Doors

The Best Patio Doors for Cold Weather & Colder Climates

Having a patio door can make the summer months inviting and enjoyable, but what about in places with long and bitterly cold winters?

Our window experts have many different recommendations for deciding on the best patio door to fit your home’s needs and the best solutions for cold climates.

When deciding on the perfect patio door for your home, it’s important to think about how you plan to use your indoor and outdoor space. There are different types of patio doors and many styles to choose from.

A few things to consider include:

Do you enjoy entertaining indoors and outdoors?
Do you have outdoor amenities (pool, garden, outdoor living space) that you’d want access to from your patio door?
Do you have pets that go inside and out?
Do you need to access the area for all four seasons?

When planning for a new patio door install, you’ll want to be mindful of the actual dimension of your space (inside and out) to ensure there is room for the door to swing in and out with ease. If space is not an issue, there will be many more patio door options to choose from. If you are experiencing an issue with space, our experts would recommend a sliding door.

French patio doors

French patio doors are a great solution for traditional style homes, where you want to add additional light, and have the extra room available for an inswing or outswing door.

French patio doors are available with inswing or outswing styles. Inswing doors are the better option for cold weather climates where there’s a lot of snow. Imagine trying to open your patio door into a big pile of snow! That may be difficult, which is also why inswing doors are good in case of emergency for a quick exit from the home.

Renewal by Andersen’s Frenchwood® hinged patio doors are built with the ability to choose a door that swings out or swings in. An inswing design patio door is best for cold weather climates to allow for going outside to a snow-covered deck or yard without letting the cold inside your home. While an outswing door can save up to 28 square feet of interior space.

Sliding patio doors

Sliding doors are the most common type of patio door for good reason. They allow for plenty of natural light into your space year-round, while also allowing for a clear and unobstructed view of your backyard and patio space. Sliding doors take up much less space and there’s no need to worry about inswing or outswing. If installed professionally, a high-quality sliding patio door will offer great climate control during cold winter months. Opt for a sliding door with a screen to allow fresh air in while keeping the elements from coming inside.

Renewal by Andersen of Alaska carries three types of sliding doors:

Perma-Shield® sliding doors have a contemporary, streamlined design that allows you to enjoy the widest possible view with maximum glass area. That means making the most of your view year-round.
Frenchwood® sliding doors have the same aesthetic appeal as standard French doors, but the sliding door design keeps your space more open than a hinged door. They are a great selection for a traditional-style home and smaller rooms/spaces.
Narroline® sliding patio doors have a vinyl-clad wood, low-maintenance exterior, and a stainable natural pine interior. A slim, smart design distinguishes our Narroline sliding patio door from other contemporary alternatives. It has a modern look but features the same attention to detail and craftsmanship that Renewal by Andersen is known for.