Entrance doors with thermal break. Metal doors with a thermal break: pros and cons The second door on the back side of the thermal chamber

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The entrance door is a product that performs important role in living and working areas for various purposes. Despite the apparent simplicity of the design, entrance doors are subject to a number of requirements regarding their reliability, safety, strength, aesthetics and service life. Such products must be able to withstand regular exposure to weather conditions and precipitation. Entrance doors with a thermal break can satisfy all the requirements described above.

Door blocks installed outdoors in country houses or dachas, under the influence of an aggressive external environment, they can lose a significant portion of their useful functions or even fail. For example, ordinary street entrance doors in winter time years are covered with a significant layer of frost or ice. This can lead to a deterioration in the aesthetic appearance of the structure, as well as to the loss of a significant amount of heat in the premises of the house. To prevent such negative consequences contact with the environment, you can use steel entrance door blocks with a thermal break.

What are thermal break doors?

The entrance street door with a thermal break is a structure made using a special technology that ensures stability door block to influence different types precipitation and low temperatures. The operating principle of this design is based on the elementary laws of physics, and specifically on the ability various items transfer heat from one to another. During this process, heat is transferred from a warmer object to a colder one. It is these physical laws that determine the colossal heat losses ordinary steel street doors in the winter season.

Thus, in contact with the external environment, the door block transfers the heat of the house to the street, which ultimately leads to significant energy costs and heat losses. To prevent such processes, thermal break technology was introduced in the production of street steel doors. It consists of filling the internal space door leaf insulating materials that make it impossible to transfer heat to the external part of the structure.

This technology for manufacturing entrance street doors has been used in production relatively recently. Previously, the thermal protection function was performed by an additional partition. This entry structural element was more of a second door that provided an additional barrier and absorbed the incoming cold air.

In principle, this method is still in demand, but the option of entrance doors with a thermal break has come to replace bulky structures. Their use is advantageous against the background of the mentioned method. And this is logical, because now there is no need to build massive and expensive structures. Entrance doors with a thermal break look no less impressive, and their insulating capabilities are appreciated by many owners of country houses.

What should be the material of a door with a thermal break?

Particular attention when choosing front door with a thermal break, attention should be paid to the material used in its production. The practice of using such structures has shown that the most reliable option is the installation of metal doors with a thermal break. Basically, high-quality steel is used in the production of such doors. Standard width entrance metal door is 860 mm. Steel door structures are much more efficient than products made of polyvinyl chloride or wood.

At the same time, when purchasing a metal entrance door, you should remember the design of the door leaf. It includes two steel sheets, which have special requirements. First of all, it is necessary to ensure the integrity of the products. The thickness of each sheet should not be less than 1.8 mm. It is also worth paying attention to the strength of the product.

Input groups with a thermal break made of thin metal sheets are a kind of analogue of a tin can. Such structures are easily opened by intruders using an ordinary sharp knife. Specialists and experts in the door block production industry recommend choosing products with a single steel sheet thickness of at least 3 mm. Such parameters, in combination with the reinforced design of the door leaf, will make it possible to maximally protect the door block from burglary, making it durable and reliable. A properly selected entrance door with a thermal break can protect interior spaces houses and property of the inhabitants.

At the same time, it must be emphasized that steel entrance doors with a thermal break have a significant mass. For reliable fastening and long-term operation, such doors must be equipped with high-quality and durable canopies and fittings. A technically competent solution would be to give preference to special levers for fixing the door leaf on the frame and abandon the use of traditional hinges. This type of fastening allows the door leaf to take a reliable and stable position, while maintaining its functionality and comfort of use.

Materials used in production

In addition to the base, which is made up of steel sheets, the structure of metal doors with a thermal break consists of a number of other elements. As thermal insulation in the production of such entrance groups are used various materials. The characteristics and efficiency of the entire door unit, and often the cost of the product, depend on the type of filler. So, the most common materials for are:

Polyvinyl chloride. This material is the most economical and, according to industry experts, has excellent insulating characteristics. PVC inserts create unique chambers in the interior of the door leaf that prevent heat loss and trap cooled air. At the same time, it should be emphasized that the installation of steel entrance doors with such a filler is effective, first of all, in areas with mild winters and light frosts. When exposed to lower temperatures, plastic significantly loses its effectiveness.

Other common materials for filling the door leaf are mineral wool and polystyrene foam. They have excellent thermal insulation and ensure almost perfect sealing of the structure. Effective use entrance steel doors with such a filler are possible at temperatures down to -25 0C.

Another type of door filling is fiberglass. At the same time, this material has one significant drawback. Doors with fiberglass core are not recommended for installation in areas with high temperatures in the warm season. Under their influence, this material emits harmful fumes.

Input street structures filled with solid wood are considered the best in modern market similar designs. Such doors with a thermal break receive positive reviews from experts and consumers. And this is not surprising, because wood is natural and environmentally friendly pure material. At the same time, it has a high density, which has a positive effect on its insulating properties. In essence, door groups This type has only one obvious drawback - the high cost relative to designs with other fillers.

The main advantages of doors of this type

Entrance doors made using thermal break technology have a number of undoubted advantages. Among them, we can highlight saving using design features door unit heats the room. This, in turn, means lower home heating costs. This is especially important if the home is heated using electricity. A sealed door leaf will make it possible to significantly reduce electricity costs.

It is also worth emphasizing that condensation, frost or ice do not accumulate on the surface of such entrance doors. This allows you to extend the service life of products and a decent aesthetic appearance of the door. At the same time, the surface of the front door is treated with a special protective coating which prevents corrosion of the structure. It should be noted that even the most reliable door with a thermal break must meet a number of requirements that apply to products of this type.

Thus, the door leaf must have an absolutely flat surface; bevels or distortions, tilting or other deformation of the surface are not allowed. In addition, it is recommended to equip such a door with an additional rubber seal. This material is attached around the entire perimeter of the structure and increases the insulating characteristics.

Special attention should be paid to the installation of the door block. When poor quality installation design all its advantages and positive characteristics will be leveled. It is also worth examining the door for chips, scratches, cracks and other defects. The aesthetic appeal of the door leaf should not raise any questions, since the door is installed for many years.

Varieties

The modern market for entrance doors offers consumers a wide range of products for people with different income levels. Economy class is represented by structures made of thin metal profiles. As a rule, it is from 3 to 4 mm. As exterior finishing leatherette is used, and the inside surface is trimmed with PVC or MDF panels.

Next price category presented by models using as finishing material laminate This material imitates natural wood well and compares favorably with polyvinyl chloride or MDF. The production of the most expensive entrance doors with thermal break occurs using natural wood different varieties. At the same time, their high price is often unaffordable for the average consumer.

The most popular models of entrance doors with a thermal break, the surface of which is finished with powder coating. This finish looks quite attractive and, in addition, protects the structure from fire. This quality goes well with the thermal insulation characteristics and increases the attractiveness of this type of entrance door.

The entrance door is one of the most important parts of the premises. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s an office, a private residential building or an apartment - high-quality, modern, everyone needs it. Moreover, it must not only be reliable, aesthetically pleasing, durable, and have a long service life, but must also withstand the changeable nature of weather conditions.

Door door strife

It is important to understand that the door leaf installed in the apartment is not so exposed to external atmospheric influences. But entrance doors installed in private homes or offices must be resistant to the vagaries of the weather. Many qualities are lost and disappear over time “thanks to” aggressive behavior streets.

There is a huge variety of choices on the market today. One of the popular new products is doors with a thermal break. What are they? Why do professionals advise choosing this type? What are their pros and cons? Let's take a closer look at these issues.

Thermal break - what is it?

The thermal break of the door to the house is a special protective layer insulation, which separates the two sides of the door: the one that comes into contact with aggressive nature, and the one that “looks” into a person’s home. Thanks to the presence of this layer, the front door is not so sensitive to changes and temperature differences.

Entrance doors with a thermal break are made based on the law of physics regarding heat transfer. It is known that when cold meets heat, this very process begins. The outer part of the front door is cold, the inner part is warm. Low outdoor temperatures (as a result of heat exchange) can quickly penetrate into the warm home atmosphere. Thermal break helps prevent cold from getting inside the apartment or house.

Metal doors with thermal break began to be produced recently. For their manufacture, bulky, expensive and installation-intensive structures were used. Today, the production of entrance doors has made a significant breakthrough.

Nowadays, street doors with thermal break have become compact, easy to install, inexpensive, but at the same time remain capable of becoming reliable barrier cold.

Thermal break or insulation?

Many buyers think that conventional insulation may be sufficient. But they are deeply mistaken. Surely you have seen more than once how frost forms on door panels in private houses or how they literally freeze through and through when cold winter days. Why does this happen and how can thermal break doors help?

The designs of conventional entrance doors are based on the use of a metal frame. Mechanical welding, metallic profile, steel stiffeners - all this freezes and is susceptible to harmful influences environment. It is important to understand that not only does it freeze outer part, but also its internal components. And no insulation will help here.

This is where the help of a thermal break door comes in. A dense layer of insulation reliably isolates inner layer metal door from the outside. It completely blocks the access of cold to the inner layer of the door, therefore, does not allow it into the home.

What material is used for insulation?

What materials are entrance doors with a thermal break made of? Let's start with isolation. The most commonly used are polystyrene foam, polyvinyl chloride, mineral wool or isolon. These materials are inexpensive and are often used in production. Their use provides reliable protection and the tightness of the entrance door. Due to the presence of a special layer with one of the listed materials, it is ensured reliable operation thermal break. The insulation in such doors can withstand up to twenty-five degrees below zero.

Sometimes it happens that the manufacturer uses fiberglass as insulation. Always check this question when purchasing. If inside your front door there is this material, then probably in the hot summer it will emit harmful substances. If the summer months in your region do not offer hot weather, then you can safely buy a door with such insulation.

IN Lately manufacturers began to use it as internal insulation solid wood. The result is literally environmentally friendly doors with a thermal break. The reviews on them are extremely positive. Wood - safe natural material, having a high density. What more could you ask for for a reliable insulating layer? However, there is a drawback here too. Such a door will be quite expensive, and not everyone can afford to install it in a country house or apartment.

What is the door structure made of?

Now a little about the design of the door itself with a thermal break. The most reliable material, as practice has shown, is high-quality steel. According to standards, the width of such a door will be 860 millimeters. For the entrance door steel - best material, it is much more reliable and durable than, say, wood or polyvinyl chloride.

The doors consist of two steel sheets. The minimum width should be 1.8 mm. It is very important to pay attention to this when you purchase doors with a thermal break. Customer reviews are based precisely on this advice - do not take doors that are too thin. Firstly, they are easy to open by intruders. Secondly, they will not retain heat as well as their thicker-walled counterparts. Always inquire about the thickness of the steel sheets that make up the door structure before purchasing. It is better if the thickness is about three millimeters.

Door fastening

It is very important to mention the fastening method, which is required by all metal entrance doors with a thermal break. Since the structure is quite heavy, ordinary door hinges would simply be inappropriate here. Experts advise using special levers for installation that will securely fix the door leaf in the frame.

Thanks to this type of installation, the door will be securely fixed and will take a stable, correct position. Correct installation- half the success. It is thanks to high-quality installation that the front door will provide maximum comfort and will retain its functionality for a long time.

The main advantages of these designs

Primary requirements

Any entrance door, including those with a thermal break, must meet certain requirements.

• Deformations, chips and cracks, and uneven surfaces of the door leaf are not allowed.
• No tilts or distortions in one direction or another.
• The kit must include an additional seal made of rubber.

The installation of such a door will require special attention. Buyers are advised to carefully observe the process and judiciously evaluate the installation result. If even the slightest installation defects are observed, then you can’t count on high-quality, long-term and reliable operation. The front door is a part of the house that is installed, as they say, to last forever. Therefore, be careful both in selection and installation.

Kinds

Among the variety of doors, three main segments can be distinguished. The first includes more budget doors, the construction of which uses a metal profile of small thickness. The external part is most often inexpensive PVC panels.

The second segment is more expensive doors. They use laminate for finishing and thicker metal carcass.

The most expensive doors, as you understand, will be those that are made of natural wood and have an internal high-quality filler - insulation.

The front door is one of essential elements any housing. And does not matter, a private house this or an apartment. Input structure It must be reliable, durable, visually attractive, and also perform the function of protecting the living space from the penetration of cold. A metal door with a thermal break is considered more reliable in this regard.

Do I need a door with a thermal break?

Very often, owners of private houses observe the following picture: it is severely frosty outside, and the entrance metal door is so frozen that it is simply impossible to open it. This is due to the fact that the metal frame tends to freeze, which means the internal filling is exposed to cold. Not every insulation can withstand low temperatures. That is why it is recommended to use metal entrance doors with a thermal break, the design of which includes an insulating layer.

A door with a thermal break prevents cold from entering the house

It does not conduct cold from outside and does not release heat from the living space. The advantages of this design are obvious:

• high strength, since solid sheet metal is used to make doors;
• low thermal conductivity - the insulating layer is not capable of transmitting heat, which means that thermal exchange between adjacent materials is excluded;
• sound insulation;
• efficiency - there is no need to install a second door or build a vestibule, and by reducing heat losses, you can reduce the cost of gas or electricity for heating.

The production of metal doors with thermal breaks is carried out in accordance with GOST standards. According to this document, the maximum difference between the air temperature outside and in a living room should not exceed 40 degrees.

Video: what is a door with a thermal break and why is it needed

Installation of an insulated door with an insulating insert

Regardless of the insulation used and outer covering The door design with a thermal break is standard. It consists of:

Video: what's inside the door

Types of doors with thermal break

When choosing a metal door with a thermal break, you need to pay attention to the insulation used. Most often this is:

Metal doors with a thermal break also differ in the material of the external decoration:

Powder coated entrance doors are the most popular. They are characterized by high reliability and resistance to mechanical damage and weather conditions, including temperature changes.

Table: comparative characteristics of doors by segments

Is it possible to make a door with a thermal break with your own hands?

It is possible to make an entrance door with a thermal break only if you have special equipment. That is why it is almost impossible to make such a door yourself. That is why it is better to study the comparative characteristics of doors with thermal break from different manufacturers and choose for yourself exactly the model that meets your requirements for strength characteristics and cost.

Table: comparative characteristics of doors from different manufacturers

How to install a door with a thermal break yourself

You can install a door with a thermal break yourself, but remember that violation of the installation technology can lead to loss thermal insulation properties, as well as damage to the structure of the door itself, walls and floor.

You must first prepare a certain set of tools:

• hammer;
• hammer drill or drill with a hammer;
• saw;
• grinder;
• building level;
• masking tape;
• drill;
• screwdriver;
• socket wrench;
• anchors;
• wooden bars.

You will also need cement mortar and polyurethane foam.

The procedure for installing a door with a thermal break is as follows:

1. Preparing the opening. At this stage, pieces of putty, brick and other elements that may fall off are removed. You also need to remove all the protrusions with a hammer or grinder and fill the voids. The opening width should be 4–5 cm larger door frame.

   The door opening must be without recesses or protrusions

2. Preparing the door leaf. To do this, you need to remove it from its hinges, and then check the operation of the locks and the door components. The handle is usually supplied separately, so before installing the door it must be screwed to the door leaf.
3. Preparing the door frame. In the event that the wires are brought into the house through entrance opening, you must first prepare for them plastic pipe or special sleeves. It is recommended to close the box masking tape along the perimeter, which will prevent accidental damage or contact with polyurethane foam on its surface.

   The gaps between the frame and the wall must be filled with polyurethane foam.

4. Door frame installation. The box must be inserted into the opening, placing 2 cm pads underneath it. Align it horizontally and vertically using a building level and a plumb line. It is necessary to insert wedges between the wall and the frame: 3 pieces vertically and 2 on top. They need to be installed near the place where the box is attached to the canvas. Once the door is aligned vertically and horizontally, you can begin attaching the frame. For this, anchors or pieces of reinforcement are used. You need to start from the side of the loops at the top. For anchors, you need to drill holes 10–15 cm deep, and then fix the box fasteners. Make sure that the door does not move either vertically or horizontally. If no displacement has occurred, the door leaf is hung. If it opens and closes freely, you can finally tighten the anchors. The gaps between the door frame and the wall must be filled with foam.

   For anchors you need to drill holes in advance

5. Checking the functionality of the door. It is necessary to check that the door leaf opens and closes freely, the lock clicks freely, and there is no play when closed. You also need to check whether the door moves spontaneously. To do this, the canvas opens first by 45 degrees, and then by 90.

Video: installing a door with a thermal break

Door operating rules

Metal doors with a thermal break are characterized by a long service life, but functionality can only be maintained if the rules of use are followed:

1. Holding the door when opening and closing. Do not allow the canvas to hit the wall.
2. Installing a door with a thermal break only in an apartment or private house with a canopy. Contact with direct sun rays, rain and other precipitation may reduce the strength of the top powder coating.
3. Protect the door from moisture and abrasive chemicals that can cause rust.

Read in 10 minutes.

In private houses and cottages in winter you can feel the frost blowing from the front door. Its structure freezes, allowing cold to penetrate into the house and releasing heat to the street. It turns out that while you pay for heating the street, your family suffers from the cold in the house. Thermal break allows you to cope with this task.

Operating conditions of the street door

The entrance street door is subject to temperature changes. In winter, the house is much warmer than outside. Due to temperature differences, condensation may form on the inner surface of the door.

In physics, this phenomenon is called the “dew point”.

Dew point is the temperature to which the air must cool for steam to reach a state of saturation and begin to condense into dew.

In severe Russian frost, the temperature difference between inside and outside the house increases significantly. Because of this, the condensate freezes almost instantly, forming ice. Fittings freeze: locks, door handle. Rust forms on the metal, which shortens the life of the door.

You can avoid these problems by installing an entrance door with a thermal break.

What is thermal break?

This is a layer of material with low thermal conductivity, separating the external and inside design so that one does not transfer its temperature to the other.

How does thermal break work?

The operating principle can be explained as “two doors in one”, since the two doors are connected to each other through a heat-insulating material.

As a material with low thermal conductivity, for example, cork or MDF board is installed in the door.

Thermal insulating material"Cork"

Sounds complicated? Let's use an analogy. Imagine boiling pasta and dropping a spoon into the pan to stir. The spoon is hot, it is impossible to hold it. What are we doing? Take an oven mitt and calmly stir the pasta. Tack is a thermal break.

In doors it works on the same principle. Well, except that the design is more complicated.

Thermal break in the canvas and box

The thermal break can be placed both in the door leaf itself and in the door frame.

The thermal break in the box is a layer of insulating material that is located between the outer and inner parts of the box.

To operate the door when low temperatures choose a model with a thermal break both in the box and in the canvas.

Compliance with GOST

Now let's turn not only to physics, but also to legislative norms. All entrance doors must comply with GOST 31173. The main indicator when checking the compliance of a door with a street door in this GOST is heat transfer resistance.

In accordance with GOST 31173-2003, its indicator for steel door blocks is set at a level of not less than 0.4 m2 °C/W.

In cold climates, where the average winter temperature is below -30°C, this indicator is recommended 2.1 m2 °C/W.

Quality door with enhanced thermal insulation and thermal break will ensure the fulfillment of this indicator.

Thermal break - replacement of vestibule

The traditional solution to the problem of door freezing is to create an unheated vestibule area.

The vestibule is a room at the entrance to the house, which is the same thermal break between the cold street and warm home. Two entrance doors are installed in the vestibule - at the exit to the street and at the entrance to the house, which prevents cold and warm air collide sharply.

However, there are disadvantages in arranging the vestibule area:

• you need to buy not one, but two doors for installation - additional costs
• the door at the border with the street should open inside the vestibule, which means a lot of space is needed
• Not every house can have a vestibule.

Entrance doors with thermal break - optimal solution, if you do not plan or there is no opportunity to equip a vestibule area. In any case, installing such a door will cost less than buying two doors and building a vestibule.

Outdoor entrance doors with thermal break

Street doors must also have multi-level thermal protection: multi-layer insulation, several sealing contours, and the absence of “cold bridges”.

The SNEGIR series was created taking into account the climate, design wishes and planned purchase budget.

So, thermal break for street door necessary if there is no equipped vestibule area. It separates the door leaf and frame into two separate parts using a material with low thermal conductivity. So you get “two doors in one”. However, thermal break is not the only factor that influences the choice of a street entrance door.

Entrance door country house or an apartment should be as durable as possible, so most often it is made of steel. But metal transmits heat well, so in winter a simple door leaf made of this material cools down and makes the room feel cold. Conventional insulation does not always help. For reliable thermal insulation of metal door structures, temperature separation technology is used. Understanding what it is will help you evaluate its benefits and make the right choice.

In cold weather, the outer part of the front door quickly cools down to street temperature, and through the structural elements and the insulation layer the cold is transferred to the inner surface of the room. The result is a decrease in room temperature and the formation of condensation on the door surface. - a set of measures and design solutions designed to prevent heat transfer from the outer surface to the inner one. As a result, the door leaves appear to be separated by temperature. Each surface maintains its own temperature. The outside is cold, the inside is at room temperature.

Divided doors temperature conditions used to protect the entrance:

• country house;
• office with external output outside;
• ground floor apartments.

Thermal Break Technology

There is a misconception that the thermal break in metal doors is simply an additional layer of insulation. In fact, the differences between these models and conventional insulated doors are much more serious. Temperature gap - the whole system solutions aimed at maximizing the isolation of the two sides of the door block from each other.

The technology for creating a thermal break includes:

• The use of several insulating layers made of materials with low thermal conductivity inside the door leaf. The resulting “layer cake” is almost impervious to the cold. The efficiency of insulation increases many times over.
• Decrease metal parts structures connecting both door leaves to each other. The emphasis is on connecting using thermally insulating materials.
• The door frame is being insulated. The frame of the box is made of profiled structural elements. Interior must be filled with high-quality insulation.

The use of double sealing along the contour of the structural elements ensures that there are no gaps between the frame and the closed door.

Materials used to create a thermal break

To ensure a thermal break between the leaf and the door frame, different materials are usually used.

For internal filling of the canvas:

1. Polyurethane foam. Designed to enhance structural strength. Poured in liquid form, filling the cavities inside door design. The result is a rigid connection between the outer and inner steel sheets, which has excellent thermal insulation properties.
2. Expanded polystyrene. Provides additional thermal insulation, while simultaneously creating reliable sound insulation.
3. Cork. The different layers of the insulating “pie” are often separated from each other by cork sheets.
4. Foil penofol or isolon.

IN inexpensive models budget level can be applied:

1. Styrofoam.
2. Mineral wool. You must choose options with this material with caution. Mineral wool is hygroscopic, and having absorbed moisture, it partially loses its heat-insulating properties. Over time, its volume may decrease.
3. Fiberglass. It is not recommended to use it in areas with hot climates. At elevated temperatures, the material may release harmful substances.

The use of cardboard or its derivatives is completely unacceptable.

To fill out profiles door frames use:

1. Solid solid wood. Effective solution, but quite expensive.
2. Inserts made of polyvinyl chloride materials.
3. Expanded polystyrene.

Features of doors with thermal break

All temperature separation technology is aimed at stopping any possibility of cold penetration to the inner surface of the door.

Thermal breaking models have their own device features:

1. There is no massive material inside the door leaf iron frame. Metal sheets the doors are connected by adhesion to heat-insulating materials.
2. Locks and locking mechanisms are used that do not create “bridges” that allow cold to penetrate through them into the room.
3. As a rule, models using this technology are not equipped with eyes.
4. Metal sheets must be coated with an anti-corrosion compound.

Sometimes the internal and external surfaces are additionally covered with any materials - wood, leatherette, MDF panels. They do not affect the quality of thermal insulation in any way, performing purely decorative functions.

Advantages and disadvantages

To fully understand what a thermal break in a steel entrance door is, it is worth listing the pros and cons of this technology.

1. Effective thermal protection of a room whose doors face the street. A single opening with a thermal break prevents the penetration of cold better than vestibules with two doors.
2. Condensation does not form inside the entire structure, which increases the service life of the door.
3. In extreme cold, there is no frost on the inside surface of the door.
4. Additional sound insulation from street noise.

1. When installing the frame and canvas, increased quality of all stages of work is required. Minor distortions and deformations of structural parts will cause gaps to form. As a result, efforts to create thermal insulation will be nullified.
2. Significant weight of thermal break type structures. Doorways must withstand such weight.

Use for protection against external influences steel doors with thermal break technology ensure not only security, but also prevent the penetration of cold into the room. The result is increased comfort in the rooms and reduced heating costs.

At making the right choice model and qualified installation, these advantages will be preserved for a long time.