Is It Time to Replace the Front Door?

Homeowners looking to cut back on their energy consumption and save on their utility bills might want to consider a new front door. Experts even suggest evaluating a home’s main entry door once a year to determine the state of its energy efficiency. But most of us probably overlook this, even though the answer to saving money could be right in front of our very eyes every day. Here are a few tips you can use to determine whether or not replacing your front door will benefit your home.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Examine your locks to make sure they operate smoothly and are strong enough to help protect your home. Multi-point locking systems offer exceptional peace-of-mind and security for the home.
4. 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.
5. 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.