can I Purchase Hurricane-Proof Folding Doors?

If you live in a region that’s prone to hurricanes (such as Florida or the Texas Gulf Coast), then you’ll definitely want to invest in some hurricane-proof folding doors. Many of the top-rated door manufacturers on the market offer some type of weather-proof or hurricane-proof door system.

Key Aspects Of Hurricane-Proof Folding Doors

These are the key aspects of a hurricane-proof folding door system that you should be on the lookout for.

1) Shatterproof Glass

The most important feature of hurricane-proof systems is shatter-proof glass. This is accomplished by applying a polymer film to both sides of the glass.

Not only does this film provide an added layer of protection from flying debris but it ensures that even if the glass is broken, your windows won’t shatter. Instead the panes of glass will remain positioned in place instead of shattering all over your floor or flying through the air, causing damage.

2) Reinforced Doorframe

Category 4 hurricanes often boast wind speeds upwards of 140 mph or more! Your standard non-reinforced vinyl doorframes won’t be able to stand up to these heavy winds without bending or becoming warped.

Hurricane-proof folding door systems are usually made using high-quality aluminum doorframes that have an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. When combined with a solid hanging door track, these folding door systems should have no problem withstanding gale-force hurricane winds.

3) Watertight, Raised Door Sill

Last but not least, most hurricane-proof folding door systems also feature watertight raised door sills. As we mentioned above, these are designed to prevent standing floodwater from getting underneath your door panels and into your home.

What About Tornadoes?

Perhaps your region isn’t prone to hurricanes, but rather tornadoes… Generally speaking, hurricane-proof door systems are the best option if you need something that can resist tornadoes. They’re the industry standard in their ability to resist high winds and heavy rain.

Are Folding Doors A Good Choice For Tropical Climates?

Yes! If you live in a tropical climate, such as Puerto Rico, Miami, Costa Rica, etc., then folding doors are an excellent choice. Of course, during the hottest months of the year, you may want to keep your door panels closed. However, once the milder weather comes around, you’ll be able to open your folding doors up to let tons of fresh air and sunlight into your home.

Final Thoughts

Overall, folding doors perform great across a wide variety of climates. There are high-quality folding door systems installed in snow-laden homes at mountain peaks, in desert retreats, and even in tropical villas. Thanks to advancements in door manufacturing and glass-making technology, anything is possible!