When choosing a new bifold door for your home, you will be considering many factors, such as style, durability, and more. However, thermal efficiency is another important aspect to consider when choosing the right bifold door material.
Here, we take you through the importance of thermal efficiency and answer common queries on bifold door thermal efficiency.
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- Why is the U-Value of your doors important?
- What are the units for U-Values?
- Is thermal glass available for bifolding doors?
- What is a thermal break and why is it important?
- Are bifolding doors draughty?
- Are bifold doors cold?
- What kind of glazing should you choose for bifold doors?
- Are bifold doors good for insulation?
- Are aluminium bifold doors thermally efficient?
- What else can you do to improve thermal efficiency in the home?
- Why is it important to find a high-quality bifold door supplier?
- Why choose Origin as a bifold door supplier?
Why is the U-Value of the doors important?
The U-Value of a building material measures how effectively it insulates a building. In general, the higher the U-Value, the poorer the insulation properties of that material. The U-Value is a major consideration when choosing a bifold door, as the U-Value of a door will have a direct impact on how much heat is lost from your home. When advertising the U-Values, companies often publish the centre pane U-Value because it can be lower than the overall U-Value, but the key figure is the overall value.
The government standard set in June 2022 for replacement doors or windows is a maximum U-Value of 1.4W/(m²K). For doors and windows in new-build properties or extensions, it’s 1.6W/(m²K). Origin’s aluminium doors with triple glazed units can achieve U-Values of 1.1 W/(m²K), well below the level of 1.4 set by the Government. This helps to keep your home at the optimum temperature, no matter what the weather is like outside.
Read our guide to double vs triple glazing in bifold doors here.
Are you choosing the perfect bifold door for your home? Find out how aluminium bifold doors can increase property value here.
Shop Origin Aluminium Bifold Doors
Unlike any other door, our aluminium bifolds provide a completely uninterrupted view when open, and the flexibility to enjoy your indoor and outdoor space as one. Our doors are also available in 150 RAL colours, allowing you to find the perfect style for your home.
Shop our aluminium bifold door range.
To find out more about installing Origin Bifold Doors in your home and to find the right door type for your needs, please contact your local installer today.
| Product | U-Value (W/m²K) the product can achieve |
|---|---|
OB-49 Bi-fold Doors, French Doors and Single Doors | 1.1 |
OB-72 Bi-fold Doors, Corner Bi-fold Doors, Bi-fold Windows, French Doors and Single Doors | 1.1 |
OS-20 Artisan Sliding Door | 1.4 |
OS-29 / OS-44 / OS-77 Patio Sliding Doors | 1.3 |
Origin Residential Door | 1.4 |
OW-70 Slimline Window | 1.2 |
OW-80 Premium Window (Triple Glazed with Aerogel) | 0.8 |
What are the units for U-Values?
The U-Value is measured in W/m² K. This is broken down as: The rate of heat flow (in Watts) through 1m² of a structure when there is a temperature difference across the structure of 1 degree (K or ˚C).
Is thermal glass available for bifolding doors?
Origin Bifold Doors can be fitted with 24, 28 and 32mm glass sizes. For specifics on the glass type, it is best speaking to the accredited Trade Partner as they will be best placed to advise you. Read our guide to bifold door glazing here.
Find out more about choosing aluminium bifold doors here.
What is a thermal break and why is it important?
Aluminium conducts heat easily, which means that when the temperature outside is hot, this heat can be transferred into the home. When it’s cold outside, this can draw heat from the home. To solve this problem, Origin’s aluminium bifold doors are fitted with thermal break barriers, which resist thermal transfer from the outside face of the doors through to the living area inside.
As aluminium is a natural conductor, rather than insulator, it is important to have a polyamide thermal break which separates the aluminium frame into interior and exterior pieces, joining them together with a less conductive material. This break acts as a thermal barrier, reducing the flow of thermal energy through the aluminium.
Are bifolding doors draughty?
If installed correctly, bifold doors should not be draughty. A strip of polyamide runs between the two faces of the doors, offering a thermal break between the outside and inside. Polyamide is an extremely efficient insulator so prevents thermal transference and helps to reduce energy bills. Origin Bifold Doors have also completed extensive air permeability, water tightness, wind resistance and even hurricane testing for International markets. As mentioned above, poor installation could cause draughts which is why we always recommend homeowners visit our “find a local installer” page on our website so they can find their nearest premium partner to install bi-fold doors.
Are bifold doors cold?
No, bifold doors are not cold. Though as a very general rule, windows lose more heat than walls - if you purchase insulating bi-fold doors, the glass won’t be cold, and you won’t lose heat.
You need to look at the U-Value of the doors you are purchasing to establish how insulating they are – low U-Values mean warmer doors.
For more information contact your local installer or find out more about bespoke bi-folding doors.
What kind of glazing should you choose for bifold doors?
Single glazing is the least common, as it provides inefficient u-values. This makes it highly unsuitable for external bifold doors. Ideally, you should choose either double or single glazed bifold doors. Read our full guide to triple and double glazed bifold doors here.
Are bifold doors good for insulation?
If you choose high-quality bifold doors from a reputable supplier, they can be a great option for improving the insulation of your home. At Origin, all our aluminium bifolds have U-Values that exceed minimum building regulations.
Read about our aluminium door guarantees here.
Are you looking for a modern, sleek aluminium sliding door?
Our recommendation:
Delivering first-in-class design, our sliding door range provides the most spectacular finish for any building project. Available in four different sightlines across two different sliding door systems – the Origin Artisan Slider and the Origin Patio Slider – we have some of the slimmest sliding doors on the market.
Shop our aluminium sliding doors here.
Are aluminium bifold doors thermally efficient?
Most modern aluminium bifold door designs from high-quality manufacturers provide excellent thermal efficiency. Aluminium bifold doors such as Origin Bifold Doors are designed with a thermal break, which reduces the transfer of temperatures between the external surface and the internal surface. When you buy an Origin Bifold Door, the glass is sourced and installed by your local installer, but they can be specified to accommodate either double or triple glazing - whatever suits your needs.
For more information on Origin's bespoke bifolding doors, contact your local installer today.
What else can you do to improve thermal efficiency in the home?
Consider improving the glazing of your windows.
Consider improving thermal efficiency through adding loft insulation.
Bleed your radiators and install reflectors.
Consider installing a more energy efficient heating system.
Fill any gaps around doors and windows to prevent cold draughts.
Why is it important to find a high-quality bifold door supplier?
The best-quality doors offer excellent thermal efficiency, ultimately helping to lower your fuel bills. You are also guaranteed excellent durability, strength, and weather resistance if you choose a high-quality bifold door manufacturer. The best-quality bi-folds are also equipped with certain features that make them safe to operate while keeping the home fully secure. Read our guide to identifying high-quality bifold doors here.
Why choose Origin as a bifold door supplier?
Origin Bifold Doors offer bespoke options to ensure you can make the most of your space. This also allows you to meet your exact design needs. With Origin Bifold Doors, you are guaranteed excellent thermal efficiency and durability, as well as a huge range of colour options and designs to choose from. Our doors are all manufactured in the United Kingdom, and we are proud to provide unbeatable lead times.
Contact a local installer to find out more about our aluminium bifold doors.
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