Which Entry Doors Are Best for Your Home?
When guests arrive at your home, the first thing that often catches their eye is your entry door. This door is designed to welcome your friends and family over, as well as to protect your home from intruders and the weather. Eventually, every front door will reach the end of its lifespan and be ready for retirement.
Purchasing a new entry door can be extremely challenging for homeowners. A quick trip to the local home improvement store or specialty shop can leave you inundated with minor details and information on each model.
You know you need a new entry door, but how do you decide which one is right for your home?
Your old one may have weathered the test of time already, but your home could benefit from something different. Whether you want an aesthetic change or a more weatherproof update, your entry door makes a huge difference in the energy efficiency and the immediate appearance of your home.
You should take the time to educate yourself about which entry doors will be right for your house before you make a big purchase.
Steel Entry Doors
Many homeowners first turn to steel when they start to investigate the options for a new entry door. Steel has a reputation for being extremely durable, which could make it great for keeping out unwanted guests.
It’s true that steel is the safest and strongest door that you can purchase, particularly in comparison to wood.
A steel door is great for homeowners who are looking for great energy efficiency. Inside the frame, you’ll often find foam insulation to help keep your home more comfortable.
If a thermal break is included in the interior of the door, this can make steel more energy efficient than wood or fiberglass doors.
These doors also hold up better to the test of time because they tend to resist cracking and warping. However, they may need to be repainted from time to time or need to be recoated, depending on their final finish.
Fiberglass Entry Doors
Do you love the look of a wooden entry door but want something more durable? A fiberglass or composite entry door offers a unique aesthetic that can closely mimic the appearance of real wood but with a significantly longer lifespan.
These entry door panels are one of the most durable options available on the market, particularly in comparison to their wooden counterparts.
Some manufacturers will even offer a lifetime warranty on fiberglass entry doors to prove how durable they truly are.
If the appearance of the door is the most critical feature for you, you should highly consider a fiberglass door. You can often stain these to make them look like true wood and allow them to come in any color you desire.
The flexibility of staining your own entry door gives you infinite freedom when it comes to the overall design of your home.
Fiberglass doors offer a relatively energy efficient function that can help to keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. They are often packed with an insulated core to help keep out the non-climate-controlled air. With the right additions and updates to your home, you can easily lower your monthly heating and cooling costs.
These doors also hold up better to daily wear and tear than the others. For example, they are less likely to dent with extended use or under the abuse of your small children and pets. This is a great feature to keep your entry door looking like new for the years ahead.
I think it goes without saying, but fiberglass doors are just plain awesome.
Wooden Entry Doors
Nothing makes a statement quite like a solid wooden door on your large front porch. Many homeowners envision a wooden entry door when they picture the front of their house in their mind.
Wood can be carved and stained into any design or pattern that your heart desires for a truly customized and original statement on the front of your home.
Traditionally, these have been very popular options for their beauty but they may not be entirely right for your home.
A wood entry door is prone to more warping and size changes over time than a steel or fiberglass door. Because wood is hygroscopic, it’ll change size and shape with exposure to water.
Unless your front door is covered and protected from the weather, you may experience issues with the overall functioning of your door over time.
In addition to having a difficult time with opening and closing the door, the change in shape can also decrease its energy efficiency. Since you may have more gaps and cracks around the door seal, this can let the outside air into your home more easily.
Plus, wood will require maintenance to keep it looking and working properly. you’ll need to paint or stain it to protect the wood as well as keep it waterproofed to avoid warping or swelling.
However, wood doors are known to still break down even with proper maintenance simply because wood can’t withstand the type of beating it’ll experience in harsh weather.
Choose Your Entry Door with Care
Getting a new front door is an easy home upgrade that can make a huge difference. It’s the first thing that most people will see when they walk up to your home. You want to be sure that it makes a statement that fits with the overall flow of your home, but you also want your door to be durable.
Steel offers the strongest door, but fiberglass may be more durable for daily wear and tear. Meanwhile, wood entry doors give you the greatest degree of customization.
Don’t forget that energy efficiency should play an extremely important role in the selection of an entry door. After all, this one simple feature could help to save you lots of money on your monthly heating and cooling bills over time.
Ultimately, you have to decide which features are paramount for your home and geographical location. What works for your home may not be the right solution for your neighbor or your friend in the next town over. Choose an entry door that appeals to you and can serve the function you’re hoping for with one of these top choices.
For all your entry door replacement needs, you can count on Feldco to deliver the best product and service around. We’ve been serving the Midwest for over 40 years and have been named America’s #1 door company.
We’d love to help you with your next entry door project. Feldco offers energy efficient, durable steel and fiberglass options – get a free quote online to start today!
