Light switch position

[JohnW2]

Horrible I agree, but very, very practical, windproof, and much more secure.

As Sunray has asked, much more secure than what?
I remember, a long time ago, seeing on TV a demonstration that one pretty quick (and fairly quiet) way of breaking in through many uPVC doors and windows involved a blowlamp

In general, I would probably do all I could (or all I could afford to do) to avoid 'horrible' whenever I could!

 

[JohnW2]

Than a standard timber door.

See what I've just written about blowlamps

 

[SUNRAY]

Than a standard timber door.

I think you have more faith in the salesmans pitch than I do

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

See what I've just written about blowlamps

They are reinforced with some steel. Most timber doors, split fairly easily, but the point is the noise involved in making an entry. I would certainly trust my 'plastic' doors, to be much more resistant to break-in, than the timber ones they replaced, and they are blow torch resistant.

 

[JohnW2]

See what I've just written about blowlamps

Crowbars seem to work quite well on many of the uPVC ones, too!

 

[JohnW2]

They are reinforced with some steel. ...

Maybe, but presumably only around the edges in the case of the (very common) glazed ones ...

... and they are blow torch resistant.

The one's I saw on TV certainly weren't ...just a short period of attention with a blowtorch and the glass could be pushed or lifted out!

... and how, I wonder, can one make uPVC "blow torch resistant" (if it actually is uPVC) ?

 

[securespark]

I would certainly trust my 'plastic' doors, to be much more resistant

A standard PVCu door? I wouldn't.

Especially those with panels you can kick out.

But a composite door is much more secure.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

But a composite door is much more secure.

Exactly, mine are both composite.

 

[SUNRAY]

Exactly, mine are both composite.

But the frame is still exactly the same product it's always been, the only place there may be any steel reinforcement is where the hinges screw in but neither of mine have it nor the 3 others aquired on behalf of a scout camp which I've helped refit. One of those we cut in half to create a stable door and apart from the lock arrangement and a strip o metal each side (which was so thin I imagine the galv was thicker than the base metal) we found only MDF and foam.

The broken composite door I saw on a skip the panels appeared to be an insert rather than part of any structure.
I'll stick with

I think you have more faith in the salesmans pitch than I do

 

[xgn]

That'sinteresting. Do I take it (flags are not my strongest subject!) that we're talking about Lithuania? If so, do you know whether that is also the case in your neighbouring countries?

That's a credible explanation. However, in turn, I have no idea as to why inward opening external doors seem to be almost the norm in the UK (even though my front door opens outwards!!). I suppose one possible reason is that the inside face of an outward opening door could get wet when opened under the appropriate weather conditions - but, conversely, heavy snowfall might prevent one opening an outward-opening door - so I don't know However, Mr Google's "AI Overview" seems to agree with your suggestion about your country (and also my point about snow) ....



Up to a point, but I'm not sure that makes much difference since, even if the door opens outwards, the interior space immediately inside the door becomes essentially unusable (for a wardrobe or anything else).

Yes, you're right. I suppose it is true for Baltic countries, but probably not for Germany etc., or Scandinavia, where it would be hard to push the snow with the door.