Fall is a good time to walk around your home’s exterior and see where energy efficiency improvements can be made. Protecting your entry doors and extending their lifespan is vital year-round, but it becomes even more important during the winter months. A fall DIY project designed to protect your exterior doors from stormy weather is an excellent investment in both time and money.
Installing an Overhang
The direction the door faces plays a significant role in how much exposure to light, wind and other climatic conditions will receive. Especially if the exterior doors of your home face south or west, an entry door will be exposed to more direct sunlight than exterior doors facing north or east.
Regular roof overhangs are typically two feet, usually enough to protect windows and siding. However, if the entry doors are constructed of wood and/or have southern or western exposures, installing an overhang will provide extra protection. Overhangs can also improve the lifespan of doors made from other materials such as fiberglass and steel.
For the overhang to be effective, it should extend out far enough. To calculate the length of the overhang, measure from the base of the entry door to where the bottom of the overhang will be positioned and then divide by 2. For example, if the height is 12 feet, the overhang should be at least 6 feet, to protect the finish of the exterior doors from damage and to help keep the weather out of the home.
Choosing the Right Colour
Believe it or not, the colour of the front door can determine the way it weathers over time. To protect your entry doors, no matter what type of material they are made from, select a colour that is suited to your climate zone. Extreme temperatures – the constant fluctuation from cold to hot – can cause noticeable damage to entry doors such as buckling, warping, and finish deterioration. As a general rule of thumb, darker colours absorb more heat than lighter colours. Particularly when the exterior doors are exposed to the sun, light colours will help deflect heat, reducing heat build-up and the possibility of damage to the surface of the door.
Installing Storm Doors
Winter climate in the Lower Mainland can range for temperate to harsh – rain, wind, and active storm conditions can impact the effectiveness of your entry doors and reduce the energy efficiency of your home. A storm door is designed to provide additional protection to exterior doors while letting in light and air. Installing storm doors can help protect the entry doors from direct exposure to the elements and increase energy-efficiency.
