How to keep your exterior doors fit, House opening tips

How To Keep Your Exterior Doors Fit

14 June 2024

How To Keep Your Exterior Doors Fit Throughout the Year

As a seasoned homeowner, you’ve probably heard it said before: guests and other passersby form an opinion of a house based on their entry door. Considering all of the guests who have the opportunity to examine a front door while they wait to be allowed inside, one could even argue that an entry door receives more consideration compared to any other feature of a house. It is imperative for owners to maintain their primary exterior doors clean, modern, and inviting at all times for this and many other reasons.

Given that the majority of homeowners frequently access the house through different doors like side doors, home garage entry doors, and kitchen doors. It makes sense that it could be simple to forget to keep a front door looking nice. To extend the life of exterior doors and make sure each first impression is positive regular cleaning and maintenance are really all that is required. Continue reading to learn four easy ways to maintain the best-looking and functioning entry door throughout the year.

Use Only Warm Water and Mild Soap to Clean the Front Door

Whether the exterior door is made of metal fiberglass or wood, keeping it clean on a regular basis can help avoid rust erosion and other tear and wear indicators. it is advisable that you clean your front doors one time every month. Also, do not forget to oil the door tracks for flawless operation.

If you neglect some parts of the doors, they may eventually cause problems when opening or closing such units. Using a gentle lint-free cloth or sponge, warm water, and a small amount of soap is the ideal method for cleaning entry doors. When cleaning your external doors, especially painted ones, it’s crucial to stay away from abrasive materials like steel and scrubber brushes to avoid scratches and deterioration of the shielding coating.

Finish Off Your Front Door

The amount of weather protection the door has and how often you must refinish the front doors will both have a significant impact. In contrast to exterior doors, which are less exposed, doors that are exposed to direct weather elements may peel or fade more rapidly. In addition, the type of material will also affect how the door is refinished.

If sliding exterior glass doors or the popular French doors receive a direct hit from sunlight for an extended duration during the day, you might also think about adding additional UV protection to them. To ensure safety, homeowners should reach out to a local door professional because refinishing a door involves many variables.

Examine Your Weatherstripping

Essentially, weatherstripping prevents outside air from getting into the door and inside air from leaking out by running a rubber or foam lining along the sides and bottom of the door. A home’s overall energy efficiency is greatly impacted by this one component. Actually, homeowners can save five to ten percent on their monthly energy utility bills by installing weatherstripping correctly. When you regularly clean your front door, don’t forget to check for signs of drafts entering via the weatherstripping. It is easy for homeowners to determine whether their weatherstripping needs to be replaced by simply running their hands around the seams. If the weatherstripping is failing, you will see a draft.

Choose The Hardware Appropriately.

When replacing your front doors, also think about the hardware components that you need to use in your doors. Those are the deadbolts and locks. Most people overlook these and end up replacing them independently. It’s crucial to maintain the cleanliness and functionality of these entry door components, even though they’re not as noticeable to the naked eye. Any exterior doors overall structural integrity depends on the hardware being properly lubricated, tightened, and replaced as needed.

Use Professional Installers If You Need A Replacement

Sometimes, your front doors might not be needing cleaning or repairing depending on their status. In this case, you might need to replace the entire entry door altogether. Do not DIY; look for a professional to do the work for you. It is safer.

While you can decide to go the DIY route, this is not a guaranteed option because many things can go wrong during the installation.

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