Sometimes, the most important things are the ones you take for granted. Take your exterior doors, for example. These doors serve the important duty of keeping burglars out, while also preventing heat and cold from entering your home.
As with other parts of your home, however, your doors also have a set lifespan—sooner or later, parts will fail and your exterior doors will need to be replaced. But how do you know if it’s time to replace a door or merely to repair it? Below are just a few things that will tell you it’s time to get new doors for your Miami home.
How Does It Perform on Hot and Wet Days?
Heat and cold can cause materials to expand or contact, including that of your door. One way to tell if it’s time for a replacement is to check how the door operates during different weather conditions. If the contraction or shrinking of the material prevents it from opening smoothly and closing securely, it might also be leaking air, which contributes to higher electric bills.
How’s the Weather Stripping?
This is especially important among sliding doors. When the weather stripping is worn, you’ll often see light pass through during sunny days. Unfortunately, this also means that air is escaping through the worn weather stripping.
Are the Locks Working Properly?
Did you know that a burglary takes place every eighteen seconds in America? That’s about 4,800 cases everyday, which only means that theft is something all homeowners should take seriously. That being said, a door that no longer locks or closes properly makes your home a sitting duck against burglars. As such, this is a sure sign that a door replacement is in order.
Does It Still Match Your Home?
Of course, it’s also important to consider the aesthetics of your door. You may have recently undertaken a home improvement and this may have rendered your current door’s style obsolete. In such cases, getting a new, more modern-looking door such as a sliding door would be a good idea.
A new door is a small investment that can make a world of a difference in your home’s appearance and energy efficiency. When it’s time to finally replace your current one, be sure to work only with trusted suppliers that can offer you a wide range of options and provide excellent workmanship with installations.
Sources:
Is Now the Time to Replace Your Front Door?, BobVila.com
Tips for Deciding When to Replace a Front Door, DailyPress.com