When it comes to boosting your home’s curb appeal, replacing your front door can be a great idea. Many homeowners ignore the importance of entry door because they think all doors are more or less the same. But this is where they make a huge mistake. The front entry door of your home performs multiple crucial functions. It is this front door that makes your home look welcoming and refreshing. Your home’s exterior door serves as the focal point that your guests notice when they first approach or drive by your home. But most importantly, it keeps intruders and drafts out of your house. With all this in mind, choosing the right front door that meets the aesthetic appeal and practical requirements becomes a crucial task.
If you’re shopping for a new entry door, remember that all doors are not equal. These days, doors are available in a plethora of styles, materials, and designs. The variety of available options makes it daunting to pick the right one for your specific needs. And if you buy the wrong door, it can make your house look off-balance and impact your overall comfort. So, if you don’t want to regret later for buying the wrong door, make sure to consider a few factors that will lead you to the perfect door for your house. To help you make the right buying decisions, here we’ve put together factors to consider when buying a new front entry door.
Material
The first and one of the most important factors you need to consider is the door material. Your door material choice typically depends on a few things. Cost, climate, aesthetic appeal, durability, and maintenance are the factors that determine the material selection. If your budget is low then avoid wooden doors. Wood exterior doors look gorgeous and improve your home’s curb appeal. But these are quite expensive and costly to maintain. A wooden door may expand after coming in contact with water and shrinking when it dries out. If security and durability is your concern, then go for a steel door. These are resistant to fire, warping and cracking, as well as offer energy efficiency. However, steel doors are vulnerable to rusting. Another option is fiberglass doors that offer wood-like appearance. These doors are more affordable than wood and easy to maintain. Fiberglass doors are more scratch and dent resistant than steel and are energy efficient as well.
Style
When choosing a new entry door, pick a door that is a reflection of your home’s architectural style. The exterior door of your home should complement the look of your home and create a cohesive overall impression. Consider whether your home’s architectural style is modern, traditional, colonial, or Victorian. Besides this, the door you choose should match your personality.
Energy Efficiency
Another crucial factor is the energy efficiency of doors. The doors and windows of your home play a vital role in keeping your home warm or cold. If doors have cracks or improper sealing, you may experience soaring energy bills. To avoid this, evaluate the energy efficiency of a new front door before buying. It’s best to buy an ENERGY STAR certified door.