How to Tell If You Need a New Door

First impressions are always important when meeting new people, and the same goes for your house. The front door is the entryway for guests and the welcoming sight as you come back from a long day. It’s also a guard against pests, cold weather and intruders. Integrity and aesthetic appeal are vital for a healthy home all year round, and that might mean investing in a fresh front door. Check out these signs to determine if you need a new door to brighten up your home this year. 

1. Difficulty Opening and Closing

This may be a little obvious, but if your door is difficult to open, it is probably time to invest in a new door. Your door expands and contracts with the heat of summers and the chill of winters. Over time, these changes become so apparent that your door doesn’t fit in the door jamb anymore.  

Additionally, if previous owners or a hasty renovator installed the door, it may be that this door is the wrong size for the jamb altogether. If you spend your days yanking and slamming the door just to get it open, a new door will make your life much easier.  

2 Broken and Outdated Locks

A broken lock is a dangerous security issue. Even if you think you live in a quiet neighborhood, it is best to protect yourself from potential intruders or thieves at all times. In fact, 34% of intruders enter homes through an unlocked front door, so fortifying this entryway is key.  

Traditional locks can be replaced or fixed, but this might be a good time to upgrade to a more advanced security system. Push pads use numbered codes; some systems can even be opened with a smartphone app.  

However, a new locking system cannot complete its purpose if the door itself is not secure. Investing in a new door ensures that you have the best barrier against the elements, intruders and those pesky, unwanted salesmen that come knocking. 

3. Not Aesthetically Pleasing

Structural integrity is vital for a safe and healthy home, but your door should also look aesthetically pleasing. Maybe you just painted the outside of your house a new color that now clashes with a garish door color. Perhaps the style of the door is unaligned with the home itself, too. Imagine an ornate victorian mansion interrupted by a bright red art deco front door. Mixing and matching styles can be fun, but eye-sore doors are best replaced. 

The front door can complement the interior of your home as well. Glass doors distribute sunlight to cast an inviting glow over your spaces for a sleek, modern style. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a wood door could create the feeling of a cozy cabin or rustic style before even stepping foot inside. [Text Wrapping Break]

4. Gaps Around Door

Take a look at your door on a sunny day. Can you see cracks of light in between the door and the door jamb? Chances are if light can peer through, so can insects, cold breezes and other household pests like mice.  

Again, doors can warp with age and exposure to the elements, so your older door may have outgrown its use and welcoming pests and drafts inside. Getting cozy and warm is the key to a happy home, especially if you’re inside most of the day working from home. However, these drafts could leave you shivering up a storm under a pile of blankets.  

 Sometimes replacing weather stripping can close these gaps, but a persistent draft is a sign of a more heavy-duty door replacement.   

5. Heavy-Duty Damage 

Your front door faces heavy rains, freezing snow and scorching sunlight, and exposure to these elements can leave a lasting effect on the integrity of your door. If you notice any of these key signs of heavy-duty damage, it’s time to hit the shops for a new entryway:  

• Splitting: expansion and contraction can make the door outgrow the jamb. With time, this could split the wood and leave splinters raining down.  
• Dents: Think of all the times you squeezed in a new couch through the doorway or kicked it open with your hands full of groceries. Maybe the new puppy scratched at the door his first time home alone. Our homes face a lot of wear and tear, and that might leave a dent in a door of any material. The time spent to fix these garish marks is usually no cheaper than just replacing the door altogether.  
• Rust: Rusting is a sign that moisture is trapped in the wood frame and rotting. This weakens the structural integrity of the door and is not entirely secure against elements, intruders or normal use.  

6. Noisy or Squeaky 

We’ve all cringed at the squeaky, shrill bleat of a noisy door hinge. Some cases can be solved with some light lubrication, but persistent cases or rusting hinges mean that you need a replacement door and hinge set.  

Older doors are also not as great at blocking noise from the neighboring houses, streets, and community. City dwellers must also deal with sirens or heavy traffic, so dampening sound with a new door can ensure a peaceful night’s sleep. Vinyl doors are the most effective at noise reduction as well.  

Upgrade Your Happy Place 

Your home should be your happy place, so take comfort and protection one step further with a fresh door. Say goodbye to drafty chills and shrill squeaks and welcome in a new, secure door that fits your aesthetic goals. Passing through that fresh entryway will renew your joy with each step.