Why do the doors on Florida homes open outward?

After Hurricane Andrew, the building codes in Florida changed to become much more stringent. Codes requiring exterior doors to open outward were part of these changes. read more

I live in central Florida. My front door opens in. The door on the driveway side of the house opens outward (this is off the laundryroom). We replaced sliding doors to the lanai with double french doors and I purposely have them open outward for a more open effect in the kitchen. Every one of these doors has hidden hinges when they are closed. read more

With a standard hinge design, this means the door will open inward. Public buildings have the same security concerns, of course, but they also have to consider other safety factors. Unlike a private home, a public building is likely to have large numbers of people in it. read more