5 Ways to Protect Glass Doors from the Effects of Winter

Every season has its challenges and complications, especially for the custom glass doors and windows in your Toronto home. Winter, in particular, has an impact, causing damage that can compromise their functionality and appearance. Therefore, preparing your glass door before winter sets in is essential to ensure its longevity and performance in winter.

In this post, you will learn how cold weather affects glass doors and how to protect them. So, let’s begin.

Common Glass Door Issues In Winter (And Their Solutions)

To tackle common issues glass doors and windows face in winter, you first need to identify them.

1. Condensation:
   The most common problem faced by glass shower doors in winter is condensation. This is due to drastic temperature differences. For example, when it’s cold and dry outside, we use fireplaces or heaters which makes the room humid. This temperature difference leads to condensation which fogs the surface of your glass door and windows. The same thing happens in the case of a glass shower door as well.Some condensation is normal. But if you notice consistent condensation for an extended period of time or moisture in your glass windows, the moisture may have entered through a gap in the glass. This can damage your home’s insulation.An easy solution to minimize this condensation is to reduce indoor humidity with a dehumidifier. Or you can install an exhaust fan in your kitchen and bathroom to allow moist air to escape. If fog continues to appear in the panes of glass, you may need to replace the doors. We recommend getting your glass doors and windows checked for gaps and insulation before winter reaches its height.
2. Insulation
   If your glass doors or windows cannot retain the room’s heat, that can lead to massive energy loss. Therefore, when installing your favourite sliding glass door, along with its appearance, you should also check its efficiency. If not properly insulated, it can make a room drafty or cold. You may have seen this with older doors without double pane glass. You can solve this problem by installing retrofitted insulating glass over your existing glass doors and windows. If you see that your sliding glass doors are causing unwanted temperature fluctuations, you can follow certain steps to mitigate the loss of heat and energy.Keep the door track clean and free of dirt, gravel, or other debris. This prevents the door from sliding and sealing optimally. You can replace your existing curtains with insulating thermal curtains as they are great at blocking drafts and helping prevent heat loss through windows and doors. In addition, you can add weather stripping to single pane, double pane windows, and doors of all varieties to keep rain, wind, and snow out of your home or office.
3. Crack:
   Another problem you may see is cracked glass. There are three main types of cracks that your glass doors can face: a stress crack, an impact crack, and a pressure crack. The cold can cause a thermal stress crack or pressure crack in a glass door. It initially starts near the edge of the door, slowly spreading across the glass. This happens due to extreme temperature fluctuations.You need to take proper precautions to save your glass doors from unexpected cracks. If you are unsure about the current state of your doors, get them professionally inspected. They will be able to tell you if your doors are properly sealed. Compromised seals result in wasted energy and higher utility bills. Low-quality glass doors are more likely to experience thermal stress cracks due to freezing temperatures, so pick the best-quality double-paned glass doors. These will help you prevent your doors from cracking in winter and are more energy-efficient.
4. Leakage:
   Even a small gap or leak in your glass shower door or a window’s structure can significantly impact your heating costs when the temperature dips below zero. These are signs of old glass, which you can replace with modern, energy-efficient, and insulated glass units. You can have them sealed professionally with draft stoppers, or resolve the issue by tightening the hardware.
5. Ice Formation:
   Ice is another common problem homeowners face every year. Cold weather allows ice to form in the spaces between doors and windows. Warm, moist air entering through these gaps begins to freeze upon contact with the outside air, making it hard to access the glass doors and windows.

To save your glass door from ice formation, use a dehumidifier or exhaust fans. This will expel excess moisture from the air and reduce the risk of ice buildup. In addition, you can install a heat recovery ventilator system or contact glass professionals to find out expert ways to take care of your glass doors and windows.

You can’t stop winter, but you can control how your glass doors react. So, use the best quality glass doors and take precautions to increase their longevity. Contact our experts today for glass door installation, maintenance, or related queries.