FAQS
- 1. What should I consider when choosing the entrance door?
3. What does thermal transmittance mean?
4. What are patented keys and how are they different from generic keys?
5. Why it is recommended to have two locks?
6. How can I know if my door is really manufactured by UAB Plieninis skydas?
1. What should I consider when choosing the entrance door?
It depends on the purpose of the door (used under interior or outdoor conditions) and what security level is necessary for the premises.
When choosing an apartment door, pay attention at:
1. Door security class and whether it is tested in a notified laboratory.
2. Other test results (thermal and sound insulation, resistance to repeated opening and closing).
3. Internal structure of the door frame and leaf. It should be made of bent profile that has no closed cavities and can be completely thermally insulated by rock wool.
4. Reliability and security class of the locks.When choosing a door for outdoor applications, pay attention at:
1. Door construction. The best combination is metal and waterproof wood fibreboard construction, where metal ensures strength and wood – non-permeability to cold.
2. Internal structure of the door frame and leaf. It should be made of bent profile that has no closed cavities and can be completely thermally insulated by rock wool.
3. Laboratory test results of the door and especially the indices of thermal and sound insulation.
4. Appropriate finish materials, which have to be waterproof, resistant to temperature changes and would not flake or splinter at the places of milling, which is characteristic to various plywood.
5. Reliability and security class of the locks.
2. When purchasing entrance door one is concerned if it will not freeze, deform or build up condensate. What should one know to avoid such problems?1. Appropriate door construction. The freezing and steaming up of the door is especially determined by door quality, construction and proper assembly. The heating, ventilation and tightness maintenance is not enough, if the door itself is of low quality or unsuitable for outdoor conditions: the construction is welded from hollow tubes (metal profiles 40×60, 40×80 are used), the frame inside is not thermally insulated, the door is tightened only by one seal, etc. The best combination for outside door is metal and waterproof wood fibreboard construction, where metal ensures strength and wood – non-permeability to cold.
2. Proper usage and care of the door. The cold getting form outside mixes up with water vapour and forms dewdrops on the door. To prevent this one should check if the door seals are clean. E.g., after “sweeping away” the snow with the door, check if there is no ice on the seals. After locking the door do not push down the handle, as this loosens the seals and the tightness decreases. Worn seals have to be replaced.
3. Ventilation. We hardly ever think how many sources of moisture are in our home. First of all, the human himself, then boiling pots, dried laundry, washed floor, plants, pets, etc. The amount of water vapour at home increases when it is wet or raining outside. To prevent the build-up of condensate on doors and windows, the excess humidity has to be eliminated. The key roles here are played by heating and ventilation. The settled moisture is heated up, i.e. turned into water vapour and then sucked out through the vents. Thus the quality of the air and the microclimate of the rooms is improved and excessive humidity removed as well as the pollution, which could cause diseases or mould. Only by ventilating heated rooms you will be able to enjoy dry doors and windows. Ventilation of the kitchen, WC, and bathroom should be most efficient, but other rooms should not be forgotten, especially where people tend to gather. Of course, a certain amount of humidity in the air is necessary. A person feels best when relative humidity is 40-60 percent.
3. What does thermal transmittance mean?
The lower the thermal transmittance, the more heat is held in. Thermal transmittance of our security doors depending on the model is 1.1-1.3 W/(m2–K), i.e. the same as that of 5-6-chamber plastic windows with the selective glass packets. Therefore, these doors are perfectly suitable for outdoors.
4. What are patented keys and how are they different from generic keys?Generic keys are easier to duplicate in virtually any key shop as they are not intended for safe doors. It is convenient to the user, but there is an essential disadvantage: there is no control of the keys, a duplicate can be made by anyone and anywhere, e.g. out of a key impression in plastic. In some cases a duplicate can be made just after seeing the key. It takes just a few moments and therefore, the keys left in a visible place even for a short time can be copied by criminals. One should also consider the safety of children’s keys.
The solution is patented keys, which are legally and technically protected from duplicating. It is a key made of a complicated blank (a blank is a semi-product, from which a key is cut), which is distributed only to authorised representatives, and without it making a duplicate is technically impossible. In addition, patents protect such keys against illegal duplicating (it is recommended that the patents are valid for at least ten years). A duplicate is made only upon submitting the key and the ID card, which is received when purchasing the lock. It means that if someone steals your key or makes its impression in plastics, he will not be able to make a duplicate.
5. Why it is recommended to have two locks?1. It is safer. We recommend selecting a combination of two different locks (one cylinder and one armoured). In case of a burglary, a burglar will have to be able to pick or break two different type locks. This requires more tools, takes more time and makes more noise, which is inconvenient for the burglar.
2. It is more convenient. If there are two locks, the main lock can have a thumbturn on the inside. This would make locking and unlocking the door easier and simpler when being at home. When going away or at night both locks can be locked. If there is only one lock, it is not recommended to install a thumbturn on the inside. It is always easier for the thieves to leave through the door, even if they got in through the window. If the lock can be unlocked from inside without a key, the thieves will easily take out stolen things and cause less suspicion than getting out of the window and carrying goods.
6. How can I know if my door is really manufactured by UAB Plieninis skydas?Recently there have been cases when the customers are tricked into purchasing armoured doors of other companies by stating that they are made by “Plieninis skydas”.
If you ordered your door not directly from UAB Plieninis skydas, look for unique marking plates on the frame and leaf of all SKYDAS doors, which indicate the door model, manufacturing date and our company logo.
If you have any suspicions that someone is trying to sell or have already sold the door made not by the Skydas, please call +370 5 232 66 47 in Vilnius and we will provide additional information and help to solve the issue.