The frames of steel doors and windows need to be thermally enhanced to meet modern thermally responsible building codes. In the U.S., the NFRC offers a system of certified results based on standard sizes per category.
The NFRC database allows each system listed in a category to show verified results of the system showing many different glass combinations that might be possible.
Previously, manufacturers could show results using test sizes that were most favorable to their design. This caused misleading advertising claims that were not fair comparisons between products.
The 2Fold® Comparison
The only category that 2Fold® has in common with the following list or results was the folding door category which actually has the same test size and configuration as the French Door category. Here are the data comparisons for several systems using comparable glass combinations.
2Fold® steel doors and windows lead the pack
- The LOWER the U-Value is the better
- The HIGHER the Condensation Resistance Factor (CRF) is the better
| Table 1: | ||||||
| Manufacturer | Frame Material | U-Value | Condensation Resistance Factor | Insulated Glass | Low-E Coating | Gas-Filled Space |
| 2Fold® | 2Fold Standard | 0.50 | 40 | Yes | none | air |
| Hope’s | Steel, thermal | 0.64 | 30 | Yes | none | air |
| Fleetwood | Aluminum, thermal | 0.55 | 36 | Yes | none | air |
NOTE for the non-Low-E chart above
U-Value note: 2Fold® is 28% better than Hope’s and 11% better than Fleetwood
CRF note: 2Fold® is 33% better than Hope’s and 11% better than Fleetwood
| Table 2: | ||||||
| Manufacturer | Frame Material | U-Value | Condensation Resistance Factor | Insulated Glass | Low-E Coating | Gas-Filled Space |
| 2Fold® | 2Fold Standard | 0.36 | 50 | Yes | triple silver | air |
| Hope’s | Steel, thermal | 0.57 | 30 | Yes | triple silver | air |
| Arcadia | Steel, thermal | 0.37 | 44 | Yes | triple silver | air |
| Panda | Aluminum, thermal | 0.39 | 45 | Yes | triple silver | air |
NOTE for the non-Low-E chart above
U-Value note: 2Fold® is 58% better than Hope’s, 6% better than Arcadia, and 11% better than Panda
CRF note: 2Fold® is 63% better than Hope’s and 11% better than Arcadia, and 11% better than Panda