Most people think of their windows impact on their home’s energy efficiency. Then they may think about their insulation and perhaps even ENERGY STAR® rated appliances. But what about your doors? Depending on the doors on your home and how well they’re maintained, they could be a big cause of wasted electricity in your home. Most homes in the Arlington area have a few different types of doors with the most common being entry doors and sliding glass doors. Both have a different impact on your home’s energy efficiency.
Entry Doors
Entry doors themselves can be very energy efficient. The most energy efficient entry doors are fiberglass. They are about four times more insulating than wood doors. Vinyl and vinyl clad doors are another good option for energy efficiency. Although steel doors have good R-values, steel does conduct heat and cold so they’re not a great option. It is surprising to most homeowners that wood is the least of all energy efficient entry door materials. It looks great, but it is a poor insulator of heat.
Of course, if you don’t keep the weather stripping around your entry doors in good condition, it doesn’t matter what material you have. The heat from the outside will get into your home. Replacing weather stripping is a simple and quick job. Just be sure to measure to know how much you need and take a piece of your existing weather stripping to your home improvement store so you get the right size to replace it with.
Sliding Doors
If you have a patio door, it’s likely a sliding glass door. If you’ve replaced the windows in your home but haven’t replaced your sliding doors, you should consider it. A new ENERGY STAR rated sliding door can make the room feel more comfortable and help with heating and cooling costs. And, if your new doors have Low-E glass, you’ll find that the flooring and furnishings in the area have less fading.
French Doors
Some homes have French doors out to the patio. When you’re replacing French doors, you need to pay attention to both the door material and the glass within them. The doors’ frame material should be fiberglass or another energy efficient entry door material. The glass should be at least dual pane and have UV protection. If you already have quality energy efficient French doors, make sure to check the weather stripping and replace it as needed.
If you’re looking to replace your French, sliding or entry doors to improve your home’s energy efficiency, call or text Affordable Replacement Window Systems at (817) 264-6509. In addition to window replacement, we also replace entry and patio doors.
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