Signs That You Need to Replace Your Front Door?
A home’s overall exterior aesthetics provides a first impression for guests. But, as they begin to walk up towards the home, most guest’s attention is squarely on the front door. Your front door can leave a lasting impression on your guest, and it isn’t always a positive one. Your front door faces a lot of wear and tear over the years, as the main point of entry, the door is exposed to above average bumps and scrapes from people coming and going, it also stands up to the different weather conditions thrown at it from each season. From extreme cold to blistering heat, rain, snow, ice, hail and even dust and debris whirling around in the wind, your door stands up to it all. However, even the most durable and well-maintained door will show signs of wear and eventually need to be replaced.
Here are 4 telltale signs that you are in need of a door replacement:
1. Reduced Energy Efficiency
If you feel a draft coming into your home from around your front door, this is an obvious sign that warm air is able to escape your home in the colder months as well. In warmer months the opposite issue will hold true as cold air will be able to escape and warm air will enter your home due to gaps around the door. With the draft comes an increase in your energy bills, as your heating and cooling systems will need to work harder to maintain your ideal internal home temperature.
Replacing your door with a newer energy efficient door will not only help stop the drafts, but it will also help reduce your energy bills.
2. Difficulty Opening and Closing
Doors should be easy to operate, when installed correctly no more than a little energy should be required to open or close a door. Over time your front door may begin to lose its shape, or even loosen from the hinges. As this happens the door will scrape the frame making it more difficult to open and close. You may be able to adjust the hinges to eliminate the rubbing, but if that doesn’t work, a new door maybe your best option.
3. Worn Down
A worn down, faded, scratched, dented door is not a door that you would look forward to coming home to on a daily basis. It doesn’t showcase pride of ownership in a home either. Sometimes a deep clean and a fresh coat of paint is all that is needed to revive a tired door. However, when your door begins to rot, warp, or bend your best option is to replace the door. This is not just for aesthetics reasons, but for security as well. Burglars and intruders tend to single out homes that have entrances that show signs of decay, a new door will stand as an hindrance to those who may be up to no good.
4. Design & Style
No matter the condition of your front door, if it doesn’t fit your style or if the design doesn’t match the rest of your home, it is time to replace the door. Your door can act as the focal point of your home’s exterior, and if it doesn’t flow well with the rest of your exterior, there isn’t many options left but to replace your front door.
Not all entrance doors are equal, there are different materials, varying levels of energy efficiency and security, and multiple styles and colours available for you to choose from. It’s important to research “what to know before buying a new front door” before making your decision.
If you are in Ontario and considering replacing your front door, give Landmark Home Solutions a call at 1-866-734-5880, today. We will assist you in selecting the right custom door that will meet your needs and style.
How to Keep my House Cool in the Summer?
As spring rolls into summer, the excitement of warmer weather ahead grows. People are looking forward to enjoying the outdoors, going for bike rides, swimming at the lake or neighbourhood pool, and just enjoying time in the backyard. For homeowners, this is a time to ensure your home is ready for summer fun, because enjoying the warmer weather is great, but living in an uncomfortably hot home is never a great way to spend your summer.
Here are 4 tasks to complete to ensure your house remains cool this summer:
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- Show your HVAC system some attention, after all your central air conditioning system will be responsible for keeping your home comfortable all summer long. Replace the filter, this will ensure the air flowing through the system is unobstructed. Ensure the outside condensing unit is clear of any shrubs, debris, or anything else that can reduce the airflow to the unit. Clean the condenser unit, clear out any debris or leaves from in the unit and give it a quick rinse with your garden hose. Clean the A/C drain to ensure the system is running efficiently. Early summer preventive maintenance will help ensure your system is running efficiently all summer long.
- Inspect your windows and doors, drafts from around your windows and doors cause your heating and air conditioning systems to work harder to maintain your desired internal temperature. Look for signs that you need to replace your windows and doors, such as bent or warped frames, damaged glass, difficulty opening and closing, or drafts coming in from around the frames. Recognizing that you may need a window replacement early in the summer will give you enough time to plan for the project.
- Ceiling fans are great for circulating air around a room, as long as they are working properly. Take this time to test ceiling fans and set them to rotate counter clockwise. Ensuring your ceiling fans are set to spin counter clockwise will push air down and provide you with that cool gust of air you will be looking for on a warm day. When rotating clockwise, ceiling fans bounce the warm air that rises off the walls and pushes the warm air around the room, which is great for winter, but not helpful during the warmer months.
- Replacing older incandescent lightbulbs will help keep your home cool, as these bulbs generate a lot of heat and use much more energy than LED or fluorescent bulbs. If you think a small bulb can’t make that much of a difference, let me tell you that they can. Especially when they are used throughout your entire home. 90% of the energy used by incandescent bulb goes towards creating heat.
Maintenance and upkeep is part of home ownership, taking these few steps before the weather really heats up will ensure your home is ready to take on the warm weather, and that you and your family will be able to enjoy the summer comfortably all season long.