Have you moved into a new home recently? Whether it was built five years ago or 50 years ago, there are a few upgrades you should consider making to your new house to make it more beautiful, more energy-efficient, and safer.
While it’s hard to make an upgrade that ticks all three of those boxes at once, there is something you can do; install exterior fiberglass doors.
Most older homes use wooden doors that look decent, but they are sorely lacking when it comes to energy efficiency and security – especially compared to their weight.
Wondering what you should make the switch to a fiberglass door? Need some encouragement to help you pull the trigger on a new front door? Keep reading to discover five big benefits of fiberglass doors now.
1. Improve Energy Efficiency
One of the biggest benefits of fiberglass over other door materials is its energy efficiency. Most homes have basic wooden exterior doors. While wood can look beautiful, it doesn’t insulate well.
Fiberglass can have up to five times the insulating capabilities of wooden doors. That means very little outside air is going to get in, and vice versa. Fiberglass doors are even better when they are windowless.
If you live in an extreme climate, such as the Southwest in the summer or Midwest in the winter, windowless doors are a better option.
Properly installed fiberglass doors will shut out the hot air in the summer, and keep your precious AC-chilled air inside. This prevents your unit from overworking and saves you money every month on your bills.
Fiberglass doors, while more expensive, will pay themselves off over time.
2. Variety of Styles
Most people choose wooden doors because of their looks. They love the different styles available, along with the wood grains to create a comfortable, yet luxurious appearance.
They avoid steel doors for exactly the same reason; a bland appearance. Fiberglass, on the other hand, is the perfect middle ground.
Fiberglass comes in a greater variety of styles than steel. It can also come with a synthetic wood grain, so that it looks just like a modern wood door, but is far more energy-efficient.
You can choose nearly any color as well. You can even paint fiberglass doors when you feel like sprucing up your home’s exterior. Choosing a fiberglass door isn’t a permanent option, and is actually easier to paint than wood. You can view here for more ideas on how to paint your fiberglass door when the time comes.
3. Exterior Fiberglass Doors are Low Maintenance
Both wood and steel doors come with their own set of problems. Wood can deteriorate over time. Excessive moisture can cause the wood to rot, as can insects and animals (especially dogs).
Steel is susceptible to rust and is easy to dent and scratch. But fiberglass is impervious to all of these ailments.
It won’t deteriorate over time. It’s incredibly weather resistant. And it doesn’t dent or scratch like steel. And there’s no ongoing treatment required to keep your fiberglass doors in shape.
Wood may need to be repainted or resealed over time. And steel may need anti-rust treatments. But for the lazy homeowners among us, fiberglass is the best option for minimal effort.
And they last for decades. While you might spend more upfront, you’ll likely never have to spend money on a door again.
4. Maximum Security
More than two million homes in the US are going to experience a home invasion this year. While it’s a scary thought, there are steps you can take to prevent this from happening to you.
And you guessed it, upgrading your door is one of the most effective strategies.
Most burglars admit that they try getting in through the door before doing anything else. If the door is locked, they can often pick the lock, or breakthrough it if it’s an older lock.
If they can’t do that, they will often bust open the door, which is very easy with old wooden doors. Wood is breakable.
Fiberglass, on the other hand, is much more secure than your average exterior door. The frames that are used to hold fiberglass doors are much stronger, with many more screws attaching them to your home.
And fiberglass is incredibly durable. It doesn’t weaken over time, nor is it susceptible to rot or rust. So while wooden doors can get weaker and weaker with age, your fiberglass door will be as strong in five years as it is today, even in harsh climates.
By pairing a fiberglass door with some exterior security cameras, a doorbell camera, motion sensor lights, and an alarm system, you never need to worry about uninvited guests.
Thieves will go looking for an easier home to get into. So tell your neighbors to upgrade their doors as well.
5. Boost Home Value
Fiberglass doors aren’t the cheapest door option on the market, but they might be the best door option on the market.
They offer the perfect balance of all the important factors. They are durable and low-maintenance, so they will last a long time with minimal effort. And they insulate well, preventing energy wastage and saving you money for ears.
If you were to list your home for sale, prospective home buyers would notice how clean and beautiful your fiberglass doors are. And a good exterior door is important, as it’s the first thing that buyers touch when visiting your home.
Fiberglass doors will leave a good first impression on buyers and can help boost both the actual and perceived value of your home. With modern doors, especially on older homes, buyers will be quicker to make offers and try to lock up a purchase.
Buying the Right Door
Exterior doors are your homes’ first line of defense against pests and intruders. They either let the outside air in or block it out completely. And when visitors come to your home, their first impression will be your door.
If you value energy efficiency, durability, and security, then upgrading to exterior fiberglass doors is in your best interest.
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