The winter season poses a whole different set of home care challenges for many people. One common problem during this time is door freezing, particularly for entry and patio door assemblies. In a well-designed and installed door, freezing is prevented by adequate weatherstripping and other preventive measures. However, the problem can also be caused by a number of different factors, both on the door itself and the condition of your interiors.
Frozen doors can be difficult to operate and can jeopardize the security of your home. As a homeowner, it’s important to know how to keep this problem from occurring as well as be familiar with ways to resolve it if it has already happened.
Monitor Your Humidity Levels
Winter air may be cold, but it is surprisingly dry. Your interior, on the other hand, will have many different sources of moisture. It could be a foyer or mudroom secured by storm doors, or it could be from the different activities you do indoors. This difference in humidity and temperatures between your outdoors and indoors can cause condensation against glass panels. This condensation can then freeze up resulting in sticky doors and windows.
Our experts recommend using a humidifier to monitor and maintain your relative humidity (RH) levels so they are around 30% during peak heating season. This is enough to help keep your heating system efficient while preventing condensation from happening on your doors and windows as well.
Regular and Professional Maintenance
Finally, have all your doors inspected at least once a year. This includes your entry doors, interior doors, storm doors and even your windows. A professional inspection can show you whether you have air leaks in your home, which, aside from causing door freezing problems, can also affect your energy efficiency.
At WMGB Home Improvement, we are your leading installer of replacement doors and windows as well as inspection and maintenance services. Give us a call at (616) 328-6625, or fill out our contact form to request a free estimate today. We serve homeowners in Grand Rapids, MI.
