Choosing Energy Efficient Doors

There has been growing demand for energy efficient doors. Energy efficient doors offer many benefits for the environment and your pocket. Because Energy efficient doors reduce the amount of energy you use to heat and cool your home. Windows and doors can be a major source of heat loss, when replacing existing or buying new doors or windows for your home or apartment, keep energy efficient in mind. Energy efficient doors and windows act as a weather stripping.  It prevents cold air entering in winter and prevents extreme hot is summer. Green Home brings together a vast array of practices and techniques to reduce and ultimately eliminate the impacts of buildings on the environment and human health.

Tips for choosing energy efficient doors

Energy efficient doors reduce the amount of energy you use to heat and cool your home. It offers many benefits for the environment and your pocket. There are many different types of door material one can choose from Wood, Steel and Fiberglass are all good insulating materials. Wood itself is an excellent insulation but susceptible to weather damage and are fairly expensive. Fiberglass doors are normally priced in the middle of steel and wood doors. They are good insulated doors that are resistant to the weather and are known to be durable.  Following are some useful tips for choosing energy efficient doors.

• Choosing Right Door: One can choose energy efficient doors from Wood, Steel or Fiberglass as these are good insulating materials. Wood doors are beautiful in appearance, but can damage more easily and are more expensive then steel doors. Fiberglass doors are good insulated doors that are resistant to the weather and are known to be durable. Fiberglass are more expensive than steel, less expensive than wood.

• Energy star for doors: Energy Star is an international standard for energy efficient consumer products originated in the United States of America. In India, rating by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) an agency of the Government of India, is mandatory for all appliances in India. Energy Star Doors meet strict energy efficiency guidelines and save energy and money.

• Proper Installation: Before you go out to purchase a new door, make sure to get the dimensions of the opening. You’ll want to have a good seal so air doesn’t leak in and out. It’s not a bad idea to check all your door and window seals periodically. Once you’ve got the right Energy Efficient Door for your home, it’s very important to have it installed properly.

• Know the U Value: U-Value is the measure of the rate of heat loss through a material. Thus in all aspects of home design one should strive for the lowest U-Values possible because the lower the U-value – the less heat that is needlessly escaping.

• Know the R-value: The R-value is a measure of thermal resistance used in the building and construction industry. R Value tells you how resistant to heat the glasses are. The higher the R value, more resistant the glass is.

• Door Sweeps: Door Sweeps come in a variety of colors and materials including vinyl and aluminum and are very easy to install. It is used to seal the gap between the door and the threshold or door sill.

Opt for high performance doors that comply with ‘Energy Star’ standards. Know the U Value and R-Value of Energy Efficient Doors.  Remember that U Value and R Value are direct opposites. A lower U value means less heat gets through and higher the R value, the more resistant the glass. When replacing existing or buying new doors or windows for your home or apartment, keep energy efficient in mind.