ᐅ Front Door – PVC or Aluminum

Just a tip for browsing or even buying: the Hörmann front door offer 2016. It is still valid until June 30, 2016, when we will order a Thermosafe front door with glass insert and sidelight.

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Bauexperte

And always this politically correct family grinning at you. Seems like some kind of house selling thing...

Left turns are not allowed here

I would look into the color fastness when choosing a colored door.

I currently live in a rental building, and our front door is somewhat faded. It is a green door made of plastic, but it also faces south, so it gets a lot of direct sunlight. The house was built in 2000.

For our own home, we chose an aluminum door with a metallic fine-texture coating. This type of surface is said to show scratches, scuffs, and similar marks less than smooth or matte finishes.

Elina schrieb:
The lock was a deal-breaker for us. Not just because of security, but also for convenience. It had to be self-locking with a panic function, and the option to open it at the push of a button or by fingerprint was an added bonus. Since then, keys have become unnecessary.

Could you explain that in more detail? I find it very interesting, but I think I don’t fully understand it.

Self-locking: Does that mean power needs to be supplied to the door and it automatically locks with some kind of motorized lock every time you close it? If so, what happens during a power outage? What exactly does the “panic” function involve in this context?

Opening at the push of a button: Is this a hand sensor like a remote control? Or if the button is fixed beside the door, how does it recognize that you are authorized to open it? Or is it automatically combined with the fingerprint scan? That would make sense to me.

I generally like the idea of making keys unnecessary. However, I wonder whether the added convenience justifies the extra cost, and I worry that “electronic” systems might be easier to bypass than a traditional mechanical lock. I’m quite conflicted about this topic.

Thanks and best regards

There are mechanically self-locking locks and motorized self-locking locks. Mechanically self-locking locks do not require a power supply and are unaffected by power outages. To open them from the inside, you simply operate the lever or handle. These locks can also be secured additionally with the main deadbolt using a key. In this case, you have to unlock the door from the inside with a key. From the outside, these locks are always opened with a key.

Panic locks ensure that the door can always be opened in the direction of escape at any time in an emergency, even when locked. These are rarely used in private homes. I know many people who do not additionally secure a mechanically locking lock with the main deadbolt. This way, you have a VdS-certified locked front door lock that you can always easily open from the inside by simply operating the lever or handle in an emergency.

For this type of lock, the optional motor is a convenience feature. It requires power at the door. You can open the door with basically anything you can think of (intercom system, push button, remote control, fingerprint scanner, code keypad, Bluetooth, smartphone...) and usually with a key as well. Remote controls are paired and relatively secure against tampering.

Whether the added convenience is worth the extra cost—well, that is one of the big questions in this forum.