Having high-quality exterior doors can be an important part of your house. In addition to being one of the first parts of the house that individuals will see, these doors will also be responsible for helping to protect your home against the elements. Eventually, the time will come when you must replace these doors, and when this happens, there are several tips that you will want to follow when choosing replacement entry doors.

Consider Alternatives To Wood Exterior Doors

Homeowners will often assume that a wooden exterior door will always be the best option for their needs. Yet, there are many other materials that may be suitable for this type f door. In fact, it can be possible to choose materials that are far more durable than wood and that will require much less maintenance. Examples of this type of door will be those made of aluminum or fiberglass. If you choose to opt for doors made of these materials, you may also want to opt for a design that utilizes insulation as this will help to improve the overall energy efficiency and comfort of the home.

Ensure The Frame Can Support The Weight Of The Door

Prior to choosing a new type of door to install, you should verify that the frame will be strong enough to support the new door. In order to help you make this determination, you should review the new door to make sure that it will be of a similar weight. Furthermore, you will need to choose a door that has similar designs and sizes. Otherwise, you could inadvertently damage the door frame. This could pose a number of practical problems, such as making the door more difficult to open and close. Also, it can eventually cause the frame to detach from the rest of the house, which can require expensive repairs to correct.

Keep The Weather Stripping In Good Condition

Along the edges of your door, there may be a layer of weatherstripping. This stripping will help to minimize drafts and moisture leaks. However, it will be among the first components of the door to start to suffer degradation due to wear and tear. Regularly replacing this stripping can be an important aspect of mitigating these forms of wear and tear. While you might assume that replacing this stripping will be difficult, it is usually a fairly simple process. For example, removing the older weatherstripping will typically on involve you pulling it off of the door. Additionally, installing the new weatherstripping can be as simple as cleaning the edges of the door before using a powerful adhesive to hold the new weatherstripping into place.  

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