Finding the Best Exterior Doors for Cold Weather

When cold weather comes knocking on your front door, that door needs to be tough enough to withstand those wintery winds. Without a protective exterior door to keep the cold out, you could experience chilly drafts throughout your Triad home and see skyrocketing energy bills during the iciest months of the year.

If it’s time for an entry door upgrade, you’ve come to the right place. Contact us online at Window World of the Triad to learn about our front door selection and installation services. Now, let’s break down the best replacement exterior doors for cold weather in detail!

Key attributes of cold weather exterior doors

When it comes to cold weather defense, the best entry doors typically have a few specific attributes that set them apart from other exterior doors. Here’s a closer look.

Insulation

Firstly, cold weather-rated exterior doors are well insulated. You should specifically target entry doors that have polyurethane foam cores, which trap heat indoors and prevent heat transmission from one side of the door to the other. The best insulated doors – provided they fit your home’s doorframe properly, that is – will do wonders to keep the cold out and maximize energy efficiency for your house overall.

Multi-pane glass

Second, if you want a front door with glass windows or decorative elements, make sure those glass sections are multi-paned. Multi-pane glass is filled with an insulating gas like argon or krypton, so it’s less likely to lead to heat loss and is certain to be more resilient against cold weather.

Fortunately, you can find entry doors with multi-pane glass surfaces in a variety of different designs – and some of the best exterior doors for cold weather can even have larger glass windows without sacrificing energy efficiency.

Weather resistance

Don't forget to look for an exterior door that's resistant to inclement weather in winter, like snow, icy rain, or hail. Durable doors are more cost-effective investments for your property since they’ll last longer and look excellent, even for years on end.

But keep in mind that your door’s main surface material, like wood, steel, or fiberglass, heavily affects just how sturdy it actually is! For instance, wood is a pretty tough door material, but it needs lots of extra door maintenance to keep it from rotting or suffering other damage in wet weather (or in the summer when bugs are liable to take a bite out of it).

What are the best entry doors for cold weather?

To recap, when you’re looking for a stellar entry door for cold weather, you want a door that is:

• Insulated, ideally with a polyurethane foam core
• Fitted with multi-pane glass, if it has any glass
• Weather-resistant and durable

So, which entry doors fit the bill? Good news – there are two types of entry doors you can choose from that satisfy the above three requirements.

Wood entry doors

Wood doors are timelessly stylish and fairly resilient, particularly if you apply protective coatings and paint to their surfaces. Wood is also a fantastic material for thermal insulation in the winter since it doesn't transmit heat nearly as well as a material like steel (which is a very high thermal conductor).

Since wood looks aesthetically elegant, many Triad homeowners may want to choose tough, well-made wood front doors for their homes to maximize both style and cold weather protection. Just remember you need to regularly clean, maintain, and repair wood front doors to ensure their longevity!

Fiberglass insulated exterior doors

Fiberglass insulated doors are potentially even better options for Triad homes. Why?

Compared to wood, fiberglass is a little tougher and doesn’t require nearly as much maintenance. It won’t rot or warp if it’s exposed to water, and fiberglass is a decently low thermal conductor (especially when paired with a polyurethane foam core). On top of that, fiberglass front doors are available in a wide variety of different colors, textures, and stains.

That variety means many of the best front door manufacturers offer woodgrain-style fiberglass front doors that mimic the look and texture of real wood. But these top-notch doors keep the inherent durability and rot-resistance of fiberglass, offering you the best of both worlds.

Need an example? Window World of the Triad’s Woodgrain Entry Doors combine the aesthetic appeal of wood entry doors with the resilience of fiberglass – all with no downside. Consider options like these to swap out your old entry door with a maximally effective (and great-looking) replacement that’s sure to impress guests and keep your winter energy bill nice and low.

Choosing the right replacement exterior door

Now you know what kind of exterior door is best for cold weather defense. But there are other things to think about before you renovate: color and style, for example.

In our experience, the best way to know if an entry door is a great fit for your home is to browse your options in person. Window World of the Triad's showroom has dozens of excellent entry doors to examine – and our specialists can help you choose the perfect door for your home’s current aesthetic. Why wait? Stop by today, request a quote online or call 336-364-5014 to learn more!