A faulty entry door leaves your home vulnerable to intruders and depletes energy efficiency. The beautiful curb appeal of a new front entry door, from Kelly Window and Door, boosts your home’s resale value and creates a positive first impression for your guests. When you’re in the market for a new front door, it pays to understand the factors that go into making the best selection.
Your front door’s purpose
Your door not only gives passage into your home, it also impacts its overall beauty, safety, and energy efficiency.
Beauty
With today’s multiple door colors, styles and features, you can customize your entry door to make your home pop. A gorgeous wood door gives a historic home the final touch of charm. Fiberglass doors look fabulous and can mimic the look of wood, making them a superb option.
The wrong door may make a home look bland, but when you choose a door that is the right style for your home, it creates the perfect complement for its architecture and overall look. And color can play a part too. The body of your home exterior makes up the primary color of your home, while a different color for your trim and accents provides a welcomed contrast. Your front door color should add the final touch to your exterior design and make your home stand out.
Safety
The protection provided you and your family with a new front door can give you confidence in your home’s safety. Steel doors offer one of the most reliable options on the market for safety. And fiberglass doors are super strong (think hard hats and canoes), giving your home the protection it needs against theft. Today’s locking systems give you a huge boost in security. From dead bolts to smart locks, you have a host of choices in reliable locks.
Energy efficiency
When you feel a draft in your front entryway before you open the door, you’re losing valuable heating and air conditioning throughout the year. As you choose a new entry door, find one with an ENERGYSTAR label, which means it meets or exceeds the standards established by the U.S. Department of Energy. Your door needs to be installed correctly in order to get the best long-term performance out of it. When the pros install a door, exacting measurements are taken and the proper fit is accomplished so you can enjoy energy savings year-round. Weather stripping, shims, and frame adjustments will help your new door fit optimally.
Factors that contribute to the entry door selection process
A door is a door, right? Wrong. There are a variety of elements that go into finding the optimal door for your home. Here are some things to consider:
1. What material will work best for your new front entry door?
- Fiberglass—A durable, strong fiberglass entry door gives you lasting performance you can count on. It boosts energy efficiency, saving you on utilities throughout the year. The beauty of fiberglass doors is exceptional. They can mimic the look of wood grain, so you enjoy the look of wood without its high maintenance.
- Wood—The classic, rustic look of a wood door makes a design statement. Perfect for historic homes, a wood door looks amazing, yet requires regular maintenance to protect the wood from damaging moisture penetration. In order to avoid wood rot or warping, a wood door needs to be properly sealed regularly. If you add a glass storm door to your wood door, it can help protect it from the weather, giving you greater results throughout its lifespan.
- Steel—This durable, cost-effective option is low maintenance and super strong, giving you reliable protection from intruders or theft. Steel doors can be painted, and have a smooth finish. They have a pleasant appearance, but are unable to mimic the look of wood doors. If a steel door incurs a dent or scratch, it should be painted over to prevent rusting.
2. What door style will complement your home’s architecture?
Take a look at the door options both online and in a gallery if possible. You’ll be amazed at the choices you have! Consider your home’s architecture as the fixed part of the equation, and see what suits your home’s features and your taste.
3. How much maintenance will the new door require to keep it performing well for years to come?
While fiberglass and steel doors are low maintenance, wood doors come with a price: high maintenance.
4. What type of door locks will work best for your new door functionally and aesthetically?
Dead bolts are necessary for entry doors, and provide security for your home. Locks should have a Grade 2 security rating to ensure your safety. Styles of locks abound, so take a look at the variety of choices, and weigh in your needs, budget, and the look you desire.
5. How long will your door installation take?
Entry door installations are done by professionals in one day.
Doors built to last a lifetime
Kelly Window & Door installs pro-class ProVia entry doors. Built by skilled craftsmen with state-of-the-art manufacturing, ProVia doors are created to last. Their warranty is transferable to one subsequent owner.
Reputable door replacement contractor
Choose a dependable door replacement contractor to ensure you get the optimal style and fit for your new door. Boost your home’s curb appeal with a gorgeous new front entry door installed by the pros at Kelly Window & Door. Check out our gallery of doors to help pinpoint your specific desires.