Energy Efficiency and Your Doors: Keep Your Home Comfy and Your Power Bill Slim
Hey Edmonton! Door Gurus back atcha again with another post – our first one of the new year!
Of course, we don't know where you are while reading this post, but here on the prairies it’s been freezing – and with that comes high energy bills. It isn't surprising that the hot topic these days is all around energy efficiency!
It almost goes without saying, but by making energy-efficient choices, we can save money on our energy bills, reduce our carbon footprint, and help protect the planet.
Doors are actually one key area where those crucial energy efficient efforts often go overlooked. It’s true! Both interior and exterior doors can play a major role in saving energy and money. In today’s post, we’ll talk about how critical energy efficiency is in doors and how Door Gurus can help. Let’s get into it!
How Do I Know If My Door Is Losing Heat?
Let’s get serious about how serious a door that isn’t energy efficient is and identify some telltale signs that it’s time for a little door repair attention.
Gaps Around The Frame
One of the biggest heat loss culprits is gaps around the door frame – these can allow as much as 11% of heat in your home to escape. Now, you might ask, “But, DG, wouldn’t it be obvious? Wouldn’t I have a massive gap in my door?” – not necessarily.
Some gaps can be difficult to spot, so here’s a look at a few ways you can determine if you’ve got one:
You see daylight peaking through the tops and sides of your door
You feel the chilly caress of a draft coming around your door (not so nice when it’s -40°)
Your door challenges the laws of physics and opens by itself
Your door is difficult to close
Your door should be square, plumb, and level – no room for anything to come through the door except for a friendly human visitor!
Worn Out Weatherstripping
Another heat thief is damaged weatherstripping. Weatherstripping is the rubbery material that seals the gap between your door and the frame – and it’s essential for keeping the cold out and the heat in! If your weatherstripping has seen better days, then it’s likely not very energy efficient.
Here are some telltale signs that your weatherstripping needs to be stripped!
Obvious cracks and peels within the weatherstripping
The weatherstripping is limp, lank, and flat!
Your cat has seized his opportunity to scratch or chew on an errant piece of stripping – not cool Mittens! Not cool.
Your door is difficult to open and close
Drafts, drafts, and more drafts!
What Makes A Door Energy Efficient?
What makes a door energy efficient? Well, they’ll have been put in by a proper door installation crew, for one! They'll also be made of durable materials like steel and fibreglass – perfect for cozy insulation that keeps indoor temperatures consistent.
They’ll also have a good R-value, which is a measurement that determines how well a door or insulation can manage the flow of heat in and out of your home. The higher the R-value, the better your door will be at managing the flow of heat – most steel and fibreglass doors will have R-values between R-5 and R-7.
A Case For Storm Doors
Storm doors are stylish. Storm doors are safe. Storm doors keep the elements out and the heat in!
Storm doors are a great addition to your energy-efficiency repertoire. They’re made of heavy-duty insular materials like aluminium or fibreglass and are designed to be durable, long lasting, and suitable for pretty much any type of weather that our fair province can throw at it. In general, they provide great protection, which helps keep door repairs to a minimum!
If you want storm doors, we’ve got ‘em here at Door Gurus!
The Trouble With Glass Doors
When it comes to glass doors – patio doors or otherwise – we hate to tell you, but as great as they look (heh, just like us 😉) they’re not as energy efficient as, say, steel or fibreglass doors, which have high R-values.
There are some glass doors out there that can do the job – you’ll want to look for triple-paned glass and low-E coatings, which can help to reduce heat loss.
Your Neighbourhood’s Tried and True Door Guru
Luckily, replacing your door entirely or simply replacing your weatherstripping and gaps in your door frame are relatively easy for your friendly neighbourhood Door Guru.
Conveniently, we’ve got a pretty sweet weatherstripping package that includes weathersripping install, adjustment, and maintenance of the weatherstripping. What more could you want?
Call Door Gurus Today!
Remember, here at Door Gurus, we want to keep you swinging! We have your back when it comes to all of your door repair and door installation needs – let us do the work while you see what else is on that honey-do list.
Ready to get started? Fill out our easy estimate request form here!