From summer heat and hurricanes to freezing temperatures during the winter, front entry doors endure a lot between the changing seasons and weather in New Jersey. And in the same way that garage doors are affected by weather and garage door openers are affected by weather, so too is your entry door.
Your front door is often one of the first features people notice when they look at your house. It’s important to know how the changing weather can affect your door and ways to protect it, ensuring the functionality and appearance of your door stay in the best condition.
How Weather Affects Doors
Your front door is likely exposed to the elements, such as rain, sun, wind and snow. Additionally, the changing temperatures that come with the weather can affect how your door functions and looks over time. Here are a few ways that weather can affect your entry door:
1. Heat Causes Expansion
If your door is made of wood, heat and humidity during the summer months can cause your door to expand. Doors made from wood absorb moisture from the air. Due to the absorption, your front door swells and expands, which can make it hard to open and close the door.
2. Cold Causes Shrinkage
Just like how the heat can cause expansion, doors exposed to cold weather can make them shrink. The humidity levels are lower during the winter, so the air doesn’t hold as much moisture. When your door shrinks, it’s easier for cold drafts to occur since there could be space between the door and frame.
3. Sun Can Fade the Paint
The appearance of your door can change because of the sun. Prolonged exposure to the sun can eventually fade the paint. Over time, the different temperatures from the sun and the seasons can also cause your paint to chip and crack, reducing the aesthetic appeal of your door and also potentially leading to other damage.
How to Protect Your Entry Door
Ensuring your front entry door stays in its prime condition is crucial to protect against the elements. Whether it’s wintertime or summer, there are several practices you can follow to help keep your entry door from being damaged by the environment.
1. Add or Replace the Weatherstripping
The weatherstripping on exterior doors helps protect against cold drafts and rain from coming in. During the winter, when doors tend to shrink, it’s best to have weatherstripping so that cold air doesn’t come through the bottom or sides of the door. This is true for garage door weatherstripping as well.
2. Use Weather-Resistant Paint
To protect your door from the elements, use weather-resistant paint. Weather-resistant paint is made specifically to handle outdoor conditions, so it can help keep your door from experiencing wear and tear from rain, wind, sun and other weather phenomena.
If you don’t want to use paint, you could also use a varnish that can add shine to your door while still protecting it against the weather.
3. Add an Awning to Your Door
If your door is directly exposed to the natural elements, adding an awning can help protect it.
Additionally, awnings can increase the energy efficiency of your home. Since awnings absorb light and disperse heat from the sun before it gets to your door, your house can stay cool without increasing the air conditioner.
Contact Liberty Door and Awning for Added Front Door Protection
The weather affects front doors all the time. That’s why it’s essential to take preventative action to keep your door functioning and looking great.
If you would like to protect your entry door from the weather, consider installing an awning. You can count on Liberty Door and Awning to find the perfect option for you. To receive a free quote or consultation, contact us today!