Glass front doors are a good alternative to traditional wooden doors, but are they safe? Usually, glass doors are used as patio doors, but more and more homeowners prefer to have them for their front doors. Glass has a unique quality that provides both advantages and disadvantages when used for front doors. Because glass is fragile, a lot of people are wondering if it is safe to use or not. Let us learn more about this topic below.
Is it safe to have a glass front door? Nowadays, there are different types of tempered and reinforced glass for front doors that are safe to use. You can also find high-quality double-glazed doors that will enhance the efficiency of your home while protecting it from break-ins. One of the biggest concerns of homeowners when it comes to glass doors is security. Moreover, the durability of the glass door is also an issue since it can easily shatter or crack when slammed shut with force. Fortunately, there are high-quality glass doors that will not put your life and property at risk.
What are the pros and cons of having a glass front door? Are glass doors dangerous? How do you strengthen a glass door? What are the alternatives to glass doors that you can choose from? These are some of the questions that we will discuss. If you are thinking about having a glass for your front doors, you can check out the article below for more tips and information.
Are Glass Front Doors Safe?
While glass is fragile, there are many techniques to make them more secure and safe to use. You can make glass front doors safer by adding deadbolts on the interior, setting up alarm systems, using glass breakage sensors, and adding security film into the glass to fortify it so that it is difficult to shatter. Among the main concerns of homeowners regarding glass is that they can easily break which can be used as a point of entry by burglars. After all, glass is not as durable compared to metal and wood. Nowadays, you can enjoy having glass front doors because of the different techniques to fortify it.
What are the Pros of Having a Glass Front Door?
Glass front doors maximize natural light into the house. It also improves the home’s aesthetic appeal. Furthermore, glass doors are easy to maintain and can be customized. They add a modern look to your home at a reasonable price. Let us learn more about these below.
Outdoor View
One of the pros of having a glass front door is that you can have an uninterrupted view of the outdoors. The traditional wood or metal door can block the view of the outdoors which is unfortunate especially if you have an ocean or a mountain view. Installing a glass front door will allow you to enjoy viewing the outdoor scenery.
Natural Light
Another pro that you can get from a glass front door is that it allows natural light to enter your home. As a result, you can reduce your energy bill and there will be no need to turn on artificial light in your door or hallway during the day.
Aesthetic Appeal
Glass front doors add an aesthetic appeal to your home. As compared to wood or metal doors, a glass door has an interesting visual appeal. For instance, glass front doors can have intricate patterns or designs that make the entrance of your home more interesting. We have also shared this article that discusses if it is bad luck to have stairs facing the front door. You can check out the article for tips and ideas on how to feng shui your front door.
Easy to Maintain
The good thing about having a glass front door is that it is easy to maintain. You can simply wipe it with a glass cleaner and water to get rid of dust and dirt. Moreover, glass does not rust or rot so you can rest assured that it can last for a long time.
Customizable
If you want to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your house, you can start at your doorway. There are many varieties of glass designs that you can choose from. You can even customize the patterns on the glass door so that it matches the trim and frame. We have also written this article that discusses what color of the front door is lucky. You can check out the article for more tips and information about the topic.
✅ Video – Modern Glass Door Designs Idea
All items shared the video below on YouTube. It shows modern glass door design ideas that you can have for your home. If you are planning to change your door into glass, check out the video for some ideas.
What are the Cons of Having a Glass Front Door?
There are some cons to using a glass front door which include lack of privacy and insulation issues. Moreover, glass front doors may also be less secure as there are some models that can easily be broken. Thieves can also take advantage of glass front doors and break them to unlock the door. Let us learn more about the cons of having a glass front door below.
Security
One of the cons of having a glass front door is that they are not that secure as compared to the traditional doors that are made of wood or metal. Glass front doors can be a target for burglars who can easily break the glass to unlock the door. This is a concern, especially for low-quality glass doors.
Lack of Privacy
Another con of having a glass front door is that you will have to deal with a lack of privacy. Glass front doors indeed provide a great view of your outdoor surroundings, but they can be an issue when it comes to privacy.
Insulation
You also have to deal with insulation when you choose to have a glass front door. This is because they do not allow more heat transfer between the exterior and interior of your house. You need to install blinds and other window treatments. If you live in an area that experiences extreme weather conditions, glass front doors may not be your best option. You can also check out this article titled, what solar window screens are. We have shared tips and information about the topic.
Glass Door Alternatives
Alternatives for a glass front door that you can use include sidelights or transom windows. Installing them around the door can bring in more light and also add a decorative touch to your front door. Let us learn more about these alternatives below.
Sidelights
These are fixed windows that you can add on either side of the front door. Usually, sidelights are narrow and also match the height of the door. On the other hand, some are all glass and start at the bottom of the door. Moreover, you can also find sidelights that have half-lights and the glass is in the upper half only.
Transom Windows
These are windows that are located at the top of the front door. Transom windows can be fixed or can open like a slider or awning window. They are also used to maximize the light that goes into the house.
What Type of Glass is Used in Front Doors?
High-quality glass front doors are made with safety glass such as tempered or laminated glass. This minimizes the risk of breakage and injury. As compared to ordinary glass, safety glass is hard to break. However, take note that safety glass is still breakable. When choosing a glass front door, make sure that you talk to the vendor or manufacturer so that they can tell you about the different options that you can have. Aside from clear glass, you can also have obscure or decorative glass. There is a wide array of choices that you can opt from so you need to make sure that you install a high-quality and durable glass front door that also improves the aesthetic appeal of your home.
Are Glass Doors Dangerous?
Glass doors can be dangerous because they are fragile and can easily break. Someone can get seriously injured by shattered glass. The shards of glass can slice deep lacerations in the skin and can also puncture vital internal organs. You need to be careful around glass doors and make sure that you close and open them gently so that they do not shatter accidentally.
How Do You Strengthen a Glass Door?
You can strengthen the glass door by adding a simple fix to its frame that will increase security. To do this, install three-inch-long crews through the frame of the door making sure that the screws sink into the studs. Aside from that, you can also use the screws to secure the hinges to the wall side of the door. You can also check out this article that we have written titled, should shutters and door be the same color? We have shared an in-depth discussion about the topic.
Conclusion
You have reached the end of this article that discusses if it is safe to have a glass front door. We have learned that it is safe to have a glass front door. There are high-quality glass doors that you can choose from and there are also techniques that you can do to make the glass front safer and more secure. You can find a wide array of designs that will suit your preferences and budget. Thank you for reading!