How Thermally Efficient Are Steel Aluminium Doors?
How Thermally Efficient Are Steel Aluminium Doors?
Steel aluminium doors are surprisingly energy-efficient considering how poorly steel insulates heat on its own. This is as a result of their insulating core and excellent weather seals. Still, steel aluminium doors have the following features, which means that their thermal performance is greatly enhanced:
Fireboard Core
A fireboard core is sandwiched between two skins made of galvanized steel. Their thermal conductivity is reduced by separating the typically non-conductive steel skins. Additionally, the fireboard is made of drywall and fibreglass, a combination of materials that offers excellent thermal and acoustic insulation while limiting the spread of fire. Therefore, the core not only aids in retaining more heat inside the house but also reduces the amount of outside noise that enters the building, making steel aluminium doors perfect for insulating your home!
Leaf of a Thick Door
The door leaf’s thickness also reduces heat transfer, and the thicker the door leaf, the better the insulation. A 50mm door leaf depth characterizes our standard option. However, there are steel doors that are 70mm thick if you’d like an additional boost to thermal performance.
Climatic Gaskets and Seals
Any windows or doors that have construction flaws allow draughts to enter the house and heat to escape. A less energy-efficient and colder home is a result of both of these factors. Therefore, weather seals are installed on doors and windows between the window sash or door leaf and the frame to reduce draught and heat loss. This also applies to Gerda’s steel doors, which come equipped with high-performance draught- and weather-proof seals as standard equipment. They also seal very well, leaving no openings through which heat can escape or draughts can enter.
Are There Factors That Affect Steel Aluminium Windows’ Energy Efficiency?
Steel is not energy efficient because it is a good conductor of heat and can transfer heat. But when technologically advanced, steel can outperform all other materials and be the best option for energy-efficient doors and windows for your contemporary home. For maximum energy efficiency, additional elements must be guaranteed in addition to the steel frames for doors and windows.
Steel’s Thermal Performance
Steel has a five times greater thermal resistance than aluminium. The thermal breaks in the steel used for doors and windows. The result is that when hot or cold energy comes into contact with thermally damaged steel frames, it vanishes at the thermal barrier. This reduces or stops heat transfer and thermal conductivity.
The material’s capacity for heat conduction is known as the U-factor. A door or window is more energy-efficient the lower its U-factor. Insulated steel that has been thermally broken has a U-factor of only 0 points 65, which makes it very energy-efficient. The thermal resistance to heat flow is another name for the R-value. Higher R-values, as opposed to the U-factor, indicate better insulation.
Insulation
Heat and cold can move through a slab of steel because it is so highly conductive. As a result, hollow steel frames are produced. The two steel frames are additionally separated by a high-performance insulator material. Most frequently, polyurethane insulation foam is used to fill the hollow manufactured frames.
Triple or Double Glasses
The energy efficiency is improved by using thermally broken steel frames, high-performance glass, and insulated glazing. A low-emittance element is coated on two or more panes of glass that are separated by vacuum and help to reduce heat transfer through the windows.
Gerda’s ALTUS Series
At Gerda, we are the sole distributor of thermally-efficient ALTUS Aluminum Residential Doors in the UK (with a thermal rating of 0.74 – 0.81W / m²K). By speaking with our Essex team as an installer, you can start the process of becoming a trade partner today!
