Here's How To Choose Quality French Patio Doors In St. Louis MO

Patio doors provide a smooth and strong connection between your indoor and outdoor spaces. Today, one of the most popular patio doors is the French door. With its charm and elegance, it is understandable why it is the common choice for many homes in recent years. French patio doors in St. Louis MO can add a modern and classy touch to your home. Although they blend well with almost all types of architectural designs, whether contemporary or traditional, they just seem perfect for homes with conventional style and design.

What is great about French patio doors is that they are generally safe and secure. In fact, they are more secure than other patio door styles. This makes your home safer and protected against possible break-ins. Aside from their central lock, they can also be locked from the top and bottom. In addition, their construction is solid enough to stand up against daily handling and even forced entry. Although they may appear nice and delicate, they are actually more stable and durable than they look.

French patio doors can be opened outwards or inwards depending on your preference. Today, they are made available in a wide range of designs, styles, and color options. In addition, their frames can be made from many different materials like wood, vinyl, aluminum and steel. Each choice comes with its own pros and cons. Vinyl and wood are the most widely-used materials although in terms of aesthetics, the latter is the more preferred choice between the two because of its classic appeal.

When shopping for a French patio door, look for quality construction. Make sure to choose a material for your frame that will last for years if not decades. Today, there are patio doors whose interiors are made of wood while the exterior parts are made of strong composite materials. This results to tougher units without the inconvenience of regular maintenance.

These days, with the availability of a wide range of grille, glass and hardware style, you can actually customize your French doors to perfectly match your needs and preference. By the way, always look for a patio door with a well-designed threshold. This should be able to keep water away from your doorstep and out of your house. Also, to prevent cool or warm air from escaping out, make sure you have a good and sufficient amount of weather stripping on your new patio door to ensure that you have comfortable indoor temperature regardless of the season while keeping your energy bills down.

If you are looking to spruce up your home, consider installing a patio door and give your home an instant makeover. For quality units, look into patio doors in St. Louis MO by Zen today.

How Can You Make Your Home More Secure When Installing Sliding Glass Doors In St. Louis MO?

In recent years, the popularity of modern type of doors has significantly increased. For instance, there’s the sliding glass door that has become widely used in many homes today. Sliding glass doors in St. Louis MO bring in nice aesthetics that instantly transforms your indoor and outdoor spaces providing that touch of style and elegance. They are likewise very functional.

Sliding glass doors offer a clear view of your outdoor setting. This feature is especially helpful when you have kids at home. Even when you’re inside the house, you can still keep an eye on them through your sliding glass door. In addition, this type of door can let in a significant amount of light making your indoor space bright and vibrant. Also, it makes any room of your house appear bigger and more spacious. And what’s more, since it moves parallel to the wall, installing a sliding glass door at home won’t need much space consideration unlike their hinged counterparts. Moreover, since it has a wider opening than traditional style entrance doors, a sliding glass door can easily let you bring any large and bulky item in and out of your home.

But then again, while beautiful and practical, a sliding glass door also has its drawbacks. One of its most significant issues is its lack of security features. In addition, its vast glass section provides easy access for burglars to get into your home. The good news is that nowadays, modern sliding glass doors come with better and improved locking mechanism protecting your home from possible break-ins. In addition, they feature a more durable glass reducing if not totally eliminating the chances of glass breakage.

To help you feel secure at home, it is a good idea to reinforce the lock in your sliding glass door. Get one that is durable and effective. The best and most effective is a deadlock. Get one from trusted and reputable manufacturers. If you have the means, install an alarm system on your sliding glass door. When someone tampers it, it should make a loud piercing sound. Moreover, you should have proper lighting outside your home. Intruders or burglars often avoid a well-lit home.

Just like anything else, sliding glass doors have their advantages and disadvantages. Make sure that you properly weigh these things first before making a decision.

If you are looking to spruce up your home, consider updating your present door. Modern doorways are now getting more and more popular pulling in nice aesthetics and practical functions for your home. Consider getting Zen sliding glass doors in St. Louis MO today and give your home an instant makeover.

When Is It Best To Get New Replacement Windows In St. Louis MO?

Updating your old home windows may require a significant initial outlay, but the benefits you will reap afterwards will be more than every dime you spent. If you get new replacement windows in St. Louis MO, you will not just spruce up your home’s appearance but improve its overall efficiency as well. The good thing about them is that they will be able to pay for themselves in a few years. Quality windows will have you recover your investment in seven years or less. Experts say that by enabling you to lower your energy consumption, your new windows can help you save anywhere from $126 to $465 a year depending on several variables like your local climate, the size of your home and the type of replacement windows you get.

In addition to the enhanced aesthetics and overall performance, your new windows will also offer you ease of operation. Also, you will feel comfortable inside your home the whole year round. Some replacement windows are very convenient to have at home since they require very minimal and even zero maintenance. But then again, as mentioned, getting new windows is an expensive endeavor. The cost of the units alone will have you spending thousands of dollars on average homes. Plus, you have to consider the cost of the installation. Realistically, not all homeowners can afford this undertaking.

If you can’t afford to get new window replacements just yet, there are actually cheaper alternatives. These can help boost the energy performance of your present units without spending a lot of money. One alternative is by adding new or used storm windows on your single-glazed units. The only down side to this is that it may be inconvenient on your part to remove the storm windows and put them back again depending on the time of the year. Also, they tend to give your windows that bulky appearance.

Another option is by fixing air leaks. Check your units for leaks particularly around their frames and moving parts. You may caulk or weather strip these leaks. For caulking, make sure to caulk around the exterior and interior parts of the frame. Make sure not to caulk the window weep holes close on the exterior. As for your weather stripping, look for high quality product that attaches easily to make the task quicker and more efficient.

It is important to take note though that although you have repaired and sealed the leaks on your existing units, their overall energy performance will never match those of new replacement windows.

Having defective and unreliable windows at home will not only result in uncomfortable indoor temperature, but also exorbitant heating and cooling bills. If this is your case at home, you should consider getting window replacements in St. Louis MO and see what benefits they can bring to the table. For more information, visit Zen Windows St. Louis today. 

How Can You Find Energy Efficient Replacement Windows In St. Louis MO?

Modern replacement windows will give you more reasons to update your old units at home. With their energy and money saving qualities, you will be able to lower your energy usage at home and have some real savings overtime. According to experts, depending on several factors, you will be able to save anywhere from $126 to $465 a year. If you are looking to upgrade your old units, consider replacement windows in St. Louis MO for quality and affordability.

Choosing your replacement windows is often a difficult task especially for a first timer. There are a lot of issues to consider. Your final choice can have a huge impact on the overall look and performance of your home as well as to your safety and convenience. Often times, superior quality replacement windows are more expensive than others, but you don’t have to get high-end models and spend a whole lot of money. Always consider the quality of the replacement windows, their energy performance and longevity. Don’t be hesitant to pay a little bit more, though if it means you are getting better quality and improved performance.

It is important to know the basic terms and ratings that are often used with replacement windows. For instance, there’s glazing which is simply the type of glass used in the unit. More layers of glazing don’t always indicate higher energy performance. You have to consider the presence (or absence) of other crucial factors as well that contribute to the overall efficiency of the unit.

And then there’s low-e which stands for low emissivity or the ability of the windows to reflect, not absorb, heat when it is coated with the metallic substance. This special coating can affect the total cost of your replacement windows. Also, there are the gas fills to think of, which are actually the gas inserted between the glass layers on your units to improve their insulating power and slow heat transfer. The spacers, on the other hand, separate the sheets of glass and are incorporated to further bolster a window’s insulating ability.

Finally, you also have to consider the type of material for your window frame. Choices include vinyl, wood, fiber glass, aluminum and metal among others. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Vinyl is considered the most popular. Among others, vinyl windows have good insulating capabilities and often require very minimal maintenance. Today, the demand for vinyl windows in the US surpass those of any other alternative options including wood.

Old home windows can give your property the neglected look. Plus, they can drive up your energy bills month after month. To address these issues, consider getting new window replacements in St. Louis MO and boost your home’s appearance and overall performance. For a free online quote, visit Zen Windows St. Louis website today.