A front door is one of those things you stop noticing until it starts causing problems. Here are the five signs we tell Dublin homeowners to look out for — if two or more of these apply, it's usually cheaper long-term to replace than to keep patching.
1. You can feel a draught when you stand near it. Modern doors have compression seals on all four sides. If cold air is finding its way in, either the seal has failed or the door has dropped in the frame. A seal is a repair. A dropped, warped door is a replacement.
2. The locks don't engage without lifting the handle hard. A multi-point lock should slide home smoothly. If you're wrestling with the handle every night, the door has moved, and eventually the mechanism will break entirely.
3. Visible damage to the frame or panels. Rotten timber, cracked uPVC or dents in a composite door don't just look bad — they compromise security and let water in.
4. Your heating bills keep creeping up. A poorly insulated door can leak a surprising amount of heat, especially in older Dublin homes. Modern A-rated composite and uPVC doors are dramatically better insulators.
5. It just looks tired. Sometimes there's nothing structurally wrong with a door, but the finish is faded, the hardware is dated and it drags down the whole front of the house. A new door is one of the best kerb-appeal upgrades you can make.
Not sure if yours needs replacing? Send us a photo or call +353 85 288 3273 and we'll give you an honest opinion — free of charge.