What Way Should Your Exterior Door Swing?

If you are considering replacing your home's exterior door. Did you know you can choose whether your door swings into (inswing) or out of (outswing) the home? Most people don't, but they do have a choice, and there are plenty of reasons to choose one over the other.

Both inswing and outswing exterior doors have certain advantages, but which direction of rotation is right for you? This article will look at the ins and outs of door opening direction (swing) and give you the pros and cons for you to consider.

Since every home is different, the way the door opens should be determined based on the construction/layout of your home and your personal needs.

Inswing doors (push to open -push to close)

Pros

• ‌Inswing door locks are usually located indoors, ‌only family members can enter the room, ‌outsiders cannot easily enter, ‌effectively prevent burglary and illegal intrusion, and ‌protect the personal and property safety of family members.
• ‌The inswing door lock is located indoors and will not be exposed to the outside. It can avoid the risk of the door lock being maliciously damaged or copying keys by others. It also protects the privacy of family members and avoids prying eyes from outsiders.
• Hinges are not exposed to the outside
• The door will not open to visitors waiting for it to open

Cons

• Every time you enter or exit the door, you need to unlock the inswing door first, which increases the time required to go out and the complexity of the operation. ‌
• If family members forget to lock the door or fail to close it in time, outsiders may take the opportunity to enter the room, causing property damage or personal injury.
• Interior Space - Space must be allowed within the house to accommodate inswing (loss of floor and wall space)
• Weather - more susceptible to wind and water due to its design.

Outswing doors (pull to open -pull to close)

Pros

• You only need to push the door gently to enter the room, eliminating the need to open the indoor door lock, saving time and complexity of operation. ‌
• It does not take up any space in the house, and the entrance space can be used more. It is more resistant to theft when it opens outwards and is not easy to be knocked open. ‌
• Because the door stop (the interior trim that prevents the door from moving inward) is located on the inside of the interior rather than on the outside, providing a stronger, tighter, and more secure fit.
• Positive stop with compression washer creates a weatherproof seal without friction. This makes the door easy to open.

Cons

• The door lock is exposed to the outside and can easily be maliciously damaged or the key copied by others. ‌
• If the door lock is exposed to the outside, it may be spied on by others, who may know the entry and exit of family members, which increases the security risk of the family. ‌
• Removal of the door for any reason must be done by unscrewing the hinges, not the pins
• High winds may make it more difficult to open and close doors
• If there is heavy snow on the door, it may be difficult to open it
• It is awkward when answering the door - have to push it out to where people would be standing

Swing setups (single doors)

• Inswing left (IL): The hinge is on the left side of the door - the door opens into the house or away from the opener.You have to push the door, which swings to the left as you enter.
• Inswing right (IR): The hinge is on the right side of the door - the door opens into the house or away from the opener.You have to push the door, which swings to the right as you enter.
• Outswing left (OL): The hinge is on the left side of the door - the door opens toward the opener or out of the house. You have to pull the door and it will swing to the left.
• Outswing right (OR): The hinge is on the right side of the door - the door opens toward the opener or out of the house. You have to pull the door and it will swing to the right.

Need more information?

• If you are installing new exterior doors, installing external door openings is certainly an unusual option worth exploring.
• If you would like to find out more about outswing and inswing door configurations and the conditions that may apply to your requirements, please give us a call or request more information via our contact form. We'll be happy to answer all your questions.