Source An impact door is an excellent way to protect your home and its contents from severe damage in case of natural disasters or from criminals trying to break in. But buying an impact door isn't the only thing you need to do to make sure it stays secure. A secure door needs to be properly maintained so you can prevent it from becoming weak and becoming easy prey to burglars and other threats. There are things you can do to keep your impact door in top shape for years to come. Follow these tips, and you'll have a door that keeps intruders out and helps protect your home for a very long time.
The material composition of impact doors should be considered in terms of strength. Impact doors are typically made from reinforced plastic, wood, or composite materials. If you live in an area where hurricanes or tornadoes are common, you may want to choose a wood-reinforced impact door instead of one composed of more traditional materials. Wood is typically a great choice if you have no concerns about natural disasters, but plastic and composite doors may be a good choice for those living in areas prone to severe storms.
The door frame itself should be sturdy. It's recommended that impact doors use steel for the frames, as wood can warp after long periods in extreme temperatures. Frames should also be well finished, since you don't want the appearance of rough edges. Some hardware designed for impact doors can help improve door performance as well. These include exterior hinges, interior track locks, and China WDMA dead-bolt locks.
To reduce the chances of flying debris from invading your impact doors, you can install interior shutters. Horizontal interior shutters can be installed on sliding doors to deflect flying debris while blocking wind from entering the space. You can also install double sets of horizontal shutters on impact windows to provide additional window coverings for impact doors. Many people opt for shutters with a frame installation, since they can overlap each other to create a thicker barrier to flying debris.
You can add decorative glass to your impact-rated doors to make them look even more appealing. However, decorative glass is not recommended for use on sliding doors. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that the majority of homeowners who have used commercial grade vinyl windows and vinyl siding to upgrade their home's exterior did so using decorative glass. The result was that the windows were often so cracked and warped that they actually contributed to the formation of a hazard.
There are several ways to solve this potential problem. One way is to use non-strengthen glass on your exterior doors. The other way is to purchase impact-rated vinyl window or siding materials that will be stronger than the ones you currently have. These two solutions will help you avoid the potential problem of decorative glass if you have already placed vinyl or wood siding on your home. This will leave you with the option of using decorative glass on exterior sliding doors and your impact-rated doors.
If you live in an area where there is high risk of hurricanes, you may want to consider storm windows or hurricane shutters to protect your home. The National Weather Service has specific information about hurricane ratings. It states that "impact-rated doors are designed to withstand impact along with all the forces that are a part of a hurricane - winds, rain, hail, and ice - as well as any changes in pressure that may occur due to steering currents or rising air temperatures." While it is true that most hurricane insurance policies do not cover the actual cost of having the hurricane shutters installed, they do cover the cost of replacement windows and the associated installation costs.
Before purchasing impact-rated products, however, you should check to make sure that your actual property is not located in a hurricane zone. It is also important to research whether or not your existing doors are in need of repair or replacement. Most suppliers and manufacturers of these products can offer some sort of guarantee. You may find that a warranty can extend to include damage from all types of weather, such as hurricane, tornado, hurricanes, and flooding. You should always contact your insurance agent to determine exactly which doors are covered under your policy and whether or not your manufacturer's warranty extends to the impact side of your doors.
No comments:
Post a Comment