Originally published: November 18, 2021
When you imagine a sliding door in your home, you’re probably imagining sliding glass doors leading to your patio or backyard, right? There are actually several different types of sliding doors, and there are many reasons to have sliding doors in your home if you don’t already. We may be biased, but there are many benefits to sliding doors – here are our top four reasons sliding doors can improve your house design, while making it cleaner and safer
1. Sliding Glass Doors Improve Air Circulation
Many homes in Los Angeles don’t have AC, especially if you’re living by the beach. That makes it even more necessary for you to have good air circulation in your house. When you’re trying to get some airflow during those hot summer months, the first solution you’re probably going to try is opening windows. But why open a window instead of a door, which is a larger area for fresh air to come into your home? Two main reasons: cleanliness and safety. No one wants to leave a door open if it’s going to let bugs in, and if you don’t have a sliding door that leads to your yard or patio, you probably don’t have a screen on that entry door either – which means more bugs. While installing a sliding glass door may seem like a big investment, it’s a great way to keep bugs – and other creepy things – out of your home. That’s the other reason you want to replace a hinged entry door with sliding glass doors: safety. While the sliding screen door locks of the past may not have inspired the greatest sense of safety, in 2024 we have options for screen door locks that are safe and secure to keep out unsavory creatures, be that ants or a human intruder.
Don’t feel safe with your existing sliding glass door locks or screen locks? Call or text us for a free estimate on replacing the locks on your sliding doors!
2. Interior Sliding Doors Make Your Home Feel Bigger
While open floor plan style homes are popular now, that style of home didn’t really become common until the 1990s. However, a lot of homes in LA were built between the ‘40s and the ‘80s, which means you probably have more doors and clear separation of rooms in your home. While more doors make a house safer (read: why open floor plans are a fire risk), they can also make your home feel smaller. Installing a sliding barn door or pocket door can be a great solution to that! Sliding doors create an illusion of space in your house by providing an unobstructed view between rooms in your home. Unlike traditional hinged doors that swing open and require unobstructed space, sliding doors simply slide along a track, which means you don’t have to worry about furniture or other obstacles getting in the way. They can be easily opened, closed, and hidden from view (read: the benefits of pocket doors) while still providing barriers for privacy and fire safety. Just don’t forget to close those doors in the evening!
3. Sliding Barn Doors are an Easy Way to Add Style to Your Home
Sliding barn doors have become more common in the last decade, and that’s because they are a relatively easy remodel option to add a decorative statement piece to your home. We’re always going to advocate for hiring an expert to do renovations in your home, but there are lots of DIY tutorials out there about how to install a sliding barn door yourself. Moreover, barn doors come in various styles and designs, making them versatile for interior home design. Materials range from wood to glass to steel, so you can find a sliding door style that fits your unique taste. Moreover, sliding doors can also be used in various areas of your home, such as separating your home office or acting as room dividers to create separate spaces in your living room or family room. Theoretically, anywhere there is an opening where a door could exist, you can add a sliding barn door to your home.
4. Sliding Glass Doors Help You Save on Your Energy Bill
Sliding entry doors can keep your energy bill down. Modern sliding glass doors are designed to be energy-efficient, with features such as double-paned glass and weather stripping to help keep your home comfortable and reduce heating and cooling costs. The extra insulation features help to maintain a consistent indoor temperature, keeping you comfortable year-round. While the ventilation boost of opening up your sliding doors is a great way to avoid running your AC in the summer months, double-paned glass doors are a great way to ensure your home stays insulated in the winter.
Do you have old, drafty sliding doors? Contact us to learn about options for replacing your sliding glass doors.
The benefits of sliding doors go beyond what we have featured on this list, but these are some of the reasons sliding doors are our favorite. If you are interested in replacing your existing sliding doors with more weatherproofed options, looking to increase security in your home with better locks for your sliding doors, or want more information about pocket doors and sliding barn doors, reach out to the California Sliding Door team. Everyone deserves a home that makes them happiest!
