Entry door purchasing article
Entry door buying tutorialGetting begun
Entry doors are normally more than just front doors-- those we tried can also be used in back or on the side. Because the frontentry of your home dictates the most attention from the street, it also commands the most attention in the marketplace. Here's what to keep in mind, wherever you put it.
We've found that most Entry Doors perform well overall. But the materials they're built from-- fiberglass, steel, and wood-- each have strong points and weak spots. And while an economical steel door can be the equal of a wood or fiberglass door costing five times as much, it's not the most beneficial choice for wear and tear.
Going online.
Whether you buy at a retail store or over the internet, you'll save time by doing some research online and at least visiting a store to truly see what you're acquiring. Manufacturer sites describe materials and offer magazines, and can help you to find a local retail merchant. And even when you don't see the exact front door you want, a similar model can give you a good idea of construction and finish.
Energy efficiency.
Steel and fiberglass doors typically have more insulating value than wood doors. Models that are Energy Star-qualified must be individually tested and certified, and often boast tighter-fitting frames, energy-efficient cores, and, for models with glass double- or triple-panel insulating glass to reduce heat transfer. You'll find more details on the federal EPA's EnergyStar website. But you may not save as much as you think, since doors are a small part of the surface area of a house and typically.don't allow substantial volumes of warm air to get away. What's more, heat is generally lost through air leaks around the door not through the door itself.
Installment.
Entry doors are also known as door systems because they come pre-hung in a mount and are typically predrilled for a knob and.
deadbolt. Unless an installation door is part of a larger restoration project, you may want the new door to be usually the same size as the old one. Choosing a larger door or adding sidelights means redoing the door mounting around the door-- a job best left to a.
service provider. Home centers generally offer installation or referral services. Unless you're a skilled carpenter, you may also want to hire a pro http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AFiberglass%20Entry%20Doors to install same-size exterior doors.
Keep yourself and your family safe.
It takes a superior door lock to deter burglaries and home invasions. Many crooks kick in doors to get in. But unless your door is hollow, it's not the doorway itself that lets intruders in. Our tests with a battering ram have shown limited difference in
durability among door elements. All eventually fallen short because the doorjamb split near the lock's strike plate, though we also found that beefed-up locks and strike plates can greatly increase a door's kick-in Entry Doors resistance Some other ways to beef up an exterior door: Use a lock with a 1-inch-long deadbolt and a supported iron box strike. Use 3-inch-long mounting screws so they dwell in the mounting outside of the door jamb. And don't overlook the door that leads into your home from the car port.