Replacement patio doors tremendously improved

Dear Jim: We have an old sliding patio door. It is chilly near it during winter and hot during summer. There always is a draft around it and outdoor noise comes through. What type of door should I replace it with? – Ron A.

Dear Ron: The problems you describe are typical with an old sliding patio door. In a home of average efficiency, that one old sliding glass door can waste more energy than all the walls in that room combined. The discomfort near it often makes you set the thermostat higher during winter or lower during summer, which further increases your utility bills.

There have been tremendous improvements in the energy efficiency, security and styling of replacement patio doors. Some new high-tech glass in these doors has an insulation value as high as R-10, and it blocks the majority of the sun’s fading ultraviolet rays. This results in a huge energy savings.

The first thing your family will notice when a new efficient patio door is installed is the reduced outdoor noise heard. Noise enters a home through the glass panes and around the frame through air leaks. The new weatherstripping greatly reduces air leakage, and the multipane glass with heavy inert gas between the panes blocks sound wave transmission.

Although any type of efficient door can be installed, most people replace an old sliding glass door with either another sliding door or French doors. Each has its advantages depending upon your desired balance between functionality and style.

French doors are more stylish and provide a more airtight seal. They swing open easily, but do require a large area for swinging clearance. Sliding doors are more convenient to operate and provide a more unobstructed view of the outdoors.

Most door manufacturers allow you to order almost any type of glass you want. The minimum efficiency level you should select is double-pane glass with a low-emissivity coating and argon gas between the panes.

Even more efficient, but more expensive, is triple-pane glass or double-pane glass with low-emissivity plastic films stretched between them.

The frame material also is important for efficiency and smooth operation. A pultruded fiberglass frame is strong and stable. Its strength allows for narrower frame profiles and more glass area. They can be ordered with a real oak wood veneer on the indoor surfaces. The exterior is painted.

Vinyl door frames, reinforced with internal steel supports, are good insulators, maintenance-free and reasonably priced. The corners are fusion welded for extra strength and have a clean appearance.

Solid wood frames are attractive and strong, but they require regular maintenance. Choosing one with exterior vinyl or aluminum cladding minimizes the maintenance.

The following companies offer efficient patio doors: Champion Window, (800) 875-5575, www.champion

window.com; Fibertec, (888) 232-4956, www.fibertec.com; Peachtree, (800) 732-2499, www.peachtreedoor.com; Simonton, (800) 746-6686, www.simonton.com; and Weathershield, (800) 222-2995, www.weathershield.com.

Dear Jim: Our family is trying to live as green as possible. We drink a lot of soft drinks and end up with a lot of bottles and cans. Is there any energy-efficient method to carbonate our own soft drinks? – Jay G.

Dear Jay: Americans use billions of bottles and drink cans each year. Some are recycled, but billions of cubic feet of them end up in landfills. Nonelectric appliances are available to carbonate drinks yourself. Small units use disposable tiny carbon dioxide cartridges. For a family, Soda Club (www.sodaclub.com) makes a large unit with reusable bottles which last several years. The large CO2 cartridge is returned for refilling when a new one is delivered.

Send inquiries to James Dulley, Bangor Daily News, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244, or visit www.dulley

.com.