Accordian Doors in Mountain Climate

3 years ago

We are finalizing our design plans for a passive solar home in a fairly extreme mountain climate. The current plans call for accordion doors. While I love the look and it fits the aesthetic of the home, I'm concerned about practicality, bugs, etc. I like having doors and windows open for air flow and I don't want to overthink having to open things up, or worry about lack of screens, etc. Would love to hear feedback, from those who have had them or seen them in action. Pros/Cons/Alternatives. THANK YOU!

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Comments (6)

PRO
User
3 years ago
Our headquarters are in Missoula, Montana so we understand extreme mountain climate and so do most of our clientele. In the past, we considered carrying accordion doors but decided against it after researching their lack of air-sealing/thermal performance and how clunky the operation of the doors felt. I would highly recommend seeing and operating them in person. I would also ask as many questions as you can regarding the air-sealing, which directly impacts your comfort during the winter months. Can't speak to the practicality and bugs, which really depends on your region.

Some of our clients have chosen large sliding doors. In some instances, when they want a truly open feel they've built a large pocket built into their plans for the doors to be nestled within.

Anyway, hope this helps some!
Dara Pfister
Original Author
3 years ago
I appreciate your reply. Do you have any pictures featuring the large pocket? I'm having trouble visualizing this. Also this is the first I've heard about your company. I thought Zola was the only show in town for passive solar windows. Would you mind sharing how you compare, as well as the amount of lead time we would need to have windows/doors ready for our project? Home will be in ID.
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PRO
User
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I have floor plans showing the large pocket. Unfortunately, we don't have any finished photos yet (Covid has made getting finished photos a bit trickier). You can see an example of what I'm referring to here:

We are very familiar with Zola. Basing price solely on window/door configurations we are either 5% +/- in cost. However, in the northwest we've found ways in reducing shipping costs by combining shipments, getting the overall cost of a project 5-10% less than Zola. We also provide local service and installation teams in the PNW, since we have dealers right near Idaho. Lead time is generally around 14-16 weeks, shipped directly to the site.

If you need help brainstorming further, I can connect you with one of our project managers, Mark Wells. He's very accustomed to problem-solving and has tons of product knowledge of our products and other brands to cross-reference for you. He's very good at letting clients know if we are a good fit for your project or not. He's available today anytime after 10am (mountain time), 406-721-2741. I can give him a heads up if you'd like.

Hope this helps!
Dara Pfister
Original Author
3 years ago
Yes, i would love to talk to him. Thank you. When would be a good time to call?
PRO
User
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Anytime after 10 am (mountain time). I'll go ahead and let him know you'll be calling.

*I had just edited the time to call on my last post before I saw your post above ;)
HU-427629895
2 years ago
Can you provide pictures of the doors you decided to go with? Thanks.

Accordian Doors in Mountain Climate

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Accordian Doors in Mountain Climate

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Dara Pfister
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