Entrance Doors With A Thermal Break: Device, Accessories, Installation And Operation Features

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

What is a door with a thermal break

The front door is one of the most important elements of any home. It doesn't matter if it's a private house or an apartment. The entrance structure must be reliable, durable, visually attractive, and also perform the function of protecting the living space from the penetration of cold. A metal door with a thermal break is considered more reliable in this regard.

Content

• 1 Do I need a door with a thermal break

  1.1 Video: what is a door with a thermal break and why is it needed

• 2 Construction of an insulated door with an insulating insert

  2.1 Video: what's inside the door

• 3 Varieties of doors with thermal break

  3.1 Table: Comparative characteristics of doors by segment

• 4 Is it possible to make a door with a thermal break with your own hands

  4.1 Table: Comparative characteristics of doors from different manufacturers

• 5 How to install a door with a thermal break with your own hands

  5.1 Video: Installation of a door with a thermal break

• 6 Door operation rules
• 7 Reviews

Do I need a door with a thermal break

Very often, the owners of private houses observe the following picture: there is a severe frost on the street, and the entrance metal door is so frozen that it is simply impossible to open it. This is due to the fact that the metal frame has the property of freezing, which means that the inner filling is exposed to cold. Not every insulation is able to withstand low temperatures. That is why it is recommended to use entrance metal doors with a thermal break, in the design of which an insulating layer is provided.

A door with a thermal break keeps the cold out of the house

It does not conduct cold outside and does not release heat from the living space. The advantages of this design are obvious:

• high strength, since solid sheet metal is used for the manufacture of doors;
• low thermal conductivity - the insulating layer is not able to transmit heat, which means that thermal exchange between neighboring materials is excluded;
• soundproofing;
• cost-effectiveness - there is no need to install a second door or equip a vestibule, and also due to a decrease in heat losses, you can reduce the cost of gas or electricity for heating.

Video: what is a door with a thermal break and why is it needed

Insulated door with insulating insert

Regardless of the used insulation and external coating, the door design with a thermal break is typical. It consists of:

1. Metal frame. For the manufacture of a door with a thermal break, steel with a thickness of more than 3 mm is usually used. The standard door width is 86 cm.

2. Insulating layer. It is located over the entire area of the inner surface of the metal frame. Usually this is a polyamide insert that fits between two insulation.

   

   An insulating layer separates the insulation from the metal frame

3. Door fasteners. The design with a thermal break is characterized by an increased mass, which means that the strength characteristics of the fasteners and fittings should be increased. It is recommended to use special levers that are able to securely fix the canvas in the box. Conventional door hinges may not do the job.
4. Insulation. It fills the entire inner space of the door and is isolated from the metal frame with a special layer. If necessary, three layers of insulation can be used, for example, extruded polystyrene foam, basalt slab and polyethylene foam material. This will avoid ice formation inside the building.

Video: what's inside the door

Varieties of doors with thermal break

When choosing a metal door with a thermal break, it is necessary to pay attention to the insulation used. Most often these are:

1. Polyvinyl chloride. Differs in good thermal insulation properties, but subject to use in regions with a mild climate and warm winters.

2. Mineral wool. This material is able to ensure the tightness of the structure, but loses its properties at air temperatures below -25 °.

   

   Mineral wool is able to ensure the tightness of the door structure

3. Expanded polystyrene. The material cannot be used in regions with air temperatures below -25 °, but it can significantly facilitate the construction of the door.

4. Fiberglass. Suitable for regions with harsh climates, but at high temperatures in summer, it can release harmful substances.

   

   Fiberglass can release harmful substances when heated

Metal doors with a thermal break differ in terms of the material of the external finish:

1. In the production of products of the budget category, MDF panels are used, as well as thin sheet steel.

   

   For MDF doors, thin unreliable steel can be used

2. Doors of the middle price range can be recognized by their laminate finish.

3. Doors with solid wood trim are considered elite, but not everyone can afford them. Such products are characterized by high environmental friendliness and low thermal conductivity.

   

   Wood itself is characterized by low thermal conductivity.

The most popular are powder coated entrance doors. They are distinguished by high reliability and resistance to mechanical damage and weather conditions, including temperature extremes.

Table: comparative characteristics of doors by segment

Price segment	Economy class	Business Class	Premium class
Metal thickness, mm.	1.2-2	3-4	4-5
Thermal insulation of the door leaf (the type of insulation and other materials, as well as the order of their installation, varies depending on the manufacturer)	3 layers: expanded polystyrene - foil-clad isolon - expanded polystyrene	4 layers: isolon - expanded polystyrene - foil-clad isolon - expanded polystyrene	6 layers: foil isolon - cork sheet - expanded polystyrene - expanded polystyrene - foil isolon - expanded polystyrene
Internal finishing	lining, MDF	wood look laminate	natural wood
External finishing	leatherette	leatherette (vinyl leather)	powder paint
Night valve	-	+	+
Additional lock	-	-	+
Additional finishing	-	- drawing on metal; - painting in two colors.	- drawing on metal; - painting in two colors; - forged finish; - steel linings.
Additional options	-	-	- heating the box (in addition to the price of 7-8 thousand rubles); - anti-removable clamps.

Is it possible to make a door with a thermal break with your own hands?

It is possible to make an entrance door with a thermal break only if special equipment is available. That is why it is almost impossible to make such a door yourself. That is why it is better to study the comparative characteristics of doors with a thermal break from different manufacturers and choose for yourself exactly the model that meets your requirements in terms of strength characteristics and cost.

Table: comparative characteristics of doors from different manufacturers

Brand (Model)	"North"	"Argus"	"Guardian"	"North"
Location	Moscow	Yoshkar-Ola	Yoshkar-Ola	Novosibirsk
Sales	Through brand stores and dealer network
Delivery	To any region of Russia
Range	+	+	+	+
Main lock	CISA	+	"Guardian"	"Guardian"
Price (range), rub.	21 300 - 31 200	18 400 - 38 100	14,600 - 34,800	18,700 - 27,650
Price segment	Economy, standard, business, premium
Installation (installation)	Installation team of the supplier company
Availability of information about the manufacturer, door	+	+	+	+
Warranty for doors, installation	+	+	+	+

How to install a door with a thermal break with your own hands

You can install a door with a thermal break yourself, but remember that a violation of the installation technology can lead to a loss of thermal insulation properties, as well as damage to the structure of the door itself, walls and floor.

You must first prepare a certain set of tools:

• a hammer;
• hammer drill or drill with a hammer;
• saw;
• grinder;
• building level;
• masking tape;
• drill;
• screwdriver;
• socket wrench;
• anchors;
• wooden bars.

You will also need cement mortar and polyurethane foam.

The procedure for installing a door with a thermal break is as follows:

1. Preparation of the opening. At this stage, pieces of putty, bricks and other elements that may fall off are removed. You also need to remove all the protrusions with a hammer or grinder and seal the voids. The opening width should be 4–5 cm larger than the door frame.

   

   The door opening must be without grooves and protrusions

2. Preparing the door leaf. To do this, it must be removed from the hinges, then check the operation of the locks and the complete set of the door. The handle is usually supplied separately, therefore, before installing the door, it must be screwed to the door leaf.

3. Preparing the door frame. In the event that the wires are brought into the house through the entrance, you first need to prepare a plastic pipe or special sleeves for them. It is recommended to close the box with masking tape around the perimeter, which will prevent accidental damage or the ingress of polyurethane foam on its surface.

   

   The gaps between the box and the wall must be filled with polyurethane foam

4. Door frame installation. The box must be inserted into the opening, placing spacers under it 2 cm. Align horizontally and vertically using a building level and a plumb line. It is necessary to insert wedges between the wall and the box: 3 pieces vertically and 2 on top. They need to be installed near the place where the box is attached to the canvas. After the door is aligned vertically and horizontally, you can proceed to fixing the box. For this, anchors or pieces of reinforcement are used. You need to start from the side of the loops from above. For anchors it is necessary to drill holes 10-15 cm deep, then fix the box with fasteners. Make sure that the door does not move vertically or horizontally. If there is no displacement, the door leaf is hung. In the case of its free opening and closing, you can finally tighten the anchors. The gaps between the door frame and the wall must be filled with foam.

   

   For anchors, you need to drill holes in advance

5. Door health check. It is necessary to check that the door leaf opens and closes freely, the lock clicks freely, and there are no backlashes in the closed position. You also need to check if the door moves spontaneously. To do this, the canvas opens first at 45 degrees, and then at 90.

Video: installation of a door with a thermal break

Door operation rules

Metal doors with a thermal break are characterized by a long service life, but the safety of functionality is possible only if the rules of use are observed:

1. Holding the door when opening and closing. Do not allow the canvas to hit the wall.
2. Installing a door with a thermal break only in an apartment or a private house with a visor. Contact with direct sunlight, rain and other precipitation can reduce the durability of the top powder coat.
3. Protect doors from moisture, abrasive chemicals that can cause rust.

Reviews

An entrance door with a thermal break is a reliable design, but subject to careful selection of material and correct installation. It is better not to save money on such a product and purchase doors only from trusted suppliers from reliable manufacturers.