Your entry door is a focal point of your home. Visitors come and go through it. If your door looks great but isn’t secure, your home is at risk. A poorly fitting, cracked or warped frame can also be a cause of energy loss and allow pests in. If you don’t love your door or think it’s not as secure as it should be, here are some tips about choosing a replacement entry door.
Select the Right Material
Unless you have already replaced your door or you had a higher end builder, chances are good your current door is fiberglass. It’s the most common entry door in most track home communities because they’re relatively cheap, can look like wood doors, and are virtually maintenance free. Choosing a new fiberglass door may be a good option for you if you’re on a limited budget and your door is exposed to the weather. Today’s fiberglass doors come in many styles and some include decorative glass making for an attractive entry way.
The other two most popular options are wood and steel. In our area, steel is much less popular because even a little sun on a steel door will make it almost unbearably hot to touch. The last thing most homeowners want is something else absorbing the Texas sun. For that reason, the other common entry door material is wood. One main advantage of wood is that it can be stained or painted almost any color. However, a downside is that it requires a bit more maintenance than either steel or fiberglass, especially when exposed to rain on a regular basis.
Review the Warranty
Before you purchase any entry door, review the warranty. Some wood doors are warrantied against splitting. If fiberglass is the option you choose, it’s worth it to spend a little more on a door with a warranty than one without. You want your entry door warranty to cover the construction of the door and against warping. A bonus is that the warranty is transferrable to a new owner.
Have it Professionally Installed
Before you buy a new entry door, meet with a door company. They can best evaluate the construction of your entry way, recommend a door option, and install it properly. When a door isn’t properly installed, it isn’t secure, against the weather or a malicious individual. Working with a door company helps ensure that your warranty is valid too, as many companies only honor their warranties when their products are installed by trained installers.
If you’re considering a new entry door or replacement windows, call Affordable Replacement Window Systems. We offer a wide variety of window and door manufacturers and can help you select the right ones for your home. Call (817) 264-6509 or fill out our contact form and we’ll schedule a no obligation appointment at your home.
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