The front door is a home’s most common entry and exit point. Every time someone comes or goes, the door opens and closes. However, like other parts of the home, doors eventually wear out. In this brief guide, homeowners will learn how to tell when it’s time for door replacement services.
Difficult Opening and Closing
If opening or closing the front door doubles as a daily workout, it’s time for a new door. Temperature fluctuations may cause doors to expand or contract, and prolonged exposure to the elements may cause the door to warp, swell, and become permanently damaged.
Feeling a Draft
If a homeowner feels a breeze when standing next to a closed door, or if they see light coming in around it, they should consider replacing it. Air comes in from outside, lowering the home’s energy efficiency as the HVAC system struggles to maintain a consistent temperature. While new weatherstripping may provide relief, the fix is only temporary. Drafts may indicate that the door is inefficient and poorly insulated, and replacing the door with a well-insulated model can help homeowners save on their monthly heating and cooling bills.
Moisture Between Panes of Glass
Just like today’s new windows, many doors have double-pane glass panels. Over time, the seals between these panes may fail, leading to mold, mildew, and moisture buildup. With windows, some homeowners let it go longer than necessary because windows are typically composed of inorganic materials, which deteriorate slower and help to delay the spread of mildew and mold. However, when it comes to the home’s front door, replacement should come more quickly. Until the past decade, all doors used in homes have had a wood frame or core. If the seal between a door’s glass panes has failed, the internal mildew and mold will quickly make its way into the door’s organic material.
This may be a significant problem in homes with entryways that don’t receive much sunlight, and the last thing a homeowner wants to deal with is a mold overgrowth situation. Just like the home’s windows, when there’s a door with moisture trapped between glass panes, it should be replaced as soon as possible.
Scraping the Floor
Not only will worn-out doors warp, they may start to sag as they get older. When the door has dropped low enough, the bottom will scrape the floor every time it opens and closes, causing damage to the home’s flooring. While rehanging the door from its hinges may solve the problem, a door maintenance and installation specialist will assess the issue and determine whether replacement is the better option.
Cracking and Splitting
As doors contract and expand with years of constant use and exposure to the elements, they may lose their tolerance for temperature fluctuations. Cracks may form, ruining the door’s insulating effect and letting bugs and other pests into the home. Furthermore, cracks may affect a door’s structural integrity, creating safety issues for the home and family. Even with a deadbolt, someone can break down a cracked door. As soon as a door shows signs of cracking, replace it to prevent burglary, pest infestation, and increased utility bills.
Damage to the Door’s Surface
Over time, it is inevitable that a home’s front door will see some wear and tear. It may become scratched and dented, losing its overall charm and beauty. While scraped-up front doors may be more of an aesthetic worry than anything else, they can decrease a home’s curb appeal and leave a bad impression on visitors and potential buyers. Instead of putting up with a damaged, dented, and scuffed entrance, replace the front door with a strong, durable one.
An Out-of-Date Appearance
If the front door looks like something out of an old novel, consider replacing it to give the home a fresh, new, and modern look. Getting an up-to-date entry door will boost the home’s visual appeal and increase its resale value. Once the door is updated, the owner won’t have to think about redoing it for years or even decades.
Past Water or Insect Damage
There’s no way around it: water-damaged wood must be replaced, and the same applies to wood that’s been eroded by insects. A door that’s been eaten away by termites or other burrowing insects will lose its R-value, and the home will be easier to burglarize. If the door has been waterlogged or eaten by insects, replacement is a necessity.
Conclusion
When it’s time to replace a home’s front door, contact a local installer. There are a range of entry door choices, and a friendly expert can install a new door with dependable, high-quality service.
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