Review on Windows That Have Blinds Built in Them

A Bullheaded Conclusion

Off of our kitchen, at that place is a little entry entrance hall that leads to the backyard.  We had no plans to always replace that back door, but when we changed the locks, we realized information technology may have to happen.

Back Entry

(Sidenote: this past weekend, we knocked out all of those shelves on the left, and got rid of those weird cabinets on the correct, and nosotros can't believe how much larger the space feels!).

While trying to make up one's mind what kind of door to replace it with, one of our favorite options was something like this (merely stained to match the existing woodwork):

Screen Shot 2013-10-21 at 2.08.37 PM

What we loved almost this door is that it would maximize the corporeality of light in the vestibule/kitchen, but I had 2 concerns.  Being that we live in Minnesota, which has exceptionally cold winters, I was concerned that having a glass door would be a huuuuge source of heat loss.  Additionally, I was worried about people being able to see directly in to our house when we weren't habitation.

Now I know there are options to prevent people from looking within, merely I didn't like any of them.  We used a window moving-picture show on the front door of our terminal dwelling house, just I don't like that option for this business firm because so we can't see Roxy when she'due south out in the backyard.  Sure, we could hang a pall/shade, but that would exist so annoying whenever nosotros open and close the door, not to mention the fact that it would wait actually weird.  And then every bit I was wracking my brain for a solution, I remembered something Noel and I saw on the Parade of Homes: blinds that are built in to the door betwixt the glass panes.

blinds-in-patio-door-glass

Well, this seemed like the perfect solution to my "how do I go along people from looking in our big glass door" problem because their seamless design was stunning, the blinds wouldn't bang around when y'all open the door, they wouldn't exist clumsy/bulky/awkward, the glass would be easier to clean, and kids/pets wouldn't be able pull on them/destroy them.  I was completely sold on the idea, and then off I went, searching for the right door.

Truth be told, I actually had heard most these doors awhile ago, and from what I knew, they received mixed reviews.  So, about a one-half hour into my search, that little voice in my head chimed in, insisting that I read some reviews before I roughshod in love with the idea and at that place was no turning back.  And boy am I glad I did.

Subsequently reading countless reviews, I ended in that location were 3 major drawbacks nearly these doors:

Drawback #one: They aren't as free energy efficient as a normal glass door.

Glass itself is a terrible insulator, which is why bulk of windows are double paned.  By doing this, the glass sandwiches air in between it.  To make a window more than efficient, a gas called argon is often sealed between the ii panes, and a low-e blanket tin be applied to the glass to reflect estrus.

Well, when you put blinds between the two window panes, you lot tin can't have the argon sealed inside, whichdramatically reduces the efficiency of the window.  It's also of import to note that the blinds themselves don't add any significant insulation.  Then, by ownership a window with blinds, your window is far less efficient than only buying a double paned window.

There are companies that make triple pane windows so that there can notwithstanding exist argon gas betwixt two of the panes, and then the blinds can be in the other cavity.  However, if you go this road, yous'd go a lower U-factor* (more efficient window) if yous just bought a triple pane window without the blinds, because then you'd have two layers of argon gas.  Plus, triple pane windows areexpensive,and the ones that have the blinds in them are even more money.

Drawback #2:  The blinds however get dusty and are hard to clean.

One of the major misconceptions with these doors is that the blinds don't go dusty.  And that's completely false.  There are tiny holes that allow dust to enter the space between the glass, and so the blinds will in fact get dusty.  With some of the windows, you are able to remove one of the panes of drinking glass to make clean the blinds, but it is quite the process and the instructions are quite elaborate.

Drawback #3: If the blinds break, they are hard (if not impossible) to fix.

If it and then happens that the blinds betwixt your window panes suspension, yous are in quite a sticky situation.  If you are lucky enough to have the kind where y'all can remove one of the panes of glass, you will be able to ready them.  Notwithstanding, I wouldn't consider yourself too terribly lucky, considering the replacement blinds are NOT inexpensive.  Furthermore, if you don't have the kind where you tin remove a pane, you are stuck with broken blinds, and the only style to fix it is to replace the door.  Whomp whomp.

So, with all of that being said, what's the verdict for us?  There are a lot of nifty features, just in the end, they but aren't for us (at least not for us in this house).  Right now, I can't justify spending that kind of money for a triple paned version, and I don't want a window with no insulating properties.  With that being said, even though they aren't for united states of america, doesn't mean they tin can't exist for you lot.  Butplease brand sure that if you do buy them, you lot don't buy them because you think they are more free energy efficient. :)

*In homes, a product'south insulating capabilities are measured by either an R-value or a U-cistron.  An R-value measures heat resistance, so you want your R-value to be as high as possible.  U-factors are but the opposite.  They measure the charge per unit rut is transferred through a cloth, and so the lower the better.  U-factors are more often than not associated with windows, and they usually range anywhere from 0.ii to 1.ii (with annihilation nether 0.4 existence "free energy efficient").

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Source: http://blog.kirstendanielle.com/2013/10/21/a-blind-decision/

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