Custom door installations: part of a cost-effective home maintenance plan

In a slow housing market with limited economic opportunity, you're probably eager for ideas to lower your monthly bills and preserve the home you have.

Consider installing a well-fitted custom door. A well-crafted door can improve your home energy efficiency and raise its value. But read this guide before you buy. Selecting the right kind of custom door and pairing it with energy-efficient accessories now will save money later on.

Tip 1: Invest in a pure wood door

Wood doors are smart choices for several reasons. First, they're easier to customize than doors made from synthetic materials — and when making home improvements to add value, aesthetics are important. Custom wood doors can be carved, painted, stained, or outfitted with ornate hinges and knobs to match any type of period architecture. A custom door will look great on a home from any historical period, and can increase the resale value of the house, too.

Another reason wood doors are smart investments is their durability. Solid wood doors don't warp or crack when exposed to rough weather conditions; the same cannot be said of doors made from false wood or synthetic materials. A custom door made of wood might cost more initially, but is the optimal investment because it will outlast any synthetic door.

Because wood doors are resistant to weathering, they provide better home insulation. Thick, solid doors can actually lower heating and cooling bills. They prevent hot or cold air from entering the home, and reduce strain on home heating and cooling systems.

Tip 2: Invest in a custom door with a high R-value

All building materials are graded according to how well they resist the transfer of heat. Before purchasing a custom door, ask about the R-value of the wood used to make the door.

Ideal building materials (including top-grade hardwoods) have high R-values, meaning they're very effective at preventing heat from leaving or entering the home. Remember that doors with gaps or cracks — which most synthetic custom doors will develop after only a few years' time — have substantially lower R-values, and thus, don't provide adequate home insulation.

Tip 3: Weatherproof your custom door with add-ons

A custom door installation can be very cost-effective if it is paired with weatherproofing add-ons. One add-on to consider is a thermal glass door. Thermal glass enhances the R-value of an exterior door by blocking further heat flow. Typically, the glass door is placed between the exterior door and the inside of the home. In warmer weather, the top pane of glass is replaced with mesh-like screen material to promote air circulation.

Another cost-effective addition to a custom door installation is weatherstripping. Weatherstripping a wood door seals off the gaps between the door and its frame, and acts as a second barrier to moisture and extreme temperatures.

To weatherstrip the top and sides of a custom door, you'll need to purchase lengths of self-adhesive foam. To weatherstrip the bottom of a door, you should purchase a door sweep. These weatherstripping materials are not expensive, and can be measured and cut to fit the dimensions of any door frame. Large national home improvement chains like Lowe's and Home Depot can provide weatherproofing installation tips and assistance.

When performed correctly, a custom door installation can add value to your home while reducing energy costs. More importantly, a quality door installation provides a great return on your investment for decades.