Our home’s front door is our first layer of protection against weather elements. It keeps cold winds, snow, and rain to maintain warmth. It shields us from dust and other debris that might enter our home and of course, it holds back unwanted guests from entering without our permission. With all these duties, have we stopped even for a moment to check the condition of our front door (or any other doors in our homes for that matter) if they are still up to the task of protecting our privacy?
Caring for our doors might sound ridiculous since there are other parts of our home that needs our attention more. But, we have to be reminded of how integral doors are in keeping our home safe and secure.
Check The Structure
Doors are made out of different materials and caring for them should be appropriate depending on the material used. Check first the structure of the door and see if there are any causes that would weaken the door’s structure. If your door is made out of metal, inspect if there is any rust. If it is made out of wood, check if there are any termites.
Employ Appropriate Solutions
Once you notice that there are issues, you have to take care of it immediately. Research properly on how you could remedy the issues. Read on how you could prevent the spread to unaffected areas and preventive measures to avoid having the same issues in the future.
Give Ample Attention To The Parts
After ensuring that the door’s structure is sturdy and can perform its function, it is now time to turn your attention to the door hardware. Check if the locks and latches are still properly working. This is very important especially the lock. No matter how sturdy your door if the lock is malfunctioning, it defeats the purpose of the door protecting you and your family. Do not feel secure with installing one lock either; at least have three on your main door. Connected to the locks are the handles and knobs. Inspect if the locks are positioning when you are turning on the knob or handle. Creaking hinges need upkeep too. If the hinges are not 100 percent functional, the door would not swing open and close smoothly.
Secure Optional Add on Hardware
Main doors, bathroom doors, and bedroom doors are often installed with optional add on hardware to make them more functional. Some main doors have hooks for keys (to avoid losing them) or a door sweep at the bottom (to keep the draft out). Bathroom doors also have addons such as rod for towels or hooks for other bath essentials while bedroom doors often have racks to keep important knick-knacks handy. When your door has these optional add on hardware, you have to secure and fasten them properly to avoid any untoward incidents.
If in case your door is already in need of replacement, be thorough when it comes to deciding and put into the mind the care and maintenance needed for that specific type of door.
