How Much Damage Can An Entry Door Withstand, Anyway?

Understanding the critical differences between traditional doors and impact doors is essential for homeowners. A typical entry door can only withstand intense winds from a hurricane for so long before breaking down or blowing open. Choosing to invest in impact glass throughout your house will provide much-needed protection from severe weather, such as hurricanes. 

Additionally, traditional doors are much easier targets for criminals to break into your home than impact doors. 

Here is an overview of why installing impact doors for your home is a much better long-term investment than traditional doors.

How an Impact Door is Different from a Traditional Entry Door

A standard entry door comes with two steel facings and an insulating filler. Traditional doors typically provide adequate safety in many areas of the country - but not for homeowners in regions prone to hurricanes and tropical storms. 

Choosing to invest in an impact entry door offers the best protection available. These doors are individually tested to withstand the most severe weather conditions.

Impact doors come made from thick fiberglass skins reinforced with wood and other strong materials. A specialized polyurethane foam core also provides an added layer of protection. Reinforced hinges offer extra stability to ensure your door remains in position even against the strongest of winds. 

All top brands perform rigorous testing on impact doors, such as large and small missile tests and cyclical tests for measuring impact strength. These products are considered "impact test approved" once they pass each of these analyses.

Why You Need an Impact Entry Door In a Hurricane

A traditional door isn't designed to hold up against the strong winds of a hurricane. A breached entry door can create significant structural damage to your home and even cause your roof to fly off. Flying debris and flooding water can also quickly accumulate in your home and cause additional damage. 

On the other hand, investing in an impact entry door gives you much-needed protection and peace of mind even against a Category Five hurricane.

How Impact Doors Protect Against Break-Ins

Criminal activity is a significant problem in many areas, especially urban ones. Impact doors can play a crucial role in preventing and stopping home invasions. 

These doors are nearly impossible for criminals to break down, as impact glass comes specially designed to withstand heavy blows. Instead of shattering, impact glass will create a spiderweb effect, leaving the pane intact - even after repeated blunt-force attempts!

Eventually, a criminal will give up and look for a much easier target. 

Additional Benefits of Impact Entry Doors

Impact products use multiple layers of glass to maximize energy efficiency for your home. These cost savings can quickly add up for anyone living in a humid climate. Impact glass also reduces UV rays, which helps extend your carpet and other household furniture's lifespan.

Thick laminated glass also plays a crucial role in reducing outside noise. Keeping outside noise to a minimum is especially important if you live near a busy highway or have loud neighbors. 

Impact entry doors come in a wide variety of styles and are a perfect way to boost the curb appeal of your home. You can often save money on your insurance premiums by installing impact glass throughout your house too!

Choose the Superior Option for Your Home

Choosing to install impact entry doors is an excellent option for many homeowners. These doors offer state-of-the-art protection from intense hurricanes while also making it much more challenging for criminals to access your home. Impact doors also help you reduce your energy bill, boost curb appeal, minimize UV rays, and limit outside noise. 

On the other hand, traditional doors are often unable to withstand a hurricane's force. They are much easier for criminals to break in. 

Learn more about impact entry doors by checking out our FREE guide. Now is the perfect time to consider making an upgrade and experience the many benefits of impact doors!

Author Bio: Luis Alvarez is the founder and owner of Alco Windows and Doors. Coming from a family with more than 15 years of experience in the glass and glazing industry, Luis used his background knowledge to found a company dedicated to providing quality service and support for those looking to protect their loved ones from severe weather. A retired veteran who served in the Marine Corps, Luis uses his military experience to effectively run Alco. His attention to timeliness guarantees efficient installations focused on meeting planned deadlines. His background in preparation and organization ensures flawless window and door projects, no matter the job size. His leadership experience promises a “job well done” mindset from every member of the Alco team – from salespeople to installation professionals. A graduate of Florida International University with a degree in Mathematics, Luis takes time to give back to the community by serving as an adjunct professor at Miami Dade College. He believes homes are built around people supporting one another, and his dedication to his home in South Florida ensures Alco Windows and Doors will always put the customer’s safety and satisfaction first.