If you are thinking about upgrading the doors in your home, consider energy efficient options. They provide a variety of benefits – from keeping your loved ones safe, to adding a look of elegance to your home’s exterior. They also save you money on your energy bills. Contact a home improvement service to have new energy efficient doors installed as soon as possible. Here are some of the benefits you can start enjoying.
ENERGY USE
As implied by the name, energy efficient doors help you save energy. This is great for the environment, and it is also great for your energy bill. The way an energy efficient door (or window) works, is that it reflects air back into your home, rather than letting it seep through. An energy efficient door is insulated with thermal reflection ability, which causes heated or cooled air to reflect back into your home. By keeping your home a consistent temperature, you save money on your heating and cooling bills. When looking for a door, check out the door’s R-value (reflectivity value). The scale is from 1-9, where 1 is the least reflective, and 9 is the most. When choosing, shoot for a door with a value of at least 7. If you aren’t sure which type of door to go with, contact a home improvement service to help you select the right one for you.
PROTECTION
Although sunshine in your home can be great on chilly winter days, and natural light is great, it can also be damaging to your belongings. If you have a door that faces directly into the sun (east in the morning, and west in the afternoon), sunlight streams through any windows your door may have, and it will cause the floor and any belongings in the sunlight to fade. If you have a doormat, you can see the fading when your move it from its usual place. When looking for an energy efficient door, look for one with low-emissivity coating. This blocks some of the sun’s UV rays, which keeps your home from heating up in the summer and prevents your floors and fabrics from fading as much.
TAX BENEFITS
While the initial price tag of new doors may seem expensive, energy efficient doors will get you some money back that other doors won’t. You can save up to 30% of the purchase cost, or up to $1,500 through tax incentives if you purchase energy efficient doors.
COMFORT
Keeping your home a comfortable temperature is important, regardless of the time of year. If you have ill-fitting doors, heated or cooled air can seep out and humidity can seep in. Not only does this make you uncomfortable, the humidity can also be damaging to your belongings. By replacing an old door with a better fitting, energy efficient one, you can help keep your home at a consistent temperature. A home improvement service will make sure that your new door and door frame fit together properly.
VALUE
Improve your home’s value with energy efficient doors. Having newer doors is something that buyers look for, if you are trying to sell your home. Along with energy efficient windows, energy efficient doors can be a big selling point. The “energy efficient” buzz words can attract potential buyers, because it lets them know that they won’t need to upgrade the doors themselves. It also means they can enjoy the energy saving benefits, making the home seem like more of a practical buy. Be sure to hire a home improvement service to install the door – improperly installed doors will quickly be spotted by potential buyers.
For more information on energy efficient doors, check out https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/design/windows-doors-and-skylights/doors and
https://www.energystar.gov/products/building_products/residential_windows_doors_and_skylights
