Entrance doors are the centerpiece of the exterior of a home. Behind their obvious functionality and style, however, unexpected financial benefits may lie in wait.
Entrance Doors are the Gateway to Unseen Benefits
Your home is a sealed space, carefully constructed to stave off the elements, while keeping the interior comfortable and safe. There are so many factors in the makeup of a home, that we don’t often assess each individually.
Entrance doors are particularly important. They are representatives of your home, conducting all traffic in and out of your cherished enclave while simultaneously guarding it. An improperly installed, poorly maintained, or outdated door can be an underestimated sap on your finances. On the other hand, give this household component some love and attention, and you’ll be quickly rewarded with some extra change in your pocket.
Here are some ways in which entrance doors may influence your home financially:
Curb Appeal
Just imagine you are in the market for a house. When the realtor takes you out to look at homes, what’s the first thing you’ll most likely notice? The front door.
In the ever-competitive Toronto housing market, entrance doors can convey a lot about the value of a home. They are often the first impression prospective buyers get, not just of the style of the home, but of how the home has been cared for. A well-installed, maintained, and attractive door will start off any prospective sale on a positive note.
Energy Buffer
Aside from being an attractive asset, entrance doors can also save on energy bills. As energy-efficient technology moves forward, entrance doors are no exception. Doors must now be carefully crafted to meet energy performance standards and compete in an energy conscientious market. A door that utilizes modern technology is an ideal way to keep out extreme Toronto weather and keep costly energy leaks from occurring.
Tax Asset
As a bonus, there are now many government incentives that offer tax breaks for energy-efficient renovations. A new entrance door could mean not just a lighter energy bill, but also a break on your taxes.
Prevent Break-Ins
Nobody likes to imagine the scenario, but home invasions are an unfortunate reality. What’s more, burglars are often bold enough to use your very own entrance doors to get inside. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 34% of culprits enter through the front door. Having a solidly installed entrance door, up to date in durable materials and locks is a simple way to minimize your home’s susceptibility to burglary and damage from an intruder.
Keeping the Outside Out
Water damage and pests are common and costly problems in many homes. Homeowners report spending anywhere from $50 to as much as almost $600 on insect control per year and thousands of dollars on water damage. While it is very unlikely that all or even most of the damage is coming from vulnerable entrance doors alone, this is a simple point of entry to eliminate these problems. Rotting wood, worn flashing, and open gaps can easily be solved with updated weatherstripping, simple adjustment, or refitting a new door.
Home Insurance
When all previously mentioned points are accounted for, insurance companies take notice. Much like a prospective buyer, insurance companies factor in the entrance door as an indicator of the vulnerability of a home. When a door is secure, properly fitted with adequate locks, weather-tight, well-maintained, and installed, it is viewed as a good protector against scenarios that would require an insurance payout and can therefore help to lower your home insurance rate.
What’s Behind Door Number One
Whether style icon, sturdy protector, or energy buff, behind every solid door unforeseen assets, lie in wait.
