Crystal Clear Facts on Glass Exterior Doors

Glass exterior doors offer the perfect element of function and decoration to any residence or business. There are some terms and information that should be crystal clear when considering glass exterior doors to make sure you're choosing the right glass door for your needs.

1. Glass doors should have only tempered safety glass. Tempered glass has been heated and cooled to produce glass that if broken, does not contain dangerous, long shards.
2. Beveled glass is the perfect upgrade for a high end look to give a three-dimensional effect to glass exterior doors. The edges are angled on the perimeter and the glass is extra thick.
3. Leaded glass is heavier and is typically held in place by metal pieces known as caming. Leaded glass can be stained in different colors and designs for a luxury look in glass doors.
4. The glass panels are typically referred to as lites. Normally glass exterior doors are identified by the number of lites in the door. For example, a French door with 10 panes of glass would be a 10 lite door.
5. Insulation properties are important in glass exterior doors. Glass can be double glazed and even triple glazed for maximum energy efficiency. Triple glazing actually sandwiches a piece of leaded glass between two sheets of tempered glass to create a 'dead zone' between each layer of glass that adds increased insulation to both temperature and noise.
6. U-factors in both glass exterior doors and windows refer to the rate that the glass conducts heat. The lower the u-factor, the more energy efficient the door.

Choosing glass exterior doors can lead to big gains - not only in curb appeal, but energy savings from the natural light and maximum energy efficiency.

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