Replacing a front door isn’t something people do because they fancy a change or they don’t like its aesthetics. A full front door replacement usually comes once issues start to appear and the door no longer serves the purpose of the home, offers security, and is failing in more than one area.
Homeowners opt for this choice to enhance comfort, security, functionality, and increase support to the structure of the building. Because front doors are, of course, a commonly used aspect of any home, and if your front door isn’t performing as you need it to, replacing it is the best option to restore functionality and security as the main entry point to the property.
If you’re booking to replace your front door, here are some important considerations to bear in mind to ensure you make the right decisions for the right reasons.
Materials and Performance
The materials you choose for the construction of your front door matter. Different materials wear differently under different types of stress, and your home activities and environment should dictate what type of materials you choose for the construction of your door.
Wood, steel, and fiberglass doors are different in relation to expansion, contraction, impact loading, and environmental conditions, and these differences influence durability, insulation efficiency, structural stability, and maintenance cycles.
If you live in a colder climate, then thermal movement becomes a more of a significant factor, as you’ll need a door that can withstand frequent expansion and contraction. Wood doors can warp or swell excessively and experience surface degradation faster than other materials. While steel doors deliver strength and impact resistance, but they may transfer internal heat if insulation layers are not sufficient, meaning your home is less energy efficient. Fiberglass doors, on the other hand, provide dimensional stability and resist any expansion-related distortions, and can deliver strong insulation properties with reduced maintenance demands.
This is where homeowners look at choosing custom-built solutions that deliver exactly what they need. Especially if the shape of the front door isn’t of standard construction.
Choosing Delta Doors custom front doors, for example, allows buyers to have input into different factors, including materials and performance indicators, in a size and style perfect for the property. You can remove any compromise and bypass restrictions from standard door sizes and choices by choosing custom.
Security and Locking Systems
A lot of the time, the reason for front door updates is due to a compromise in the security it offers. It’s not just the door strength itself that provides security. Meaning when you choose your new front door, you need to consider how it’s locked and what type of reinforcement layers are present, as well as frame integrity, strike plate anchoring, and hinge security, too.
This means not just looking at the aesthetics of the door or the materials alone. It means asking important questions. How secure is the construction, and what type of strength is built in? It’s asking if the door comes with a multipoint locking system or not, and how it’s secured to the frame.
Discuss the security options, ask the right questions, and understand the type of protection your front door offers and will provide when installed, as well as any further options, such as glazing in the door or security add-ons like deadbolts, or compatibility with smart locks.
Door Design, Glass, and Visibility
Not all doors are, or need to be, of solid material construction. There is the choice to add glass to increase light and view through the door if you wish. This is the part that merges functionality and aesthetics and can improve curb appeal.
While solid doors maximize privacy, glazed doors allow light to flood in and offer additional design features, too.
You can choose glass inserts or decorative panels for your front door, but these can, and often do, impact structural and thermal behavior. That’s not to say it’s a negative impact, but if you consider these important points when choosing your front door, it’s worth checking them out more closely.
On top of this, check the upkeep of the door in relation to long-term maintenance. Does the door succumb to fading due to sunlight exposure or other damage? If you choose a wood door, does it need treating regularly? Will precipitation lead to peeling or cause the door to warp over time? And will the color you choose highlight issues in a few years if fading occurs? All important aspects when considering the look of the door, not just its functionality.
Weather Resistance and Draft Prevention
Your front door is your primary defense against wind, rain, and temperature variation. And it’s not just the door, but seal integrity, threshold construction, insulation cores, and moisture resistance, which can all significantly affect interior comfort and efficiency.
Compromised weather stripping allows for drafts, heat loss, and potential moisture ingress, one or more of which you might be experiencing now, leading to the need to upgrade the door.
Always check the resistance of the door and its seals so you can understand the type of protection it offers and whether or not it works for your home and your environment. Those experiencing extreme heat or excessive cold and wet weather both require different types of weather resistance, and this should be considered a high priority to avoid the door failing prematurely.
Hardware and Functional Upgrades
The hardware selection for the door can impact usability, reliability, and security reinforcement. It’s not just a decorative addition to the door, but an essential consideration. And this includes hinges, closers, locksets, thresholds, and reinforcement plates.
Worn hinges lead to sagging, and incompatible locksets restrict security upgrades, for example. So this means when selecting your new entry door, you should ensure system coherence to reduce mismatches. Ask about potential upgrades from standard hardware, what happens if you need to upgrade in the event of hardware failure or updates are required? Can this be done easily without impacting the integrity of the door? Or can you choose upgraded hardware from the beginning to improve functionality and security from the start?
There are multiple aspects to consider when choosing your new front door. And it’s not just about whether wear to the door is visible and it looks good, although both are important, too. It’s how it protects your home in different ways, how easy it is to use, and the ongoing upkeep moving forward.
