Homes are designed carefully. They demand attention for every detail. From roof tiles to wall paint, everything must be carefully chosen. So, why not exterior doors?
Exterior doors are at a home’s entryway. This not only gets attention from visitors but it also protects it from weather elements and intruders. So, carefully choosing an exterior door is essential. The material, design, and color are important. However, the biggest challenge is deciding between inswing and outswing.
Outswing exterior doors are not just for home security and aesthetic appeal. They also impact your home’s space utilization, energy efficiency, and curb appeal. Let’s discuss what these doors are. We will also discuss why they are a popular choice for construction projects and door replacements.
Outswing Exterior Door
A correctly installed exterior door opens in an outward direction from the interior of building. This means that the door swings out. You can open the door by pulling from the outside and pushing from the inside. The door moves away from you and toward the outside of building.
When it comes to the home, most exterior doors are outswing. Commercial buildings also use the outswing approach for exterior doors. The most common reason to choose outswing doors is security. This is because they are more difficult to force open.
Outswing Door History
Outswing doors aren’t rocket science. They have been used for centuries. If you peek into history, you will see the use of outswing doors during ancient times. Instead of homes, they were more common and popular in fortifications. They were popular with forts and castles. In the past, their use was security. The outswing exterior doors of castles and forts were more difficult to break down than inswing doors.
If you read the history of the Middle Ages, you will see a common use of these doors for homes and businesses. The main reason behind using them was that they were more resistant to wind and rain. Moreover, they keep buildings warmer than normal.
However, the outswing lost its importance in the 19th century. In residential areas, you will see a major drawback in it. The reasons were
- Increased urbanization: When urbanization reached its peak, cities became more crowded. This increasing city population causes outswing doors to become a safety hazard. Small or tight homes and small streets or walkways don’t allow people to open their doors in outward directions. The outswing doors became a safety hazard in such tight areas.
- When it comes to new building codes, inswing doors get an advantage. Many codes require inswing doors instead of outswing for safety reasons.
- People’s choices began to change. That’s why they prefer inswing doors. The reason was the convenience and less space requirement.
Still, for commercial needs, outswing exterior doors remained famous. This was because of their resistance to elements and their secure nature.
Are Outswing Exterior Doors Still Popular?
Yes, outswing exterior doors are still famous. Even in a more general view, they are gaining fame. People began to know their importance and benefits for both residential and commercial areas. For example, you can see their use in variety of applications like
- Use at front doors of homes and businesses places for security.
- Outswing doors are flexible in design so you can customize it according to your door headers.
- Outswing exterior door installation in areas with high winds or heavy rain
- Use at emergency exit doors
- Install outswing door in public buildings, like schools and hospitals
Why Are Outswing Exterior Doors Required In Some Places?
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If you thoroughly read the uses of outswing doors, you will realize that they are needed. In many places, you can’t ignore the importance of such doors. Most public buildings in the world have outswing doors. The emergency exit doors always have outswing approach. They are easy to open in emergency, even if there is crowd trying to get through the door. Other necessary places where you must install outswing exterior doors are
- Patio
- Deck
- Basement
- Fire escape
- Balcony
- Garage Entry
- Storm Shelter
- Utility Room
- Workshop
- Garden Shed
- Storage Units
Reasons To Install an Outswing Exterior Door
We know that you understand importance of the outswing exterior door. But this doesn’t mean that you can install it without doing research. We know that they offer security. However, they also have other benefits. Let’s explore those benefits.
Reasons To Install an Outswing Exterior Door In a Residential Area
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Outswing exterior doors have lost their importance at a residential level. But today, if you study deeply, you will understand that they are gaining and retaining their importance. Let’s see the reasons why you should want to consider installing an outswing door in your residential area.
Enhances Security
Security is important for every homeowner. So, an outswing exterior door should be a good choice. Outswing doors swing outward rather than inward. This means that door hinges are also on the outside. Some people think that intruders can easily remove the hinge pins and enter the home. But this is not right now; the new hinges are no longer removable. Thus, these things make it challenging for potential intruders to tamper with hinges and doors. It’s even better if your outswing door has deadbolt locks and strike plates. These are great security features which make these doors even more difficult to breach.
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Improve Weather Resistance
If you have outswing door then it’s time to stop worrying about weather conditions. These doors provide superior weather resistance especially in areas where it is needed. Once the door closes, a tight seal comes between door and frame and it doesn’t allow drafts, moisture, and debris to accommodate. Moreover, these doors maintain interior temperature of your home thus reducing energy costs. As the door closes against raised threshold it will not let wind and rain enter and also doesn’t allow water infiltration. Weatherstripping and all these other features overall protect your home from potential damage.
Space-Saving Design
Residential areas have limited space and having an outswing door is good choice in many cases. As it swings outward, it doesn’t encroach on your interior living space. Thus, it is ideal for your home if it has a narrow hallway or limited room. If your home has furniture or fixtures near the entryway, outswing doors will also protect it. However, don’t install the outswing exterior door as the front door if you are living in tight street area as it causes issues there for passersby.
Accessibility
The outswing door is easily accessible from inside the home. So, if you have family members with mobility challenges, the outswing door is the better option for you. They can easily open and close it while using a wheelchair or walker. This makes the daily life of these people more convenient. If your outswing door has automatic door opener, it makes it even easier to operate.
Improve Ventilation
If you want to maximize your home’s natural ventilation in pleasant weather then install an outswing exterior door. Whenever weather becomes good just open the door to create a wide and unobstructed opening. It will allow fresh air to enter your home and also make temperature better. In addition to make indoor air quality better it also lowers the need for artificial cooling in summer.
Pleasing Design
When it comes to design and style you will get a great variety of an outswing exterior door. With various materials, styles, and finishes you can install a door that complements driveway gate ideas. You can also install a door according to the architectural design and aesthetics of your home. If you like the traditional, rustic, or modern look, you can choose a door that fits your taste.
Improve Fire Safety
If you install an outswing door then it offers safety in the event of fire. These doors provide easier evacuation in such scenarios.
Reduce Noise Pollution
Another great thing is reduction of noise pollution. The outswing exterior doors are helpful as they don’t allow outside noise to enter home or living areas.
Reasons To Install an Outswing Exterior Door In Commercial Areas
When it comes to selecting the right exterior door for commercial spaces, many businesses and public areas often choose outswing doors. The choice is due to a variety of practical advantages. The door opens outward which means they offer both safety and functionality. Let’s see the reasons that make outswing door a great choice for such needs.
ADA Compliance
One of the biggest reason to install an outswing exterior door in public areas is ADA. It is the Americans with Disabilities Act which demands commercial establishments to make easily accessible entryways for individuals with disabilities. So these doors are great for people who can use wheelchairs or mobility aids to open, close or walk through.
Improved Safety
When it comes to security and safety, outswing doors are perfect to install in commercial properties. Inswing doors are difficult to use as accumulated snow, debris, or large crowds can block or impede. Outswing doors are at advantage as they are open outward, thus offering clear exit path during emergencies. Moreover, it also reduces bottlenecks risk and makes authorities able to handle panic situations in fire or other evacuation scenarios.
Space Optimization:
Interior space is essential in public areas due to high traffic. Thus to handle this challenge, outswing exterior door installation is wise decision. As they hinged on exterior side, they do not consume valuable indoor floor space on opening. Thus, with the help of outswing doors, you can efficiently use your public area interior space with limited square footage.
Weather Resistance
Hurricanes, tornadoes, or heavy rain are common things that commercial areas have to face often. Outswing doors are great helpers in handling such harsh weather conditions by providing better resistance. The high winds are less likely to open these doors and they also prevent water infiltration.
Enhanced Security
Public areas need high security as they are prone to intruders. These outswing exterior doors are more secure that’s why they were used in castles and forts. In addition, the intruders can’t able to remove hinge pins thus offering double security to valuable assets, customers, and public.
Durability
Doors in public areas remain in constant use. They have to withstand daily wear and tear of high foot traffic. Outswing exterior doors have sturdy materials construction which are durable enough to handle things in a better way. Moreover, in case of accidental collisions, doors are good to choose as they are cost-effective choices in long run.
Energy Efficiency
Outswing doors are energy efficient and thus helpful in public buildings. They keep temperature consistent and bring major reductions in heating and cooling costs.
Conclusion
An outswing exterior door is great to install in your home, office, or commercial area. The advantages it offers in terms of security from intruders, safety from harsh weather conditions and difficult situations are enough it make them a popular choice among many.
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