Patio Doors and an Energy-Efficient San Diego Home: Yes, You Can Have Both!

With outdoor temperatures heating up, many homeowners naturally begin to think about their home’s energy efficiency. Replacing your home’s windows and patio doors is a great way to make your home more energy efficient, as well as more comfortable in the hot summer months.

Sometimes, we come across customers who want to add large patio doors to their home, but are concerned that installing them will make their home less energy efficient. We certainly understand the concern. A lot of people still think of the patio doors of old that were made with aluminum frames and a single pane of glass. Those patio doors did allow a lot of unwanted heat into homes, requiring San Diego homeowners to crank up the air conditioner in the summer.

Today’s patio doors are much more energy efficient. With vinyl frames, dual panes, and energy-efficient technology like multi-layer solar reflective coatings and Argon gas between the panes, you don’t have to sacrifice comfort and energy efficiency to enjoy the benefits of a patio door. The patio doors we sell at BM Windows—like those in Anlin’s Malibu line—exceed Energy Star requirements, and even outperform some triple-pane patio doors! Even if you install an 8’ tall, four-panel patio door (essentially, a wall of glass), your San Diego home will stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

We were recently talking with a customer who had a new patio door installed in his living room last year. This particular customer lives inland from San Diego, where the temperatures can get really hot in the summer—sometimes well over 100 degrees! He commented that he is always surprised how cool the room stays, even on the hottest days with direct sunlight hitting his patio doors. He loves the benefits of his new patio doors—being able to open them up in the evening when the temperatures cool down to let in some fresh air, enjoying the view of his backyard, and allowing more natural light into his living room—but he especially loves that his energy bill hasn’t increased!

High-quality vinyl patio doors like the ones we sell at BM Windows can be a great addition to any San Diego home. But make sure you have them installed by a reputable, experienced San Diego window and door replacement company. If installed poorly, even the most high-end patio door will not give you the energy efficiency you’re looking for. At BM Windows, our installation teams are factory trained and experienced in installing patio doors the right way. We never subcontract out the installation of our windows and doors like some other replacement window and door companies because we know how important proper installation is to the overall performance of window and door products.

If you have questions about patio doors or replacement windows for your San Diego home, contact us at BM Windows. One of our knowledgeable, friendly team members can come out to your home, answer all of your questions, and give you an estimate on what it would cost to have your windows and doors replaced.