How to Choose a New Front Door

Part Three - Requirements

The third part of this buying guide, focuses on the requirements of your new front door.
These requirements cover both personal needs and the requirements of your home, like:

• Disability & Access requirements - do you need a wider doorway? A front door with a low threshold?


• Security requirements - does your home need an enhanced level of security? Does your front door offer you the protection you need?


• Light requirements - is your hallway dark and gloomy? do you require light passing through your front door, but also need privacy?


• Energy efficiency needs - whether you're trying to reduce your carbon footprint or just want to keep energy bills as low as possible, the energy efficiency of your front door is a key consideration for some.

Front Door Access

Some front doors give you no choice when it comes to ease of access. Some require a frame running along the bottom to function. If you, or someone in your household, has access needs such as a low threshold or wider door way, this is your first requirement to make a note of.

Front Door Security

Although already covered briefly in Part Two, home security is an important consideration in any property. The level of security you require from your front door is personal to you, your family members and your belongings as well as the risk of crime in your area. You may live in a relatively low crime risk area, but if you have vulnerable family members or valuable belongings you will still require a high level of security.

Front Door Glazing

Dark hallways are not appealing to anyone. If your hallway has no windows, or perhaps windows that are very small or in a shady position, it is important your front door is glazed and allows light to pass. The size of the window depends on your personal preferences. If you require light to pass AND privacy, you will need to consider windows backed with an obscure glass.

Other Front Door Needs

There are many other requirements to consider when planning to buy your new front door. It is important to think about your usage of your front door and make note of anything you can think of. Some of the requirements you may wish to consider include:

1) Energy efficiency

A thermal door can keep your home warm and reduce your heating bills. If you're concerned about your impact on the environment or just need to reduce your energy bills, getting a front door with excellent energy efficiency properties should be one of your main priorities.

2) Sound proofing

Partly a location consideration, the sound proof qualities of your front door may be important to you. Maybe you live near a busy road or have noisy neighbours. Maybe it is not external noise that you wish to keep out at all, maybe you'd rather that any noise you make is not easily heard by people outside.

3) Hardware requirements

Hardware requirements are a pretty important consideration. You don't want to buy a new front door, only to get home and realise that you forgot to get a door with a letter plate. Door knockers, spy holes, security chains, letter plates, numerals.. These are all additions to your front door you need to think about and make a note of before buying.