Replacing your exterior door isn’t something to be taken lightly; you can’t just buy any door, pop it in place and expect it to compliment your home. You need to take a couple of important factors into consideration such as design, materials, and energy efficiency, and whether to do the work yourself or hire someone to do it for you.
Design
There are a lot of styles to choose from when it comes to exterior doors, so it’s a good idea to take the design of your home into consideration before purchasing anything. Take a long look at your home and the doors available. You may want to print a picture of your house and the available exterior doors, and hold them against the picture to make a decision. This is one of the easiest ways to determine if the door you like will suit the style of your home.
Of course older homes will enjoy the benefits of a sturdy wooden or vinyl door, while modern homes may enjoy doors with glass inserts.
Materials
Taking the materials into consideration is very important, especially, when it comes to design and energy efficiency. Many people choose wooden doors, but they are rather heavy, and tend to warp and rot over the years. Vinyl doors have increased in popularity due to the fact that they are lighter, more affordable and are completely maintenance free.
Energy Efficiency
Your exterior door should help with your energy efficiency, having a door that leaks will increase the amount of warm air escaping and cold air coming in, which is very unwelcome on cold wintry nights.
The door should be properly fitted with the right sealer and insulation to ensure the highest level of energy efficiency for your home.
DIY or a Contractor
If you have DIY and carpentry knowledge then you may wish to tackle replacing your exterior door on your own, though you need to be sure you understand what you are doing. While paying for a contractor may set you back and add to the overall cost of the door it will help ensure the door is fitted correctly and increase your energy efficiency accordingly.
For more information on exterior doors visit www.clerawindows.com/doors
