Isn’t it time you enjoyed a taste of the island life?

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting a beautiful tropical city, then you may have realized that a lot of people have extra-large doorways to allow all of the extra fresh air and sunlight to come into the space. And why not? One of the perks of living in the tropics is all of the amazing scenery!

If you’ve been considering installing a set of folding doors in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Miami, or any other tropical climate, then this post is for you! Below, we’ll discuss whether or not folding door systems are practical in tropical climates, some of the top concerns you should keep in mind, and show you the best type of folding door for tropical environments.

Are Folding Doors A Good Choice For Tropical Climates?

If you were to envision a perfect tropical getaway, you’d probably bring to mind images of large porches and verandas overlooking beautiful beaches. The house you’re staying in would probably have wide, panoramic folding door systems that would allow you to experience the full lushness of the environment.

You’d be able to feel a deeper connection with nature… You’d hear the island birds chirping, feel the warm ocean breeze drifting in, and smell the rain-kissed leaves of the jungle outside. Sound pretty romantic, right?

Overall, a folding doors system is an excellent choice for tropical climates. Whether you’re thinking of installing folding doors in a Miami penthouse or an island villa, there are few other home improvement projects that allow you to truly open up your home.

Top Concerns

As long as you have a screen system in place to keep out the bugs, folding doors can make a great addition to your tropical paradise. The bug problem aside, though, these are some of the other common concerns that people have asked us about in regards to installing folding doors in Costa Rica and similar climates, as well as the solutions to these issues.

Humidity And Moisture

Humidity is a big one. No tropical climate is complete without 80% to 90% humidity year-round. When dealing with large door systems, this can present a problem. For one, it allows a lot of that humid air into your home. Secondly, it can also damage certain types of doors.

There are two solutions to solving the humidity problem imposed by large folding door systems:

• Use a dehumidifier in your home after having your doors open for an extended period of time.
• Don’t open all of the door panels during the hot and humid summers. Just use the main swinging entrance door.

You don’t have to have your swinging doors all of the way open to enjoy them! Even when they’re closed, they’ll still provide you with a large glass wall that makes you feel close to nature and lets tons of light inside of your home.

Storms And Hurricanes

Unfortunately, most tropical climates are known for falling victim to tropical storms, monsoons, and hurricanes. For this reason, a large glass folding door may seem counter-intuitive to some, as it could be a possible weak point.

However, as long as you take care to purchase an impact-resistant, hurricane-proof folding door system, then this shouldn’t be a problem. These doors are designed to withstand extreme winds, heavy rain, and even impact from flying debris.

Extreme Heat

While a large glass folding door may seem like it’s the opposite of an energy-efficient doorway, that’s actually a rumor. In fact, most of today’s eco-friendly folding door systems are specifically designed to comply with California’s rigorous Title 24 regulations. They’re heavily insulated against temperature transference, which means your A/C will stay inside and the hot air will stay outside!

So, What’s The Best Folding Door For Tropical Climates?

There are three materials that are most commonly used to manufacture folding door systems:

• Aluminum.
• Vinyl/PVC.
• Natural hardwood.

Wood, while beautiful, isn’t a good choice for humid, tropical environments. The high levels of moisture in the air can eventually penetrate the wood fibers and cause the door to warp and stop working properly.

This leaves vinyl and aluminum doors as your only viable options.

Remember, you also want the doors to be hurricane-proof. Vinyl, while moisture-resistant, is too weak to stand up to heavy storms. This means that a hurricane-proof aluminum folding door is the best choice for a tropical climate.