7 Signs Your Lehigh Valley Home Needs Door Replacement

Your front door is the first point of contact for visitors, so it should look good and add to the curb appeal of your Lehigh Valley home. But it's not all about appearances. They also need to be functioning properly for your ease of use and secure against attempted intrusions, so you have peace of mind knowing your home is protected. That’s why it’s important to know about Lehigh Valley door replacement services.

If your house's entries are in rough shape and making your home less comfortable — not to mention needlessly increasing your monthly utility bill — you need door replacement service. But how can you tell if you need to have your exterior entries replaced right now, or if they are okay to last another season in the Valley?

This guide covers seven reasons why you need entryway installation services from the helpful Lehigh Valley door replacement experts at Mr. Handyman of Easton, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Allentown, and the Lehigh Valley. Our service professionals have the skill to deliver both high-quality workmanship and a dedicated commitment to customer service, so you can rest assured that you'll have a safe, worry-free experience.

How to Tell if You Need Door Replacement Service

Wondering if you actually need replacement or if a couple repairs would suffice? The question of whether you should repair or replace is a common one, and it basically comes down to how extensive your damage is. If your entryway only needs one or two minor repairs, it makes sense to have your handyman take care of them and move on to your next project. But, if the damage is more widespread or many small repairs are needed, replacement will be more cost-effective than repair.

Air Drafts

When door frames, which are also referred to as jambs, are degraded, they let in air drafts that change the temperature in your home. This forces your HVAC system to work much harder and use more energy to keep your home at the temperature your thermostat is set at. Heating and cooling are likely the single biggest expense on your monthly utility bill, so air drafts can cause your bill to increase significantly — basically, you're wasting money by heating or cooling the Lehigh Valley rather than your home. Replacing old, drafty entries with new, energy-efficient exterior doors will save you a lot of money and make your home more comfortable as well. If the problem is only with your jamb, your handyman may be able to avoid a full replacement by applying foam insulation inside your frame.

Difficult to Open and Close

Do you have to push and shove to get your entries open and closed? This is an annoying problem that will worsen as time goes by. It should be able to swing freely on its hinges or slide smoothly on its tracks without rubbing and grinding against the frame (or even worse, the floor or wall). This issue can be caused by your house shifting and settling over time and causing warping in the jamb, or the door itself could be improperly installed or out of alignment. Whether it's a hinged entry, French doors, or sliding patio doors, replacing the entire package will give your handyman the opportunity to get the jamb and entry perfectly aligned, so it opens and shuts with just a gentle touch.

Rotting Wood on Frame

Wood rot is a form of decay caused by wood-eating fungi that thrive in damp timber. If your frames are frequently exposed to moisture, they will be susceptible to rotting. That's one of the reasons why gutter cleaning is so important in the Lehigh Valley.

Rotten wood causes a host of unpleasant problems in the Lehigh Valley, including air drafts, and makes your home less secure against vandalism and intrusion. There's no way to restore rotted wood to its former condition, so the entire frame and trim will need replacement. Even if the door itself is not affected, it will likely need to be replaced as well because it's simpler and therefore more cost-effective than trying to rehang an old entry on a new jamb.

Insect or Pet Damage

If you have a dog or cat who scratches mercilessly at the door when they want to be let in or out, you already know all about how much unsightly damage they can cause, especially to wood doors. The best way to prevent this from happening again after replacement is to have your handyman install a pet door so they can let themselves in and out whenever they please, and you can stop spending so much time serving as a butler to your furry friends.

But your pets aren't the only creatures interested in attacking your entryways in the Lehigh Valley. Maze-like channels or holes on the surface of your entry are caused by wood-destroying insects such as termites or carpenter ants. You may not see many visible signs of insect activity, but if your door feels lighter than it used to or makes a hollow sound when rapped, it's possible it has been hollowed out by insect pests.

Foggy Window

If your entryway features a window that has become foggy due to condensation trapped between panes of glass, the best course of action is to replace your entire unit. There are ways to “unfog” a window by removing condensation, but they are temporary. The service will need to be repeated again and again until you give up and just have the entry replaced. It makes far more financial sense to simply replace the entire door in the first place and save yourself the frustration.

Vandalism Damage

When your exterior entries have been vandalized or damaged by someone attempting a forced entry, door replacement is necessary to re-secure your home and give you back your peace of mind. Problems such as bent jambs, broken locks, large dents, and other issues leave your house vulnerable to further attempts by intruders, not to mention problems such as moisture damage and air drafts in the Lehigh Valley.

Increase Property Value

Are you thinking of selling your house in the near future? Lehigh Valley door replacement service is one way to increase the value of your property and get a good return on investment in the selling price. Being greeted by a brand-new entryway will impress prospective buyers and reassure them that they won't need to spend a lot of money renovating the house before they move in.

When you are considering the wide array of options for replacement styles, it is best to choose a neutral, classic look that blends in with the other entryways in your neighborhood and helps potential buyers project their own sense of style onto the home. Designer color options may seem attractive, but a white or natural wood choice will help seal the deal when it comes time to sell.

Do You Need Lehigh Valley Door Replacement Service?

Whether you're in Allentown or another part of the Lehigh Valley such as Easton, Nazareth, or Bethlehem, you can trust Mr. Handyman of Easton, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Allentown, and the Lehigh Valley to take care of all your door replacement projects with expert workmanship and outstanding customer service. Our experienced handymen can handle replacements for any type of door, from patio doors and French doors to sliding doors and front entries.

Give us a call today at 610-463-1667 to schedule an appointment or find out more about why we're considered the Lehigh Valley's best choice for reliable handyman services!