As winter approaches, you may need to replace the exterior doors on your home to help reduce your heating costs and make your home more comfortable during colder months. If you are experiencing a draft in your home it may be coming through unsealed areas around your existing door. If your energy bills are high you might also have doors in your home that are made from materials that conduct high levels of heat. Many older homes have doors made from materials that do not meet new energy efficiency guidelines. The following steps should be taken to help improve your exterior doors and keep your family warm this winter.
Enhance Curb Appeal with a New Door
The very first step you should take in your quest to winter proofing your home, is check all of your home’s exterior doors and door frames. Many homes shift and settle over the years and these small movements may have compromised your existing door frame. You will need to decide if you will only be replacing the door slab with a more energy efficient door, or if you need to replace the framing and insulation around your exterior doors as well. If you decide that you need to replace your current door and door frame, selecting a prehung door is one of the easiest ways to ensure your new door will be equipped with all of the insulating accessories needed to winter proof your home.
There are several different materials used to create energy efficient doors and most can be ordered through local building suppliers who have started making wooden doors that meet the requirements for an energy star rating. While wooden doors are beautiful and were traditionally used for most home construction, there are several manufactured doors on the market today that will make your home more energy efficient. Steel and fiberglass doors create a barrier between your home and the outdoors. Many of them contain insulation as one of the main materials used in the interior of the door to help reduce the doors heat conduction. Steel and fiberglass doors also are equipped with, what is known in the industry, as a thermal break. A thermal break is a material that creates a barrier between the elements outside your door and the inside of your house. As the temperature outside your home drops it will cool the outside of your door and that will begin to cool the air inside your door slab. When a thermal break is included inside the door slab it stops the cool air from traveling through your door and into the interior of your home.
Keep your family warm and heating costs low this winter by replacing your exterior doors with more energy efficient ones.
