People have all kinds of suggestions about why bifold doors are no longer popular. Many of these are subjective, down to personal preference, but some are practical and can discourage people who otherwise love the look of these patio doors.
However, many of them are not as cut and dry as they might appear. Here are a few common reasons people decide against bifold doors, as well as explanations about why they may not be as insurmountable as you expect:
Energy Efficiency
Glass is one of the worst materials around when it comes to insulating against heat loss and installing bifold doors means replacing energy-efficient bricks with a lot of glass. But choosing bifold doors doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your heating bills for style, as many features are available to help you improve how energy-efficient bifolds are.
Double glazing, low e-coatings, and thermal breaks can all help make bi-folds better insulated. They won’t quite match the insulation of bricks, but they will have plenty of benefits that a solid wall can’t match too.
Security
Whether you pick sliding doors, French doors or bifold doors, choosing patio doors is always going to impact the security of your home as they have so much more glass than a single door. Glass is weaker than a brick wall so, in turn, your house is less secure.
Of course, the same is true of windows but you won’t see many homes surrounded by unbroken walls.
There are plenty of things you can do to make sure your bifold door set is a secure addition to your home. From double glazing to toughened or laminated glass that strengthens it, to dressings such as blinds and curtains to obscure views into your home, external glass doors can still be a secure addition to your home.