Choose The Right Exterior Door For Your Home From The Many Types Of Exterior Doors

Doors are an important part of all our homes. They provide us with access, security, ventilation, and even illumination. There are several types of exterior doors and it’s important to choose the correct exterior door for your home.

Exterior doors are strong, energy efficient, and weather resistant. They provide a secure entrance to our home and they can add the finishing touches to our exterior décor. Patio and terrace doors are also a form of exterior door that allows plenty of light into the home and provides a secure entrance.

Exterior doors are generally 1 ¾” thick insulated and in weather strip frames. The door itself can be made of steel, wood, fiberglass, or some type of composite.

Wood doors are available in rich warm tones in oak, mahogany, and many other types of wood. The cost of the door will depend on the type of wood. Wood doors can be stained or painted and will require regular maintenance.

Steel doors are by far the most secure. They deter thieves and they also provide a fire barrier. The core is made of polyurethane so they are extremely energy efficient. They usually come with a 10 to 20 year warranty. They are also very affordable.

Fiberglass exterior doors don’t crack, split, or dent and they are guaranteed against it. The cost will vary depending on the style. You will need to choose between stainable fiberglass which gives you the look of a wood door, or paintable fiberglass.

If your home is older and still has it’s original doors it’s a good idea to replace them. Modern exterior doors fit much better and are also insulated much better so you could have substantial reductions in energy bills.

When replacing doors consider steel or fiberglass which are far better value than wood. They are much more durable, and offer lower maintenance, better insulation, and better security. It’s much more difficult to kick in a steel door than a wood door.

Exterior doors range on average from $200 to $400. Of course there are doors that cost less and more depending on manufacturer, glass, and added features.

It’s best if you can buy a door that’s pre-hung in the frame. Frames are usually steel or wood. You will need to remove your old door frame from the opening and then install the pre-hung door. You need to make sure the door frame is square so that the door will seal tightly. You may have to shim or adjust the existing opening to ensure a correct fit.

Patio doors and glass doors loose heat much faster than other styles of doors. E-coating will help reduce the heat loss by 3 times but it is still considerably poorer than a standard door.

Storm doors are a good investment if your old door is still in decent condition and you want to improve your energy value. They generally cost around $200. You can even find storm doors for patio doors if you look really hard. Storm doors use e-glass to improve the insulation value. Frames are usually fiberglass, wood, steel, or aluminum. If you don’t want to change your exterior door quite yet you might consider adding a storm door.

Your exterior door is an important part of your exterior décor and of your energy savings so choose wisely. There are many types of exterior doors so finding the right one shouldn’t pose a problem.


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