How to Maintain and Care for Your Doors in the Winter

Whether you love it or hate it, winter comes around every year without fail. And while some of us do our best to just keep our heads down and power through to spring, it’s important that we don’t lose track of the importance of maintenance during the season. The cold weather, snow, and ice can quickly weather everything from your sidewalk to your front door. Make sure that you understand how the weather can impact all aspects of your home, including your doors. Not many homeowners take the time to winterize their doors to prolong their lifespan, but there are certain things you can do to keep it in good shape (or to replace it should its time have come). Let’s take a look at how to keep your doors in Toronto safe this season!

Check Your Exterior Doors in Toronto

The first thing that you should do when the time comes to winterize your home is to ensure that all exterior doors close tightly. That means that there shouldn’t be a draft coming in from outside – the door should fit securely in its frame and close securely. You also want to make sure that the door closes easily without you having to strain something in the process. If there are problems closing the door now, they will only get worse during the winter months. It’s important to take note of any issues that you find so that you can repair or replace the door’s fittings before the cold weather hits in earnest.

Make Sure Your Doors Don’t Shake

Along the same vein as ensuring that your door closes tightly, you want to make sure that it doesn’t shake or rattle when the wind comes through. If it does, you need to check the door’s fit and perhaps update its frame to better withstand the weather. The last thing you want is for your door to blow open in the middle of an intense snowstorm, especially if you have animals that might dart outside if given half a chance. Take care of any structural issues as soon as possible to avoid inconvenience or potential tragedy.

Clean Around Your Doors

Making sure that your door is secure is important, but so is keeping it, and the area around it, clean. Months of going in-and-out during the warmer months have likely left behind quite a bit of debris around the door jamb, so take some time to carefully clear it out. If you have sliding doors, check the door tracks and make sure that those are clean, too. Give your door every chance possible to withstand the winter well!

Install Weatherstripping

We know that it’s important that your door shuts tight and isn’t drafty, but realistically some air is still going to seep through around the door itself. To help deal with this, you need to apply weather stripping. Weatherstripping was designed to help seal up air leaks and keep the cold weather outside even in the worst of storms. This is one of the primary ways to prevent drafts, so don’t overlook it. Note that weather stripping should be replaced each year, so install new pieces even if you still have last year’s in place. While you’re at it, take a look at the exterior swinging door sweeps and try to slide a piece of paper underneath it. If the paper is able to go through, it’s time to replace the sweeps to further help prevent drafts.

Inspect Your Door Frame

While there’s a lot you can do to keep your home warm and cozy by repairing and maintaining your exterior doors, you should also pay attention to the door frames. Old frames can have air leaks that lead to cold air seeping into your home despite your best efforts, and this is true in new and old homes alike. Pay attention to the frame look for any areas where you feel moving air or see the outside. You can fill these leaks in with non-expanding insulating foam after you’ve removed any existing inside trim moulding. Once the foam cures put the trim back in place and you have a good-as-new, leak-free door frame.

Use a Wax Coat to Prevent Cracking

Assuming that their door is made from wood, one issue that some homeowner’s face during the wintertime is cracking in their doors. This happens when the door experiences a sudden and significant drop in humidity, something that can happen when the heat in your home kicks on. And once your door cracks, you’ll be left trying to seal the crack and keep out the cold while wondering if you need to buy a new door in the process. Avoid this issue entirely by using a wax coat as a kind of “moisturizer” for the wood. It will sink into the material to form a protective barrier, giving the door a natural defence against cracking. Make sure that you clean the door thoroughly before applying the wax coat!

Check Your Stairs While You’re At It

Ensuring that your door and door frame, and everything connected to it, are in good shape should be sone of your top priorities as you winterize your home this year. While you’re inspecting your exterior doors, give the foundation and stairs a glimpse, too. If you see large cracks or other problems, you should consider taking care of them before the cold weather hits – the snow will only make the problems worse. This is especially important in the space where you actually stand before walking in your home. You don’t want the area directly in front of the door to be uneven or otherwise dangerous, especially during the winter when ice can complicate matters. Take care of issues before the cold weather hits.

Burano Doors Toronto

The time to protect your home from the cold winter months has arrived, and that includes your doors. Toronto has some truly beautiful weather, but it can also be incredibly harsh. Take action now to keep your home in good shape. For more information about doors, or to seek assistance with any needed repairs or replacements, reach out to Burano Doors today!