As we move into fall and the weather is turning cool, we're helping homeowners around the Twin Cities get their homes prepared for the seasons ahead. One thing that should be on your list is evaluating your exterior doors, especially your front door.  If it has been a while since you’ve replaced or bought entry doors for your home, then it might be time to consider replacing them. There are quite a lot of choices in entry doors, from different manufacturers to styles to door material. Look at all of the options to choose from, and then make a decision based on some specifics for which works for your home. The information below can help you evaluate different exterior doors.

Consider These Elements When Choosing Minnesota Entry Doors

What Kind of Entry Door Is Best For You?

Putting a new door on your home is something that will get noticed. It's also one of the best values in terms of return on investment when you're considering home improvements. But you want to choose the right door for you and your home. And there is no one right door for every owner and every home. There are some things to keep in mind when you want to make a decision on which entry doors to have installed on your home.

The Style of Your Home/The Style of Your Doors The look of the exterior of your home makes a difference, so of course you'll want doors that work with the style of your house.  That's especially important with a front door, because it's usually the first thing people notice about a home. Fortunately, we love lots of different door looks to choose from, so we're confident there is something that will catch your eye and complement your home.  Energy-Efficiency Ratings

A high-quality energy efficient door is one of the best things you can do for your heating and cooling bills. Energy audit experts tell us that the greatest amount of heat and cooling loss in a home is through window and door openings.  Here in Minnesota, keeping that outside winter chill out of your home depends in great part on the entry doors that stand between you and the cold. Some doors are more energy efficient than others, so look for high R values. Also, you want doors that fit snugly in their openings to keep drafts out. It's one of the reasons we recommend that for homes in our area you choose something other than wood.  Real wood doors can shrink and expand, so fiberglass and steel are better options for homes in our area.

If you already have quality wood doors, you can up the energy efficiency by installing storm doors as an additional insulating layer.  Not only will they provide a way to keep the cold out (and the heat in), but they will also protect the exterior of your doors from weather damage.    Security

The door is one of the best ways to get in and out of the home, so why not choose a door that provides more security? Not surprisingly, most home burglaries are via the front door. You want to choose a door that provides the most protection possible.

Important Areas to Consider

These specifics should be considered when choosing the best door to put on the home that you own.

  • What type of door material should you choose?
  • Does your door need a specific type of hardware and locks?
  • Do you want the door to swing in or out? There are advantages to both. In-swing doors are usually easier to enter, and they're the best choice when there isn't sufficient clearance in the entry for an out-swing door. But entry doors that swing out are much harder to break into, since the door can't be forced open. Also, out-swing doors work better if the inside of your entry area is kind of cramped.
Always have a professional install the new entry doors to your home, no matter which doors you choose. You want the best possible outcome, and part of that depends on the best possible door installation contractor doing the work.  It's one of the exterior home remodeling services we offer here in the Twin Cities.