How to Find the Best Patio Doors for Cold Weather

With winter weather winding its way down from the frigid north, many Mason City homeowners are prepping their properties for icy temperatures and chilling winds. Most of your home might be insulated and secure, ready to keep warm air inside throughout the holidays and beyond. But you might also notice spots here and there that are a little colder than average, like the area around your patio door.

Patio doors are often weak spots in a home’s thermal envelope. Whether because of drafts or certain materials, patio doors can allow way too much warm air outside, increasing your energy bills and causing you to constantly wish you had another sweater. Today, let’s explore the best patio doors for cold weather and why they’re effective.

Are patio doors automatically energy-efficient?

Not necessarily. It depends on their type, construction, and installation.

You can have patio doors of a few different types, including:

• Sliding patio doors, which have expansive glass surfaces
• Hinged patio doors, which hinge open rather than sliding
• Multi-slide patio doors, which have several panels that can be individually opened or closed
• Accordion or folding patio doors, which feature several panels that collapse on top of each other when opened

In some cases, patio doors are less than ideal in the winter months because of a combination of factors, including the materials they are made of and how well they fit into doorframes. On the bright side, this means you can have one or even several patio doors throughout your home and keep its interior warm and cozy – you just need to choose the best patio doors for cold climates, designed with insulated frames and energy-efficient glass.

2 best patio door types for winter weather

Maybe you've always thought that patio doors tend to perform poorly when temperatures dip throughout the winter. Truth be told, though, the best patio doors for heat retention are sliding and hinged patio doors. Here’s a breakdown of both.

Insulated sliding patio doors for cold weather

Properly insulated and installed sliding patio doors are often the best insulated sliding patio doors for cold climates like Mason City. That’s right – even in winter weather. A sliding patio door’s big glass surface won’t necessarily cause your home to lose heat if:

• The glass is multi-paned – meaning there are multiple panes of glass with insulating gas sealed between them. This feature is a key reason why many homeowners consider models with double- or triple-pane glass the best insulated sliding glass doors for cold weather.
• The glass has a Low-E or low-emissivity coating. A Low-E coating is a layer of metallic material that helps to insulate glass surfaces.

So long as your sliding patio door has multi-paned, Low-E glass and is positioned on interlocking center rails, it won't lose the heat your furnace or HVAC system works hard to create. Vinyl or fiberglass frames can further help to insulate your home against cold weather, making them an excellent choice when you’re looking for an insulated patio door to keep warm air inside during Iowa winters.

On top of that, sliding glass patio doors let in lots of natural light. If the patio door is positioned on the eastern side of your house, all that extra light could heat your home with the rising sun, keeping energy bills down.

French patio doors for cold weather

Hinged or French patio doors can open in or out from the middle or the sides. Think they’re automatically bad choices for the chilly winter weather ahead? Think again.

Just like sliding glass patio doors, French patio doors are one of the best patio doors for cold climates as they are thermally insulating and energy efficient. Many are made of durable wood with smaller glass windows, so they trap heat indoors quite well. Add some weatherstripping along the floor, and you'll have great-looking, flexible patio doors that enable entry or exit as easily as ever. Plus, French patio doors can be cracked open quickly to let a pet in or out, minimizing how much warm air escapes!

Sliding vs. French patio doors compared

So, which is the best patio door for cold weather: sliding or hinged? The answer: it depends on materials, size, and glass energy efficiency.

Like we explained earlier, a sliding glass patio door can certainly keep your home cozy and comfy all winter long, provided it’s made of double or triple-paned glass. Meanwhile, a French patio door set needs to be made of wood (a natural insulator), vinyl, or fiberglass to protect your house from chilly temperatures.

When push comes to shove, a sliding patio door might be the best patio door choice for most Mason City homeowners. With sliding doors, you never need to worry about inswing or outswing, and it’s possible to open them just a smidge for fresh air, pets, or a peek outside. Plus, many patio doors can be chosen to fit your home’s aesthetic or style.

Tips to prevent patio door heat loss

What if you already have patio doors you love for your Mason City property? You don’t want to replace those doors – instead, you want to improve just how well they insulate your home throughout the winter season. A few patio door treatments and touchups might do just the trick.

• For starters, you can hang thick blinds or curtains in front of the patio door you want to insulate. Thick curtains will effectively keep warm air indoors if your current patio door doesn’t have energy-efficient glass.
• Or you can investigate weatherstripping your patio door(s). Weatherstrips run along the bottom and sides of your patio doors, sealing any gaps from inexact installation or small differences between the size of your door and its frame. Plus, you can install weatherstripping yourself after picking it up from a local home improvement store.

Request a quote for an insulated patio door today

In the end, the best patio doors matter less for energy efficiency and more for the materials it’s made of. If your current patio door isn’t ready for winter weather, or if it’s always drafty when you walk by a particular door, Window World of Mason City can help.

Our experts can help you choose the perfect new patio door for your home while considering your needs for energy efficiency and heat retention. With their assistance, you’ll have a cozy, winter-ready patio door in no time. Contact us today to learn more!