With winter lurking down the road, now may be the perfect time to replace your dated patio door. Not only will replacing your existing door enhance your home's appearance, you'll also enjoy easier access to your outdoor living spaces and could lower home energy costs.

Here are some suggestions for choosing a new energy efficient patio door from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Why Replace Your Existing Patio Door?
According to the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy division of the U.S. Department of Energy, today's exterior doors insulate and fit better than older models. That means, when you replace your existing doors you not only enhance your home's value and appearance, you are rewarded with lower heating and cooling costs.

What to Look for in a New Patio Door
In order to ensure the maximum energy efficiency, it is essential to choose a patio door that has a solid energy performance rating based not only upon your home's design, but on your climate. Patio doors, particularly sliding glass patio doors, lose heat much faster than other kinds of doors because they are constructed primarily of glass. You want to make sure that your new doors feature a thermal break, a kind of plastic insulator between the outer and interior parts of the frame. It is also essential to choose a replacement door that features several layers of glass, low-emissive coatings, and low-conductivity gases between the panes.

Save More with Swinging Patio Doors
While sliding glass doors are a popular choice for patio doors, if you are looking for maximum energy savings, you may want to consider a swinging door. The reason? Swinging doors form a much tighter seals than sliding doors, which means even less chance for air leakage and greater energy savings.

If you want to save money and improve access to your home's outdoor spaces, replacing your current patio door with a more energy-efficient model could be the answer for you.

Sources:
EERE Consumer's Guide, Exterior Door Selection and Installation