Energy Efficient Doors Buyers Guide
Last Updated: Apr 11, 2025While most of us probably equate cold and drafty homes with old windows or inadequate insulation, we may not realize that doors may be to blame. The doors in our homes play an essential part in maintaining (or neglecting) the energy efficiency of our homes. According to the California Energy Commission, doors are responsible for up to 11 percent of all air leaks in a home, despite representing a relatively small amount of the total wall space. Even if a door is exceptionally well-sealed, heat transfer is bound to be a problem due to the relatively low insulation in doors and door frames.
Investing in the best energy-efficient doors is a cost-effective way to increase the energy efficiency of your home. It also improves the aesthetics of your home facade. And if you aspire to meet the standards of Passive House, energy-efficient doors are a must.
Table of Contents
- How Do You Weatherproof a Door?
- Are New Doors More Energy Efficient?
- What to Look for in Energy Efficient Doors
- What Is the Best Material for an Exterior Door?
- Are Exterior Glass Doors Energy Efficient?
- Our Picks for the Most Energy Efficient Door Manufacturers on the Market
How Do You Weatherproof a Door?
Before tearing out every door in your home and installing one of the most energy-efficient options on the market, it's worth investing in a weatherproofing strategy. Weatherproofing for your door is an inexpensive option that is also an immediate energy efficiency upgrade. To weatherproof the doors in your home, consider using weather stripping around your door frame. Air leaks tend to occur wherever two different construction materials meet. Simple caulking (formaldehyde-free, if possible) can be applied where the door frame meets your interior and exterior walls to prevent air leaks.
You can replace your door sweep, which is designed to seal a small gap between the bottom of the door and the threshold of your floor. Wood options for a door sweep can blend in with your existing door. Making a door snake or a weighted fabric tube placed at the bottom of your door can also help keep out drafts.
These weatherproofing strategies can certainly help reduce your doors' energy loss; however, a new door is worth considering.
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.
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:
Global Windows and Doors
Global Windows and Doors offers a wide range of doors made from wood, fiberglass, steel, and other materials. Their line of steel doors are made from finger-jointed knot-free pine stiles and rails for strength and durability with 24 gauge steel and HCFC free polyurethane foam insulation.
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.
