As we progress through the summer season, the months tend to get noticeably hotter since the sun grows stronger. And as each month gets a little warmer, we bask in appreciation for our life-saving air conditioning units. However, what good is your air conditioning if you don’t have doors that are well insulated? Your exterior doors play a very important role in keeping your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and it all starts will the level of insulation they provide your home with.
BETTER INSULATION FOR A BETTER HOME
Homes that are properly insulated not only provide comfort to the household, but it also produces the opportunity to save money on energy costs throughout the year. Doors that boast energy efficiency qualities are very important to have installed in your home. While wooden doors are usually a homeowner’s first choice, they, unfortunately, aren’t the most energy-efficient option. When selecting a door that exudes excellent insulation qualities, it’s important to consider the U-factor. The U-factor is a term that’s commonly used in the window, door, and energy industry, as it measures the rate of heat transfer. By measuring the rate of heat transfer, the U-factor determines the rate at which doors and windows conduct heat–providing an accurate representation of how well the specific door or window insulates a home. The lower the U-factor is, the better the door’s resistance to heat flow is, allowing it to have optimal insulating properties. Therefore, when deciding on the exterior doors you want for your home, it’s recommended that you take a close look at it’s U-factor first. In this case, the lower the number, the better the insulation.
Now, if you are looking for a front door that provides a home with beauty, charm, and energy efficiency, a glass door may be an excellent choice. Originally, glass doors were considered to boast very poor insulation properties, however, in recent years, this has changed. Many glass doors and wrought iron doors can be made with what’s called a ‘thermal break’. A thermal break is a plastic insulator that’s located between the inner and outer parts of the frame. While some glass doors have a thermal break, others are made with Triple-Sputtered LowE glass or with a Fluorocarbon finish. All three of these options offer optimal thermal properties and UV protection. Ultimately, preventing any form of energy loss. If you love the look of a glass door, be sure to keep your eye out for any of these qualities, for they are the best options for proper insulation.
THERMAL BREAK
A thermal break is a continuous barrier between the inside and outside metal of both the doors and frame (jamb) that prevents conductive thermal energy loss. Our optional fiberglass-reinforced polymer thermal break technology places Iron Lion in the upper echelon of quality and performance.
Using the finest Steel manufacturing technology from Switzerland, Iron Lion Entries is one of only a few steel/iron door companies in the US to have a true thermal-break option for our products. The non-metallic material is pressed into the middle of our door/window units completely separating the metal on the exterior side of the door from the metal on the interior side. This eliminates the transfer of temperatures, both hot and cold, from inside the house. This is especially helpful in extreme cold-weather climates where standard steel and iron doors may face condensation issues.
While there are a few other steel door companies with thermal breaks, the actual material chosen has an enormous impact to the functionality and quality of the product as well. The Iron Lion difference is not just in our ability to provide a thermal-break option; it is in our metallurgical and materials expertise as well. Because we’ve chosen the stronger fiberglass-reinforced polymer material, we are able to continue door/window construction using the thicker 12-gauge steel (30% thicker than 14-gauge). Our customers don’t have to sacrifice quality and product strength when choosing this option of door construction.
Some of our competitors have chosen Polyamide nylon. Polyamide suffers from a significant reduction in strength, stiffness, elongation and toughness due to its susceptibility to water absorption. That material weakness has forced those competitors to dramatically reduce the thickness (down to 14 or 16 gauge) of steel in their door and jamb construction due to the loss in unit strength after product installation.
WROUGHT IRON AND STEEL FRONT DOORS
A home’s front door should be both beautiful and functional. While the beauty adds excellent curb appeal, the functionality should provide the occupants with comfort, security, and energy efficiency. A great combination of the two are Iron Lion’s architectural steel and wrought iron front doors. Wrought iron doors and architectural steel doors offer homeowners the perfect balance of beauty, insulation, and security.
An old, uninsulated, improperly installed, and/or improperly air sealed door can cause a significant waste of energy. Heat gain and heat loss through windows and doors account for 25 to 30 percent of residential heating and cooling energy use. Energy efficient windows and doors are an important consideration for both new construction and existing homes. The newer exterior doors and windows manufactured today often fit and insulate better than the older types. If you have older doors and windows in your home, replacing them is a great investment for lowering heating and cooling costs. Taking the necessary steps to reduce energy loss will make your home more comfortable and save you money in doing so. It is important to choose the most efficient windows and doors that work best in your climate. Unlike other iron and steel door companies every product at Iron Lion Entries is created with the highest quality materials and are made with
- Kerf Door Weatherstripping – Installed on the top, bottom and sides of all iron and steel doors to prevent energy loss by sealing out air leaks, drafts and the entrance of dust and dirt particles
- Triple-Sputtered LowE glass – tempered and Argon gas insulated – A high performance dual-paned glass system that maintains excellent thermal properties without sacrificing visibility
- Thermal break – A continuous barrier between the inside and outside metal of both the doors and frame (jamb) that prevents conductive energy loss.
- Fully insulated – Both the door and jamb are insulated with dense closed-cell polyurethane foam using a computerized machine measuring back flow and penetration for a 100 percent fill
Beat the heat of this summer with a custom wrought iron door from Iron Lion! Our design team can assist you in creating a one-of-a-kind iron door for your home. See The Iron Lion Difference. Iron Lion Entries also carries a line of beautiful stock iron doors that are ready to be shipped to your new home or remodel project.