Emporia
Emporia Classic Level 2 48 AMP EV Charger UL Listed
The Emporia Classic Level 2 48 AMP EV Charger UL Listed is a home charging solution designed for electric vehicle owners seeking efficiency, safety, and smar...
$429
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Are New Doors More Energy Efficient?
According to the United States Department of Energy, new exterior doors fit and insulate better than older doors. Replacing older doors in your home often results in a lower heating and cooling bill. If you're building a new home, you should consider buying the most energy-efficient doors possible.
What Is the Best Material for an Exterior Door?
Different materials for both doors and door frames offer both advantages and disadvantages. Wood doors and door frames are the most natural option and usually have the lowest embodied energy footprint. Solid wood doors also have a higher R-Value than uninsulated metal and fiberglass doors, offering better insulation capabilities. However, these types of doors and door frames are prone to warping or drying out over time. It can lead to cracks and gaps that let drafts into your home and thus compromise your house's thermal performance.
Solid wood doors also have a higher R-Value than uninsulated metal and fiberglass doors, offering better insulation capabilities. However, these types of doors and door frames are prone to warping or drying out over time. It can lead to cracks and gaps that let drafts into your home and thus compromise your house's thermal performance.
Fiberglass and steel doors, on the other hand, tend to have a higher embodied energy footprint than wood but can be manufactured to limit the possibility of drafts occurring. Fiberglass is durable and lightweight, thus minimizing the door's likelihood of pulling away from the frame and causing drafts to occur. Similarly, because of steel's strength, doors manufactured from this material can be made hollow to be filled with some insulation material subsequently. In terms of insulation values, a solid wood door that is 1 3/4" thick is expected to have an R-value of 2.17. A 1.5" to 2" metal door insulated with polystyrene insulation is calculated to have an R-value of anywhere between 6 and 7.
Are Exterior Glass Doors Energy Efficient?
Many homeowners find that installing glass inserts to particular doors in their home can enhance the door's beauty while also increasing the amount of natural light. However, single-pane glass inserts can significantly reduce the energy efficiency of your door, even if it is well-sealed and protected against drafts. An insulated metal door might have an impressive R-value of 7. Single pane glass inserts that are about one-fourth inch thick would have an expected R-value of around .90. It dramatically reduces the thermal performance of the door.
Our Picks for the Most Energy Efficient Door Manufacturers on the Market
While there are hundreds of companies producing top quality doors that prioritize energy efficiency considerations, some of the top manufacturers recognized by the ENERGY STAR certified include:
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Tobias Roberts
Tobias runs an agroecology farm and a natural building collective in the mountains of El Salvador. He specializes in earthen construction methods and uses permaculture design methods to integrate structures into the sustainability of the landscape.
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