Check the Condition of Your Exterior Doors with a Door Inspection

If you’re planning on buying a house, selling your current house or staying put but still want your house up to date, performing a door inspection is a must.

Exterior doors are a major component of any home and should always be working properly. Catching any problems early on is extremely helpful and will save you lots of headaches.

On the other hand, it’s important to find any problems that may have gone unnoticed, especially when you’re in the process of buying or selling a house.

We’ll go over what to look for and what you can do if you find any air or water leaks in your exterior doors.

Checking Your Door’s Swing

One of the first things you should check when performing your door inspection is if it’s functioning properly from an opening and closing standpoint.

One thing to keep in mind is that exterior doors that swing outward will most likely outperform doors that swing inward. This is because outward swinging doors usually have a better threshold design that can prevent water from entering your home in a more efficient way.

Living in the Midwest, you want your door to be able to take a beating through harsh weather. During your door inspection, check to see if the door has exterior-rated hinges.

Exterior-rated hinges offer the best protection against the elements as they are corrosion-resistant. They also tend to offer a security feature so the pin can’t be removed.

If your door isn’t swinging in or out the way it should, the problem can be coming from a variety of factors.

Inspect the Threshold

The threshold is a crucial element of your exterior door. What is the threshold? It’s the sloped piece at the bottom of your door that helps keep water and drafts out of your home. The threshold sits on top of the door sill.

First things first, check to see if the door even has a threshold. Without one, leaks are almost guaranteed to occur.

While performing your door inspection on the threshold, check for any water collecting on top of it as this is a common problem for old doors to have.

Check to see if the threshold is sloped towards a drain or away from the house and if it’s level across the width of the door. Also, you need to see if the threshold moves or flexes when walked on or if it’s bowed at all.

If any of these problems are present, you can replace the worn threshold with a new one. However, if the problem has been going on for a long time, it might’ve caused too much damage to other parts of the door and you may need to replace your exterior door.

Further Check the Hinges

When inspecting the hinges, check if they’re facing the outside or not. Hinges that face the outside are ones exposed to the weather when the door is closed.

If the hinges are exposed to the weather, they must be exterior-rated. Exterior-rated hinges are made of either stainless steel or brass so they’re resistant to rusting.

If the exterior door you’re inspecting has outside-facing hinges that aren’t exterior-rated, that poses problems. Regular hinges need to be facing inside because they aren’t weather resistant and create a security hazard if facing outside.

The pins of exterior-rated hinges can’t be removed unless the door is open, and regular hinges’ pins can easily be removed so they must be on the interior.

Also, check if the hinges are in good condition. If they’re worn out or don’t look good, you should consider getting new ones.

Exterior Door Sweeps

Door sweeps are a little difficult to inspect because they’re not very visible. Located at the bottom of the door, the sweep is supposed to seal the gap between the door and the threshold.

There are many types of door sweeps but they’re all intended for the same overall purpose. Like the threshold, you need to see if your exterior door even has a sweep. Not having a sweep can definitely cause air and water leaks.

While inspecting the sweep, look for any damage that could interfere with the sweep’s ability to seal the gap properly. Any signs of damage should be followed by replacing the old door sweep with a new one.

Overall Exterior Door Inspection

After you’ve checked the specific areas of your door, it’s time to perform an overall inspection to check for anything you may have missed.

You’ll need to open the door(s) completely so you can inspect the entire surrounding area. Be on the lookout for any signs of water stains or wood decay around the base and frame.

Check the flooring inside just after the door to see if it’s cupped at all. If you have carpet, you can peel a section up to check underneath for any damage caused by water leaking through.

Make sure all of your locks, handles, knobs etc. are working properly. Another way to inspect your door is to feel if any wind or cold air is blowing through during cold or windy days.

If you find that your door is drafty or water damaged, replacing your door is the best option. To prevent any of these problems from happening again, choose a strong and energy efficient steel or fiberglass door.

If you have an inward swinging door, installing a storm door on the outside is an excellent way to help keep the elements outside.

Don’t Forget Your Garage Door

Your exterior door inspection doesn’t end at your entry or patio doors. You need to check your garage door as well. It’s the biggest exterior door on your home and it’s very important to make sure it’s performing the way it should.

Having a properly functioning garage door is not only necessary to keep your home energy efficient but it’s also important for your safety.

If you have a garage door opener that doesn’t work anymore, you should get a new one. Also, if your garage door is dented and damaged, you’re just asking for an accident to happen. It could fall off the tracks and seriously injure someone or damage something valuable in your garage.

When your garage door is damaged and can’t keep your garage comfortable anymore, the only real solution is to replace it.

Living in the Midwest, you need a garage door that can stand the test of Mother Nature. A steel insulated garage door is the best choice.

Door Inspection Done Right

Your exterior doors are a major factor in keeping your home and the people inside safe and comfortable. It’s important to routinely inspect your exterior doors for any problems such as leaks and drafts.

It’s also important to conduct a door inspection if you’re planning on selling your house. Damaged and improperly working doors will surely steer potential buyers away.

Some problems can be fixed by replacing hinges or a threshold, but sometimes the only option is a door replacement. If that’s the case, you can trust Feldco for all your replacement needs.

We’ve served over 400,000 homeowners in the Midwest and have the most energy efficient products on the market.

Whether you need to replace your entry, patio, storm or even your garage door, get free quote online and see why so many people trust Feldco for their exterior door needs.