Toronto Front Door Accessibility
How accessible is your front door? For some people, the front door is barely accessible by themselves, let alone anyone with mobility problems. Sticking front doors and broken locks can prevent the door from functioning as standard.
If you can access your home fine through the front door, consider how accessible it may be for other people. Is there a raised threshold that may pose a risk to people or make it difficult to wheel a wheelchair over? Is the doorway wide enough for a wheelchair? It is important to have an entrance that is accessible by everyone.
To solve the issue of sticking doors, choose a good quality front door, like a composite door. These doors are made up from a multitude of materials which prevent the door from changing shape in normal seasonal changes, or even extreme seasonal changes. Other materials, such as uPVC doors and wooden doors, are unstable and will expand and shrink in different temperatures. These changes can not only cause the door to stick or leave gaps which cause draughts, but they can weaken the material, reducing the lifespan and security of the door.
Composite doors come with top quality hardware, often with long guarantees, so you know that issues like broken locks or handles will not be a problem.
UPVC Exterior Doors – Secure and Reasonably Priced
On the issue of narrow doorways, a bespoke front door can be made to suit the size of doorway you require. Many custom made doors are expensive, but ordering from a company who make all doors from the measurements supplied by the customer can greatly reduce the cost. This is because most companies make the standard sizes and requiring a wider door would be classed as speciality.
Regarding thresholds, many uPVC front doors come with a raised threshold. These raised thresholds pose an accessibility issue to wheelchair and pushchair users as well as an increased risk of accidents from tripping. Composite doors come with the option of a flush threshold to avoid these problems.
Although accessibility is a top priority when it comes to your front door, there are other important things to consider. Security is very important, since the front door is the main access point to your home and often the first place burglars attempt to find a way into the home. A secure door with a multi-point lock is vital to give your house and family the basic protection. If you have a glazed front door, it is vital to have a secure glass, such as laminated glass, which prevents attackers from breaking the glass to unlock the door from the inside.
Style is the last of the top priorities. Your front door gives the first impression to your home, which can be an important statement. A nice front door can really enhance the appearance of your house and set it apart from similar houses in your area. This can be especially important on modern housing estates and new developments, where the houses are often fairly identical. A front door suited to your tastes can bring individual style to your home and create a welcoming entrance for visitors.