Born in the Renaissance Period, French doors were first introduced as windows that reached the floor. Renaissance architecture focused on symmetry and proportion, with a heavy emphasis on light, thus creating the necessity for glass panes. This new approach to doors helped bring more natural light into the home, which was especially useful in an era before electricity.

Today French doors remain a popular renovation choice in Mesa homes for adding brightness, ventilation and elegance. In addition, there is a romantic association with French doors that can boost a home’s resale value.

Many homeowners, unhappy with their drafty, hard-to-open-and-close aluminum sliding patio doors, want to upgrade to something more elegant, functional and energy-efficient. Now, you can choose fiberglass and vinyl hinged doors that match the beauty and profile of traditional wood French doors — with none of the maintenance problems. Depending on your needs and home’s floor plan, both in-swing and out-swing doors are available.

For various reasons, a hinged-style French patio door may not be feasible. In this case, there are sliding French doors that provide the same great look but do not take up floor space. If you purchase high quality French style patio doors, both the hinged and sliding styles effectively ward off wind and rain, year after year, without peeling, swelling, expanding, cracking or warping.

Here are a few other tips to consider when choosing your patio door:

• Choose a design that has a wide doorway to provide greater access and stronger connection to your outdoor living space. You can integrate multiple French and swing doors into your design.

• Since glass is a major component of patio doors, you will want to select the type that will afford the most benefits and energy efficiency. Low-E glass helps lower energy bills all year and protects against UV fading.  Decorative tempered glass offers privacy and added style while still letting in natural light. Look for options like internal blinds and grills to control the light, views, and aesthetics.

• Choose a material that is durable and easy to maintain, especially if your patio is a high traffic area. Vinyl, fiberglass, aluminum and clad-wood patio doors are durable, weather well and never need painting.

• Just like your home’s exterior siding, the material of your patio door is equally important to your home’s overall look. Be sure the quality and style of your patio door complements your home. French style patio doors offer the most design options, because you can select the door style, accessories and glass.

So, when you are looking for a new patio door Mesa, remember that there are many new options to choose from like low-maintenance fiberglass, decorative glass, custom colors and energy efficient systems.  Remember to look for the ENERGY STAR label on any patio door you choose.