Energy efficiency, environmental compatibility and sustainability are top-of-mind for businesses and consumers alike. But when thinking about energy efficient homes, how do front doors contribute? Outlined below are the top factors to consider when choosing an energy efficient front door as well as where to buy these fiberglass doors.
Look for Low-E glass panels
The ideal energy efficient front doors utilize Low-E glass paneling to help reduce the transfer of energy, minimizing the in-home temperature fluctuation by reflecting the interior temperatures within the home’s walls. Low-E, or low-emissivity glass, was designed to minimize the infrared and ultraviolet light entering through the glass. Not to worry—this won’t affect the amount of visible light that enters the home.
Unbeknownst to many, an estimated 70% of energy loss occurs as a result of windows and doors, 90% of which occurs through the glass, making energy efficient alternatives like Low-E glass panels crucial to keeping air conditioning within the home.
In addition to Low-E glass panels, weatherstripping, or the application of an insulating strip around the exterior door’s perimeter, helps avoid air and heat flow by adding an additional barrier between the home and outdoors.
Fiberglass makes the best exterior door material
Fiberglass doors: or fiberglass composite, are the best option for energy efficiency. They’re light, durable, and long lasting. Plastpro’s advanced fiberglass doors for example also utilize a dense polyurethane foam core, which makes them even more energy efficient. Choose from a number of different textures paired with fiberglass door stains or paints and you won’t need to compromise appearance in the name of energy compliance.
Since fiberglass is a poor heat and electric conductor, it offers nearly four times the insulating R-value of wooden doors (the higher the R-value, the more effective insulator the material). Fiberglass makes for extremely weather-resistant doors, so heat loss will be minimal.
Steel doors: which when filled with higher quality, higher priced insulated foam are energy efficient themselves—however, when glass is added to the door, it loses all energy efficiency. Glass acts as a poor insulator, letting heat out and cold in during the winter, and vice versa in the summer.
Vinyl doors: are energy efficient and provide sufficient thermal insulation, blocking heat and cool air from entering the home. However, they have a shorter lifespan than their fiberglass counterparts and are therefore less cost-effective and efficient overall.
Wooden doors: are the worst insulators and therefore the least energy efficient. Wood absorbs heat and can even cause additional counterproductive heat flow.
Why choose energy efficient front doors?
Thorough insulation through proper exterior material selection is a key way to reduce interior energy consumption (and, as a result, building operation costs). Energy efficient products seal out outside elements, using a third less energy than their non-efficient counterparts. ENERGY STAR quality doors, like those Plastpro sells, keep the home better insulated and running more efficiently, drastically reducing energy bills.
Energy efficient front doors are also a unique selling point to homeowners, saving them money and reducing their “energy footprint”—these doors help lessen electricity usage and costs, lowering bills, improving overall comfort and, of course, helping the environment.
Plastpro is committed to energy efficiency and sustainability
Fiberglass doors are a green alternative to steel and wood doors, among others, for a multitude of reasons, including their long lifespan, energy efficiency and small environmental impact. Fiberglass materials are designed to last for decades and prevail against time and corrosive agents, leading to less overall waste. Plastpro fiberglass doors’ significant lifecycle also means fewer resources are required for frequent manufacturing, less maintenance for upkeep, and as a result, they are overall more cost-effective.
Plastpro utilizes fiberglass technology, taking advantage of one of the most energy-efficient products available in door construction. Plastpro is committed to environmental preservation and creates sustainable products, balancing environmental, economic and social goals. Learn more about Plastpro’s Energy Star Ratings and efficiency test results on Plastpro’s Energy Efficiency page.
Check out Plastpro’s Where to Buy page to find the closest distributor for energy efficient fiberglass front doors & doors with Low-E glass paneling.
