3 Factors You Should Not Ignore When Buying Entryway Doors
Entryway doors are the first part of the house visitors see when they come to visit. As a result, the aesthetics of an entryway door are a primary consideration when buying one. However, you should not pick an entryway door based on its aesthetics alone.
Note that improving the aesthetics of your home is not the primary purpose of an entryway door. Thus, here are three factors you need to consider when buying an entryway door.
1. Entryway Lighting
An entryway should have proper lighting to provide a warm and inviting atmosphere when guests walk in. However, this is not always the case, depending on the design and orientation of your home towards the sun.
If you have a dimly lit entryway, installing an opaque entryway door could make it even dimmer. Thus, your guests may feel like they are entering a dungeon rather than a home. Hence, if you have a dark entryway, you should consider buying an entryway door that allows natural light to penetrate.
To add more natural light to your dark entryway, consider buying glass entryway doors or French doors. The glass panes on such doors will allow more natural light to permeate through the door and light up your entryway.
2. Energy Efficiency
Like windows, entryway doors also affect your home's energy efficiency. For instance, if an entryway door has poor insulation, it will allow air-conditioned air to escape. Thus, forcing you to overwork the HVAC system and incur high energy bills.
Since energy efficiency is crucial when buying an entryway door, you should consider buying Energy STAR-rated entryway doors. But you can also look for doors with National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) labels.
3. Door Material
Most entryway doors are made of three primary materials, namely:
- Wood
- Fiberglass
- Steel
But, choosing the right entryway door materials depends on the following factors:
Security
If security is a significant concern, you must pick an entryway door with sturdy material. A steel entryway door is the best option for security. But, a good wooden entryway door can also provide better security than a fiberglass door.
Maintenance Costs and Durability
Steel and wooden entryway doors have high maintenance costs due to their susceptibility to the elements. But, fiberglass doors have minimal maintenance costs because fiberglass can withstand the elements better than wood and steel.
You should opt for a fiberglass entryway door if you want the lowest maintenance costs. However, note that fiberglass is less durable than steel and wood. Thus despite the low maintenance costs, a fiberglass entryway door will not last as long as a door made of steel or wood.
