Homeowners shopping for a new sliding glass door in the Cary, NC area are often curious about what to look for in their new patio door.
There are a number of features that we love to teach them about.
These are features that will improve security and cut back on their maintenance demands. They’re also features that make it easier for all family members, from youngest to oldest, to enjoy your new doors safely.
Keep reading to learn the 5 essential sliding glass door features that you’ll love.
1. An Auxiliary Foot Lock
While the Triangle area of North Carolina is a safe place for families, it’s still a comfort to know that your home is as secure as possible.
When most people think of sliding door security, they usually imagine a wooden dowel. Many people lay one along the track the stop the door from being pried open from the outside. You may think that this is the best option for keeping your sliding glass door secure.
But, that piece of wood only works when you remember to put it in place. It also only works when it’s left in place.
To that end, security is not just protecting your home from intruders looking to enter. It also means keeping family members securely inside if it’s not safe for them to be out of the home. That might include young children or grandchildren, as well as older family members with cognitive decline. Unfortunately, the dowel can easily be removed by a child or elderly family member who may then leave through the sliding door.
The best security solution for sliding patio doors
To prevent both scenarios, we recommend that you install an auxiliary foot lock on your new sliding glass door.
This stopper, which is easily operated with your foot, serves the same function as the old dowel, with some bonus features.
These foot locks have two lock positions. This allows you to safely vent your gliding patio door without concern that someone could pry the door open.
Also, the construction of the lock prevents the door from getting racked if you try to open the door while it’s locked. A door becoming racked means that its not hanging squarely in its frame. Did you ever try to open a sliding glass patio door while just a wooden dowel held it in place? You may remember it seeming to pull the door out of alignment. This is what causes racking. Over time, this can significantly impair the door’s functionality.
We love Auxiliary Foot Locks so much that we include them standard on every sliding glass door that we sell.
2. A Raised Sliding Track
Our next pick for essential sliding glass door features is a raised sliding track.
Most articles about sliding glass patio doors will remind you that you need to remove debris from the track. Having a clean track ensure that it doesn’t rust or otherwise break down over time. That debris might include fallen leaves, pine needles, dirt, pet hair, pebbles, etc.
But, if you pick a sliding glass door that’s constructed with a raised sliding track, you won’t need to worry about that level of maintenance.
That’s because a raised track ensures that debris is directed away from the path that gliding rollers follow to allow the door to function.
Homeowners love knowing that, even if they forget to examine and clean out their sliding glass door track after a Carolina summer storm, it’ll still work just fine.
3. A Sill Ramp
If you or a family member have mobility concerns, then a sill ramp is a must.
This ramp ensures that there is a smooth transition over the raised threshold of your door. Family members who use wheelchairs, walkers, or canes, or who otherwise have difficulty with uneven surfaces, will appreciate this accessible feature.
4. A Retractable Screen
Having a screen on your sliding glass patio door is a great feature. You can enjoy seasonable weather without allowing mosquitos into your home.
But, when not in use, standard sliding door screens rest in front of the stationary or passive door. They have to be positioned there so that the operable door can be opened. This can create an unpleasing visual, as you’re able to see the screen through the glass of one door, but not the other.
A great solution to this is a retractable screen. When not in use, this screen coils neatly into a dedicated canister that isn’t visible from inside your home. This ensures that you have a great, unobstructed view through your sliding glass patio doors.
5. Top Hung Screen
Alternatively, if you elect for a standard sliding screen, you may want to ensure that it’s top hung. This is a more rare feature to find, but a great one for the improved performance it allows.
Traditional screens operate by sliding on a track on the ground. By contrast, top-hung screens hang from rollers at the top of the door frame. This prevents the screen from being blocked by debris that may buildup in the track…unless you heeded our advice on feature #1, and got a raised track!
Bonus tip on a Patio Door screen feature to insist upon
Some patio doors, including a few made by industry-leading designers, have a design flaw that drives us mad.
Namely, they are designed so that the screen is on the outside of the door.
You may think this is no big deal; certainly many of the customers who visit our Cary, NC showroom initially aren’t sure why we find this so aggravating.
But, think about what this means for your home in the muggy, buggy heat of a central Carolina summer.
Suppose in the early morning, before the heat gets too sweltering, you have the patio door open to let in some fresh air. You keep the screen closed to prevent bugs and other natural debris from entering your home.
But, once you decide to close the door, you have to open the screen in order to do so.
This means allowing all those mosquitos and other insects to enter your home while you step out to close the door.Which, in our minds, negates the purpose of having a screen in the first place!
It’s a design flaw that we always advise homeowners shopping for a new patio door to be mindful of.
Summary
When you’re ready to buy a new sliding glass door, you want to be sure that you get one with features that make your life easier.
We would love to help you find a sliding glass door with all the features you’ll love.
Fill out the form below to tell us about your project to get started today.
