DOORS

Exterior doors are essential elements of any building. They are charged with the dual tasks of providing ingress/ egress while remaining weather tight. Obviously, doors experience continual wear and, therefore, require periodic maintenance in order to provide optimum service. By their very nature, doors are a major contributor to air infiltration and exfiltration in buildings, so weatherstripping and thresholds need to be inspected and maintained as the seasons change throughout the year. Exterior doors are available in many types and architectural styles. Although aesthetics play an important role in door selection, other factors should be considered when designing a green home.

What Makes Doors Green?
Energy Efficiency
Manufacturing Materials
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

5 Considerations for Consumers:

1. Look for a door that has an R-value of approximately 15 and an adjustable threshold. Any glazing in the door should have the U-value of .40 or lower
2. Make your door weather-tight by adding weatherstripping such as rubber bulb seals or brass/copper channel strips
3. When considering sliding glass doors, use the same benchmarks as for choosing windows and include effective weatherstripping
4. For interior doors, stay away from hollow-core doors with luan mahogany and medium density fiberboard that uses urea-formaldehyde as a binder
5. In existing doors, carefully remove trim pieces and fill any gaps with caulk or polyurethane foam