How to Stop Condensation from Forming on Your Entry Door

Not only is it frustrating to see condensation form on your entry door, but it can be worrisome—is the condensation a sign of a deeper issue?  When cold air meets humid and hot air, water condensates on materials like metal and glass.  Your steel or aluminum entry door is no exception to this reaction, especially if the entry door has gaps that allow air to pass through.  You’ll notice that newer entry doors don’t have this issue of condensation, so what can you do to prevent it?

Why Does Condensation Occur on Your Entry Door?

The most common reason why entry doors experience condensation is that the weatherstripping is worn, allowing air to pass through gaps.  Hot, humid air, and cooler air mixing and reacting causes the condensation to form, so your solution will be to eliminate the gaps in which the air is passing through.

Newer weatherstripping will stop this from occurring because of its tight seal, and so replacing the weatherstripping on an older entry door will resolve the gaps and thus prevent condensation.  Fortunately, replacing and updating your entry door’s weatherstripping is an easy task that requires no special skills.

Where Moisture Comes From

There are many ways moisture can be introduced into your home other than gaps in your weatherstripping.  Moisture can occur from:

• Building materials: newer construction tends to create more moisture, so if you live in a newer house, this could be a big source.  Moisture that comes from newer building materials will gradually dissipate as the material and home ages.
• Cooking: water vapor is created in the kitchen, which is why you need proper ventilation in this room of your house.
• Appliances that use water: machines, appliances, and any activity that uses water in your home will produce moisture like your dishwasher, laundry machines, and shower.

Update Your Entry Door’s Weatherstripping to Prevent Condensation

You’ll need to remove old weatherstripping first.  With a razor blade, cut away any old caulk on your entry door’s threshold.  Remove caulk that’s around the doorjambs, the floor, and around the front of the entry door.  You can also use a putty or utility knife.

Door sweeps help weatherstrip your entry door.  They’re installed at the bottom of the entry door and create an airtight seal that will eliminate gaps when the door is closed.  Measure the length of the bottom of your entry door.  You’ll need to cut your new door sweep to this length so it will fit properly.  To do so, clamp the new door sweep onto a work surface by using a C-clamp, cutting the rubber flap of the sweep to size with a utility knife.  You can cut the door sweep’s metal flange with a hacksaw.

With the door closed, place your cut door sweep against the entry door and mark the screw holes.  Drill pilot holes, then align the sweep against the screw holes and secure it into place.

The new door sweep should help tremendously when it comes to condensation.  Weatherstripping kits are available at your local home improvement store.  You can also re-caulk the door for a better seal when you are finished.

Other Ways to Prevent Condensation

Although ensuring that your entry door’s weatherstripping is making an airtight seal is the best way of eliminating condensation, there are other methods to prevent it from occurring.  There are a few easy things to try first before you consider the more expensive option of fully replacing the entry door.

Use a Dehumidifier to Prevent Condensation

Dehumidifiers are a great way to cut down on indoor humidity.  This can also aid in preventing condensation from forming on your entry door.  Dehumidifiers can be purchased online or at your local home improvement store.

Ventilate Your Home

Circulating the air inside your home can also help with stopping condensation from forming on your entry door.  Installing ventilating fans, exhaust fans, or ceiling fans to move the air will promote a healthy circulation of air, moving air particles around to prevent moisture from becoming trapped.

If your entry door is located fairly close to a kitchen or bathroom, installing an exhaust fan will be beneficial.  Kitchens and bathrooms tend to create steam and humid air, which could be the reason why you’re seeing condensation on the entry door.

Open Drapes and Blinds

You might not realize that your closed drapes or blinds that are covering your entry door could be causing condensation.  Leaving them open will help promote circulation and stop the moisture from becoming trapped on the entry door.  Drapes and blinds can restrict air flow when they’re closed but keeping them open whenever possible will stop the humid air from clashing with cooler air, thus preventing condensation from forming.

Join the 500,000 happy customers who have chosen Feldco for their home improvement needs. Treat yourself to a happier, healthier and brighter home. Speak to a product specialist about all of our different entry doors and get a free quote today!