5 tips to tell when itts time for a new entry door

and possibly moisture. That means it's time to determine if the foam-filled weatherstripping may have lost some of its compression, cracked or simply worn out.

Tip #3 - Examine the locks to make sure they operate smoothly and are strong enough to help protect the home. Multi-point locking systems offer exceptional peace-of-mind and security for the home.

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at the front door. That's the advice of experts at Therma-Tru, who suggest your customers evaluate their main entry door at least once a Year to determine the status of the door's operational capabilities and energy efficiency features.

helping the customer to realize it's time for a change.. (Photo several easy ways to determine when it's time to consider a front door replacement.

"Every component of a home needs to be replaced at some Point over time," says Brad Johnson, v.p. of marketing for Therma-Tru. "Most homeowners can get years of service out of their front door, but there will come a time when a door needs to be replaced. That's why it's important to annually evaluate and maintain your main entryway."

According to Johnson, there are

Tip #1 - Open and close doors in the home, on both drY daYs and wet, humid days. Make sure all the components operate smoothly. If the door doesn't close securely or fits tightly on humid days, then it's most likely leaking air in dry weather, causing the home to lose energY.

Tip #2 - Inspect the weatherstriPping around all sides of the front door to make sure it has not worn out. On a bright day, stand inside near the door and look for daylight flowing through the door perimeter. If light is coming in, then so, most likely, is external air

Tip #4 - Reach out and touch the door on both hot and cold days. If you feel the exterior temperatures on the inside surface, then the door may not have adequate insulation. In this situation, consider upgrading the door with a replacement that is more energy efficient and has an ENERGY STARqualified rating for your geographic area. Order a multi-point locking system on a new door for a tighter fit against the weatherstripping, which can help provide even greater energy savings.

Tip #5 - Look at the aPPearance of the door. If it's a wood door, it maY be warping or rotting after years of service. A steel door can get dinged and rust over time. And, it's possible that the style of the door simply doesn't match up with the design of the home. These are all red flags that it's time to replace a front door.

By Tom Zimmerman, Boral