Unpredictable storms strike during all seasons of the year. Instead of standing idly and waiting for a crisis, get your home ready to fight off any storm! Start by choosing a door to combat harsh weather conditions like blizzards, hailstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes.
What To Look For
When picking the right door, there are a couple of qualities you must look for.
Insulated Materials
Insulated doors reduce the transfer of heat. With a well-insulated door, you’ll keep warm air inside during the winter and cold air in during the summer. Whether you’re looking to protect your home from blizzards and ice or hurricanes and tornadoes, an insulated front door is important to keep your home at the right temperature.
When it’s storming outside, and the power goes out, efficient insulation can maintain a comfortable temperature. Proper insulation also makes your home more energy efficient. You’ll notice a decrease in energy bills because your home keeps the proper temperature throughout the year.
Moisture Repellant
Storms always involve some form of water. A door that isn’t moisture-repellant may experience more damage than a door designed for excess moisture.
For example, many wooden doors absorb moisture. If they aren’t properly treated, the wood can warp and deteriorate over time. It’s essential to search for doors that perform well in high humidity, rain, and snow so you can protect your home from the outdoors.
Pressure-Tested Doors
If you live in a region with frequent hurricanes, you will need a pressure-tested door. It’s essential to do everything in your power to battle the storm and protect your loved ones.
The easiest way to know if the front door you’re shopping for is hurricane-proof is to check the label on the inside of the door. The DP, or design pressure, rating will indicate how much pressure the door can withstand before breaking or leaking. The numbers range from 20 to 60 in increments of 5. The higher the rating, the stronger the door.
For example, a DP rating of 50 conveys that the door will remain intact for up to 75 pounds of impact or 200 mph winds. If you live in an area where hurricanes are a constant threat, a pressure-tested door is essential for your home.
Solid Wood Doors
Solid wood doors aren’t just beautiful entryway accessories. They also have incredibly strong qualities that make them ideal when you must protect your home from harsh weather conditions. They’re a natural, secure choice that gives your home a classic appearance while providing a sturdy barrier from the outdoors.
Some wooden doors have a hollow center that makes them more likely to break. When a strong storm arrives, you need a heavy door that is unlikely to succumb to damage. These doors are also great insulators that won’t conduct hot or cold temperatures no matter the season. You’ll reap all the amazing benefits that solid wood doors have to offer when you install them for the exterior of your house.
Maintenance
Maintenance is a requirement for most natural materials. Wood doors can rot if they’re frequently exposed to moisture and aren’t properly cared for. These types of doors should always receive a form of water sealant that prevents moisture from seeping beneath the wood’s surface.
Of course, there are other exterior door options, such as steel or fiberglass, that don’t require as much maintenance, but their qualities don’t begin to compare to wooden doors. The naturally durable qualities of a solid wood door will keep your home safe.
Oak and maple are natural woods that homeowners love. Either could be a traditional and beautiful addition to your home. With the right maintenance, solid wood doors are excellent options for protecting your family and home.
Matching Exterior and Interior Doors
Durable doors aren’t only meant for the exterior entryways of the home. What about wooden doors for the interior?
These doors are not only good for better insulating each room or creating a better sound barrier, but they’re also vital to keep your home safe when weather complications arise.
During dangerous circumstances, solid wood doors can prevent fires from spreading to other rooms and withstand heavy usage or forces. Their sturdiness will resist wear and tear and protect the inside of the home.
When choosing an interior door, think about pairing a prefinished interior oak door with a matching exterior entry door. This will create a cohesive design and keep your home safe from unpredictable and dangerous weather.
Choosing a Type of Glass
Not every exterior door has glass features, but they’re lovely additions to enhance the door’s style. Whether these windows are installed on the front door itself or as accents outside the frame of the door, it’s important to install one of the types of glass listed below.
Laminated Glass
When a storm arrives at your door, you need something durable that will protect you from hail, sleet, or tree limbs. Laminated glass has three layers: two layers of glass and a strong inner layer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB). During its creation, the window is heated up so the PVB bonds to the glass.
The goal of bonding the materials together is to keep the broken glass shards of the inner layer from exiting the surface. While there’s a chance the window could break, it won’t shatter into hundreds of harmful small shards of glass. This additional feature makes it especially strong against high-impact threats. The material won’t shatter when encountering various objects.
Tempered Glass
The process of creating tempered glass is only a little different from laminated glass. Tempered glass uses a strong heat treatment that reaches about 1300 degrees Fahrenheit and is then cooled very quickly. As the hot center cools, it makes the glass stronger.
When it shatters, you won’t see shards like regular glass. Instead, the tempered glass breaks into cubes that don’t have sharp edges that could potentially cause an injury.
No matter the door you choose, the goal is to keep your family safe from any dangerous weather. You never know when a storm will arrive, but it’s best to stay prepared.
