Are Built-In Patio Door Blinds a Good Idea for Sliding Doors?

Built-in blinds are attractive on patio doors. Streamlined and gorgeous, they have many advantages but some drawbacks too.

Before you go shopping for patio doors with built-in blinds, consider their pros and cons. Also, you should learn about their options and styles.

Here’s How a Patio Door with Built-In Blinds Works

In this case, the patio door has two glass panes and a venetian blind situated between them. They sit vertically when they are closed and horizontally when opened. These blinds work just like traditional ones. Most come with cords for raising and lowering them and a rod-type system to tilt them open and close.

Some built-in blinds also come with magnets on slide tracks for raising and lowering the slats. Some also come with a switch or a button placed near the door frame, or a remote to operate motor-controlled built-in blinds.

 

Advantages of Having Built-in Blinds on Patio Doors

Having built-in blinds can come with many advantages. Here are some you should consider.

1. No Cleaning Required

Cleaning window coverings is a tough task, and you can’t ignore tiny specks of dust because they can be a menace to your health. They can also inflame allergies.

But built-in blinds are between the panes of glass which is why they don’t get dusty or dirty.

2. Light and Privacy Control

These built-in blinds offer total control over light and privacy. You can tilt some blinds to allow just a little light inside. If you want a good view outside and flood the room with light, you can pull it all the way up. And motorized blinds makes operating them easier.

3. No Noise and Flapping Against the Door

It’s annoying when blinds slam shut every time you open or close the sliding door. And they keep flapping against the door, making noise. Built-in blinds stay neatly inside when the door is opened or closed, and they don’t make that irritating noise.

Also, blinds that are not encased can easily get damaged. But when they are protected between two glass panes, they are safe from any kind of damage.

4. Fewer Indoor Allergens

If you or your family members suffer from allergies, built-in sliding door blinds will be good for you. Exposed blinds can collect a lot of dust and airborne allergens that worsen allergies; these won’t be able to settle on blinds sandwiched between two panes.

5. Safer for Kids and Pets

We have said many times that cordless blinds are the safest option for kids and pets since there’s no danger of them getting tangled up in the cords. But they can still get hurt from the edges of the blinds. Motorized built-in blinds are tucked between the panes so there are no edges and no cords.

 

Issues You Might Face with Built-In Blinds

Built-in blinds have their disadvantages as well. They are more expensive than other blinds for obvious reasons. If you are on a budget, research the price and look for offers before you set your heart on them.

They also come in a limited selection of styles and colours. Additionally, not all manufacturers of patio door offer built-in blinds.

Also, there is no way of knowing how reliable they are. They might break down or just stop working. Sometimes, the issue is minor, like sliders and blinds getting disconnected. In such cases, you can simply snap them back. In others you will need to disassemble the door or get a professional to fix it. The issue’s severity will depend on the system’s design and brand, so, you’ll need to research the common problems a particular brand or design commonly suffers.

One drawback is energy efficiency. Energy-efficient windows and doors use filler gases like krypton and argon that insulate the windows, making them energy efficient. But, with built-in blinds, the patio doors lack airtight frames and there are no gases installed in between the panes to make them energy efficient. That’s not a flaw; it’s intentional because air moves more freely between the panes and expands more quickly when exposed to heat compared to when gas filled. That often makes patio doors warp from inside.

To handle this issue, manufacturers sometimes add small ventilation holes to the frame. Non-airtight frames can prevent this warping but they are less energy efficient.

Built-in patio door blinds are a worthwhile investment especially if you have pets and children. And if you have a busy lifestyle, you might appreciate the fact that they don’t need cleaning. But before you buy these built-in blinds, make sure you comprehensively research the product and the reliability of the brands along with energy efficiency issues.