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For as much as we use our front doors, most of us don’t spend as much time or attention on maintaining them as we should. Front door maintenance is essential to help keep your doors looking good and functioning well for as long as possible. All that wear and tear, as well as all the exposure to the elements can really take a toll on your door over time, especially if you don’t maintain it. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of front door maintenance tips to help you take great care of your door all year round.
#1. Clean Them
The same as everything else in your home, a key part of front door maintenance is cleaning it regularly. How you clean your front door and how often you will need to do this will depend on the type of door that you have. For example, wood doors need a lot more frequent cleaning and maintenance than fiberglass doors do. Dirt and debris can build up on your doors and water can stain them. These impact both the aesthetic appeal of your doors and their durability. Cleaning your door regularly helps it look its best and last longer.
Your door should come with a care manual that you can consult for the best products and techniques to use in order to clean it. You don’t want to use a pressure washer or a garden hose to clean your front door, as water could get into your home through the seams.
#2. Inspect It
The same as an essential part of front door maintenance is keeping it clean, so too is inspecting it regularly for any signs of damage or weathering. The earlier you catch a potential problem, the easier it will likely be to repair, and the more likely it is that you’ll be able to avoid an otherwise preventable replacement.
You’ll want to keep an eye out for any cracks, fading, peeling, or chipping, as these are all indicators that the finishing isn’t protected anymore. You’ll also want to check the weatherstripping, hardware, glass panels, frame, and basically every part of the door.
If your door isn’t opening smoothly or is squeaky, lubricant on the hinges should be able to resolve these issues. If your door has damaged weatherstripping, such as cracks or gaps, you can replace it. If the glass panes are rattling or there is fog between the frames, you may need to either replace the glass panes or fix the seal. If your door has cracks that go beyond hairline cracks, warping, or dents, these may necessitate replacement.
It’s important to regularly inspect your door, because most problems can be repaired if you catch them early enough on. Annual inspections are what is typically recommended for front door maintenance, however, there’s no harm in doing them more frequently, especially if you have a high-maintenance type of door.
#3. Pay Attention To Maintenance Needs
The type of regular front door maintenance you’ll need will depend on the type of door that you have. Glass doors and wooden doors require quite a bit of maintenance in order to maintain their beauty and functionality, such as every season, as well as re-sanding and painting every couple of years. Metal and fiberglass doors need less maintenance, such as an annual cleaning and a touch-up here and there.
If you aren’t sure about your type of doors’ specific maintenance needs, you can either check the manual it came with or consult with your local door professionals or its manufacturer.
#4. Mind Seasonal Changes
This front door maintenance tip is more specific to wooden doors, due to how they need seasonal attention. Wood tends to either shrink or expand depending on the temperature. This can lead to them sticking when you try to open them, which then leads to homeowners thinking that the solution to their problem is to shave the wooden doors down.
However, when the weather turns cold, your door will shrink again, and this can leave you with big gaps all around the edges that let all that freezing cold air and snow into your home. It’s better to try to wax the edges of your doors so they can more easily open and close, so that you don’t have to worry about them losing any airtightness.
Moyes Glass is here to help you with your front door needs. We provide residential and commercial doors, including iron and glass. If you have any questions about front door maintenance or if you need a new door, don’t hesitate to contact us.
