An exterior door is a moving part in a weather barrier, which is a hard job in a climate that swings sixty degrees in a day. Most door problems trace back to the opening, not the door, so that is where we start.
What Matters
Doors that stick in summer and let daylight through in January are usually telling you about the frame, the sill, or the flashing rather than the slab itself. Replacing the door alone repeats the problem with newer hardware.
We check the rough opening, the sill pan, and the surrounding weather barrier before ordering anything, correct what needs correcting, and set the new unit plumb and properly flashed. That is the difference between a door that works for fifteen years and one you fight with every season.
Rough opening squared and sill pan corrected before the unit goes in.
Flashing tied into the existing weather barrier, not caulked over it.
Finishes and hardware rated for high-UV, high-swing Colorado exposure.
Interior trim and exterior siding returned cleanly, so nothing looks patched.
What We Install
The one everybody sees. Fiberglass, steel, and clad wood in finishes that survive direct afternoon sun at altitude.
Sliding and multi-panel units connecting living space to a patio or deck, set so they still glide in year five.
Garage-to-house, mudroom, and utility doors, including the fire-rated assemblies code requires between garage and living space.
An extra layer against wind-driven weather and a way to open the house up without opening it to insects.
Questions
Usually seasonal movement in the frame or the structure around it, sometimes a settled sill. A door planed down to fix a summer problem then rattles all winter, so we would rather correct the opening than shave the door.
For most Front Range exposures fiberglass gives the best balance of insulation, stability, and finish life. Steel is strong but shows dents and conducts cold. Wood is the most beautiful and asks the most of you in maintenance, particularly on a south or west face.
Usually. If we are replacing one of several, we work to match panel profile, glass, and finish as closely as the current product range allows, and we will show you the difference before ordering rather than after.
Yes. Casing, jamb extensions, paint, and stain are part of the job. A door replacement that leaves you with unfinished trim is not a finished door replacement.
A properly sealed door removes a real draft, which you will feel in the room. Whether it changes your bill noticeably depends on how bad the old one was. We will tell you honestly if your windows or attic would return more.
Related
We'll look at the opening as well as the door, and tell you what actually needs doing.
