Hörmann (UK) Limited

Address: Gee Road, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 4JW

Tel: 01530 513000 – Website: https://www.hormann.co.uk

Door opens to greater thermal efficiency

Whilst aesthetics and longevity have always held great importance when selecting an entrance door for a domestic property, products that offer improved thermal efficiency are becoming more important than ever as homeowners attempt to combat rising energy costs. Here David O’Mara, Marketing Manager for Hörmann UK, explores the latest technologies being developed by manufacturers to create entrance doors that offer U-values lower than 0.50W/m²K.

Recent research by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) found that installing insulated entrance doors is the third most cost-effective energy-saving home improvement that homeowners can make, beaten only by a replacement boiler and cavity wall insulation. With energy costs increasing year on year for many households, individuals are continuing to search for ways to improve the thermal efficiency of their home, with entrance doors being a significant area of focus.

As you know, all entrance doors in the UK must comply to the British Standards Approved Document L1B, which outlines a maximum U-value of 1.8/Wm²K for the whole door element. With this in mind, fabricators and installers can take a proactive approach in aiding their customers in cutting heating costs by recommending innovative products that offer thermal efficiencies that are significantly lower than the national maximum.

Traditionally, aluminium entrance doors paved the way for security, but lacked thermal efficiency when compared to their timber counterparts. However, manufacturers such as Hörmann UK are developing a new generation of high-insulation entrance doors that offer outstanding energy savings, without compromising on the overall security of the door.

Products such as Hörmann UK’s latest ThermoCarbon entrance doors are constructed of high-strength aluminium, with a high-tech leaf profile constructed of carbon glass-fibre hybrid material, to offer an entrance door with a U-value as low as 0.47W/m²K. This is 1.3W/m²K lower than the industry standard, offering significant potential energy savings for the customer.

These impressive U-values are achieved through the door’s unique construction, featuring a 100mm aluminium door leaf with PU rigid foam infill, internal leaf profile that is supported by a thermal break, and high stability due to its carbon glass-fibre reinforced composite leaf profile. This is also combined with a 111mm aluminium door frame that features a thermal break.

Whilst keyholes, letter boxes and gaps around the bottom and edges of an entrance door are key areas for heat loss, this can be overcome by triple sealing the bottom, top and sides of the door with all-round seals to ensure no drafts can occur. For entrance doors with additional glazing panels, installers should select products where the door leaf is foamed together with the glazing during an optimal manufacturing process, preventing any potential thermal bridges from occurring. Installers should ensure that this is available for all glazing types, whether it be clear, matt or satinato for increased privacy.

Steel entrance doors should also be considered by installers, particularly products that feature up to 65mm thick door leads with PU rigid foam infills. Whilst these will not offer the lowest U-value of 0.47W/m²K that can be achieved by an aluminium door, they are still well below the government legislation at 0.87W/m², whilst also offering outstanding security benefits.

As well as thermal efficiency, aesthetics and visual appeal will always be a deciding factor for consumers when choosing a new entrance door for their property. Because of this, doors that offer concealed hinges and door profiles are a popular choice for contemporary properties to offer a sleek, streamlined finish. The ability to also choose from a wide range of RAL colours and finishes including matt or high-gloss is important to ensure homeowners can add personality to the exterior of their property.
Finally, entrance doors that offer an extended guarantee, such as Hörmann UK’s, provide homeowners with additional peace of mind that the product will stand the test of time, continuing to improve the thermal efficiency of their home for years to come.