Tips for Deciding When to Replace a Front Door

Homeowners looking to save on rising energy bills can start right at the front door. That’s the advice of experts who suggest evaluating your main entry door at least once a year to determine the status of the door’s operational capabilities and energy efficiency features.

“Every component of a home needs to be replaced at some point over time,” says Derek Fielding, director of product management for Therma-Tru Corp. “Most homeowners can get years of service out of their front door, but there will come a time when a door needs to be replaced. That’s why it’s important to annually evaluate and maintain your main entryway.”

According to Fielding, there are several easy ways homeowners can determine when it’s time to consider a front door replacement.

• Open and close your doors — on both dry and wet, humid days. Make sure all the components operate smoothly. If your door doesn’t close securely, or fits tightly on humid days, then it’s most likely leaking air on dry days, causing the home to lose energy.
• Inspect the weather stripping around all sides of the front door to make sure it has not worn out. On a bright day, stand inside near your door and look for daylight flowing through the door perimeter. If light is coming in, then so most likely, is external air and possibly moisture. That means it’s time to determine if your foam-filled weather-stripping may have lost some of its compression, cracked or simply worn out.
• Examine your locks to make sure they operate smoothly and are strong enough to help protect your home. Multi-point locking systems, like those that can be requested on Therma-Tru® doors, offer exceptional peace-of-mind and security for the home.
• Reach out and touch your door on both hot and cold days. If you feel the exterior temperatures on the inside surface, then your door may not have adequate insulation. In this situation, consider upgrading the door with a replacement that is more energy efficient and has an ENERGY STAR® qualified rating for your geographic area. Order a multi-point locking system on your next door for a tighter fit against the weather-stripping, which can help provide even greater energy savings.
• Look at the appearance of your door. If you have a wood door, it may be warping or rotting after years of service. A steel door can get dinged and rust over time. And, it’s possible that the style of the door simply doesn’t match up with the design of your home. These are all red flags that it’s time to replace your front door.

“If it becomes apparent that you’re in the market for a new door, consider one made of fiberglass,” says Fielding. “A solid fiberglass door is up to four times more energy efficient than a solid wood door, plus you get the benefits that fiberglass has to offer, including resistance to rot, rust, dings and weather.”

Kathy Ziprik of Ziprik Consulting is based in Mills River, N.C.