Should My Doors Swing In Or Out?

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As a general rule of thumb, exterior doors on commercial buildings swing out, while doors on homes swing in. While the reason for commercial doors to swing out makes sense -- outswinging doors allow more people to exit quickly during an emergency -- the reasons behind residential doors swinging in is less clear. If you're planning to install new doors on your home, or you're simply wondering whether switching to outswinging doors might make more sense for your home, you'll probably find many different opinions among builders, manufacturers, door distributors and installers. To help you better decide which way your exterior doors should swing, weigh this list of pros and cons for each option, then make your decision based on what works best for your particular needs and circumstances.

Inswing Doors -- Pros

Pay attention as you drive through your neighborhood and you'll probably notice that the vast majority of doors on local homes swing into the house. Installing a door to swing in not only keeps the hinges safely protected inside -- so no one can remove the door by popping out the hinge pins -- it also keeps the top edge of the door protected from rain and snow so it won't swell or rust over time. Inswinging doors also make it easier to enter the home comfortably, even if you have a very small porch or entrance pad. Finally, swinging a door into the home leaves room on the frame for a screen door or storm door. 

Inswing Doors -- Cons

One of the biggest drawbacks to an inswinging door is that it's easier to kick in than one that swings out. One well-placed kick and an intruder can gain access to your home. Inswinging doors are also more vulnerable to leaks and airflow under the door, and are more likely to drag leaves, dirt and debris into the home each time they are opened. Finally, an inswinging door takes up space in your home, limiting what you can place near the entrance.

Outswing Doors -- Pros

The biggest advantage to an outswinging door is that it's tougher to kick in than an inswinging one, making it more secure overall. Thanks to the way the door fits within the frame, it also offers better protection against water and air leaks, and prevents leaves and debris from being dragged into the home each time the door opens. Finally, installing your door so that it swings out gives you more flexibility in terms of how you arrange your interior space, as you aren't forced to leave room for the door to swing into the home.

Outswing Doors -- Cons

One simple drawback to outswinging doors is that they can be tougher to find, simply because they are less common for residences. Outswinging doors also prevent you from using a screen or storm door, and may be tough to open if snow builds up on the doorstep. If you have a small entrance pad or porch, an outswinging door may make it difficult to enter the home, pushing you off the steps or entrance pad into the yard. These doors are also vulnerable to water damage if the top edge isn't properly protected by a porch or hardware coverings. While the fact that outswing doors leave hinges facing outside is often cited as a disadvantage, this problem is easily remedied using special non-removable pins or continuous hinges.

Contact a company like Southern Specialty Corporation to learn more.

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30 December 2015

Exploring Insulated Door Options and Benefits

Hello, I'm Gilly Weirs. I would like to discuss the importance of using insulation in your front, rear and garage doors. Although all of these doors feature seals around the edges, harsh temperatures still enter the home throughout the year. You can keep your home's temperature stable by investing in doors with an insulated inner core. Just changing my doors to insulated models dropped my utility bills significantly. I hope to share information that will inspire others to invest in these awesome door options. I will also discuss the different insulation and door types you can choose for your home. I will regularly explore door material and build advancements in this quick moving industry. Thank you for stopping by.