Your door goes through a lot. It’s the first line of defense against the harsh Wisconsin weather—it takes the brunt of the snow, ice, rain, and wind. On top of that, as people come and go from your home, it gets slammed, scraped, and bashed!
Over time, even the strongest of doors can start to break down and show signs of wear and tear. Often, these issues run deeper than simple cosmetic issues, and can threaten the security and comfort of your home. But how do you know when to fix your door and when to replace it entirely? Read on to learn about the 5 telltale signs that your doors need replacing.
How to Tell When Your Door Needs to Be Replaced
Excessive Drafts
When you walk past your door, do you notice a cold draft leaking through? A good way to confirm this would be to hold a lit candle around the edges of your door—if the flame noticeably flickers, then you’ve likely got a lot of air coming in and will want to consider getting a replacement.
Excessive drafts can be a sign that your door’s seal has deteriorated, or that the door no longer fits properly inside its frame. Unfortunately, this is often unavoidable—doors can become misaligned due to warping caused by temperature changes, worn hinges, or the foundation settling. However, you don’t have to force yourself to be uncomfortable because of it.
A door replacement will help eliminate those drafts, making it easier to relax in your house regardless of the season. It will also help lower your energy bills, as your heating and cooling systems won’t have to work as hard to fight the incoming air and regulate the temperature. (Did you know that a 1/8th inch gap under a door will let in as much air as a 2.4-inch diameter hole?)
Difficulty Opening and Closing
When you get home after a long day and are eager to get inside, do you often find yourself stuck on the stoop trying to wrestle open your door? If so, then it may be time for a door replacement. As doors age, hinges can loosen, frames can shift, or materials can warp, making your door difficult to open and close due to sticking.
Not only is this just a nuisance to experience on the day-to-day, but in the case of an emergency, you need to be able to get out of your home fast. Ideally, you should be able to swing it open quickly without any friction or resistance. Sometimes these issues can be resolved with simple maintenance, but other times a replacement door will be required to remedy the problem.
Increased Noise Levels
Your home is a peaceful oasis, a place where you can escape all the hecticness and noise of the outside world and relax however you see fit. At least, it’s supposed to be—that might not be the case if your outdated door is letting in the annoying outside sounds of things like blaring traffic, arguing neighbors, and howling dogs.
Doors are meant to provide some levels of sound protection, and if your door is failing to do so, it means that its insulation is lacking. Older doors, or doors with only single panes of glass, tend to let in more noise than newer doors, which have multiple panes and solid-core construction that help block out unwanted racket.
You may be surprised to find how much easier it is to focus during the day or how much better you sleep at night once you replace your current door with a better insulated one!
Safety Concerns
In 2024, the United States experienced around roughly 2.5 million burglaries. And do you want to know where a burglar’s favorite entry point was, accounting for nearly 34% of all break-ins? The front door! The back door came up close behind, accounting for about 22% of all break-ins. (That means over 50% of all burglaries were executed through a door!)
Does this mean that robbers can just waltz in and take whatever they want, whenever they want? Luckily, no—but it does mean that the doors the burglars were entering through were likely not in good condition. Cracked frames, outdated locks, and weak materials can make your door an easy target for thieves trying to find their way inside.
If you’ve noticed that your door is unstable and creating safety concerns, it’s probably time to replace it. Newer doors have more modern security features such as reinforced frames, advanced locking systems, and impact-resistant materials. You’ll be able to relax knowing that your home is better-protected against intruders.
Visible Wear and Tear
This one may seem a little vain, but if you’re fretting over the fact that your door is suffering from an excessive amount of visible wear and tear, you might want to start shopping around for a replacement. Your front door in particular is one of the first things people see when they look at your home, and a bad-looking one can quickly sour your curb appeal.
Signs of wear include:
- Scratches and scuffs
- Dents
- Cracks
- Warping
- Chipped paint
- Rust
So why not just slap a fresh coat of paint on your door and call it a day? Trust us, we wish it were that easy. Unfortunately, signs of wear and tear aren’t always just cosmetic issues—they can be evidence of serious structural issues. Wood doors, for example, can absorb lots of moisture, leading to swelling and rotting, while metal doors can corrode. This can weaken their durability, no matter how hard you try to patch it up.
A replacement door will give you an opportunity to increase your home’s visual appeal while also giving you a chance to play around with your personal style preferences. If you didn’t think your door matched before, now’s your time to make it right!
Contact Us Today for a Door Replacement
Did you read through the above blog and realize that your doors are suffering from one (or several) of the afflictions mentioned? Then contact the trusted team at Standard Windows & Doors today! Our team of experts has years of experience replacing outdated doors with ones that will best suit your unique project needs, personal tastes, and budget constraints.
