Door Replacement-Keeping Bills Down
Replacing doors could be as tedious as it is necessary if it isn’t done the right way.
In this day and age, awareness has caused us to be more cautious about our environment and how we go about our daily lives. In the past, door replacements were done in highly inefficient ways that were not only expensive but also damaging to our environment. Soon enough, we saw how detrimental those approaches were and decided to course correct.
What, then, could we do to make sure we get a good replacement that is cost-effective as well as energy-efficient?
Read on to find out!
Why Choose Energy Efficient Doors
For starters, it adds to the value and appeal of the house. But the main reason for wanting to use energy-efficient doors would be to put a cap on energy bills, provide insulation through both extremes of weather, and play a part in reducing the ever-growing carbon footprint of humans.
Using doors that are not energy efficient has proven to be the cause of higher temperatures inside a home, especially when these doors have aged, don’t have proper insulation, or weren’t installed in the right way.
Regions with extreme climates see more wear and tear on household objects. Having a door that counters the effect of the weather is then a blessing. Whether it’s too cold or too hot, the energy-efficient door plays a part in keeping the interior temperature in check.
This, in turn, preserves the polish, outlook, and health of furniture, carpets, and draperies.
What Are Doors Made Of And How Energy-Efficient Are They?
Understanding the structure and individual components that make up the door is important before answering this question. A door consists of the main slab, a frame, and a set of hinges to connect the door to the wall. If one part corrodes, the overall life and effectiveness of the door take a hit.
So it is recommended that instead of doing replacements in parts, one should just replace the whole door with an energy-efficient model.
While looking for a replacement, if you look for wooden doors, you’ll see that they do not have any inner insulation. Hence they aren’t very effective in regions with extreme climates.
On the other hand, doors made of fiberglass and metal have an insulating body. The material used on the slab is more important than the one used on the frame. With a fiberglass body for the slab, the door becomes energy-efficient as well as economical.
Vinyl/Fiberglass:
With a core that is insulated using polyurethane, vinyl doors are a viable option, as energy-efficient doors are readily available in most door markets. Vinyl is not a good conductor of heat, and neither is fiberglass, which makes both suitable materials in extreme climates. They keep internal temperatures stable for the most part.
These materials are also cheaper and lighter than steel and have more variations in design, giving more value for money and a light, breezy feel to the room overall.
Aluminum and Steel doors:
Metals are good conductors of heat. They are generally bulky and harder to mold into different shapes and designs. In places where the temperature is high for longer periods of time, the people inside would start feeling the heat.
A lot of people do prefer using metallic doors because they are generally cheaper than fiberglass. Some varieties of metallic doors are energy efficient, but the vast majority aren’t as efficient as vinyl or fiberglass doors.
Wooden doors:
Doors made of wood hardly block the heat of the outside from coming into the rooms. Wooden doors are generally the least energy-efficient doors.
Generally, wooden doors have a very pleasing outlook because of paint jobs that are beautiful but inexpensive. A type of wood called faux wood is a better insulator, though, and costs less. So, in recent times many people have shifted towards using faux doors.
Other energy-efficiency considerations
We mentioned that the door slab is the main thing to keep an eye out for when thinking about energy efficiency, cost, and outlook, but that’s not all. Smaller parts of the door have their own impact on the overall utility and energy efficiency of the door.
All components, when combined, impact the properties of the door, so it’s important to take a keen look at all components of the door.
Glazing:
Adding glass to a door as glazing will make it less energy-efficient while giving it a good look. But if the look is very important to you, consider using glass that has less emissivity so that it can reflect heat. Similarly, using glass that is thick could provide better insulation. Some door vendors even add gases in the glass that act as insulators and inhibit conductivity.
Insulating Foam:
While installing a door, it is possible to use foam insulation that makes the door more energy efficient. But care should be taken that Energy Star recommendations are followed because installations done carelessly could have a negative impact.
Using Door Sweeps:
The gap between a door and the floor can be made airtight by using door sweeps. These are very effective in reducing temperature leaks and keeping the room temperature stable even if the temperature outside fluctuates regularly.
National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) vs Energy Star®
The Energy Star® rating is more commonly seen in doors manufactured in Canada, while the frequency of NFRC labels is far lesser. But it is also common to see both labels on some products. Both of the certifications rate the products on the same three factors, namely the heat gain coefficient (SHGC), the Visual Transmittance, also known as VT, and R-factor.
NFRC dominates the market in the USA, though, and tests the windows, skylights, as well as doors. The NFRC has proven credible and helped support and enhance the industry.
Therefore, depending on where you are, you could rely on the NFRC or the Energy Star® rating to provide accurate and actionable information.
French Door
| Standard Size(in") | ||
| Width | Height | Size |
| 48 | 80 | 48x80 |
| 60 | 80, 96 | 60x80, 60x96 |
| 64 | 80 | 64x80 |
| 72 | 76, 80, 96 | 72x76, 72x80, 72x96 |
| 96 | 80 | 96x80 |
| 124 | 80 | 124x80 |
Common Size:
