We’re staring to research getting a new front entry door to our house. We’ve lived in the house about 20 years and have yet to replace it.
We want to eliminate drafts. Plus, we plan on selling within two years so we want a replacement door that add curb appeal.
Fiberglass vs. stainless steel?
We currently also have a storm door. Is a storm door necessary.
Thank you.
Meant “starting”.
Are storm doors typical for your area?
I would get something that can be painted. I personally dislike plastic or metal doors that can’t take a different color, so I would go with fiberglass or wood.
Our house doesn’t have an “over hang” (I don’t recall what they’re called) above the front door. I’d say most similar houses/front doors do have storm doors. Some with an “over hang” don’t have storm doors.
We’re in New Jersey.
Don’t like steel, plastic or fiberglass. I would go with a wood door - but that’s me.
If there is no overhang, a wood door is out - it will looks beat up in no time. My choice would be quality fiberglass, painted.
I’m in NY. We redid our entry door about 5 years ago. We got a kind of fiberglass materials that looks like, but isn’t, wood. I chose a reddish-brownish color. I have much less of a draft, in fact barely any. I love my storm door, which I got even though I have a stoop with an overhand. . It allows me to keep the front door open while I watch the dog in the front yard without letting all of the warmth out. I have a screen door for the warmer weather. I keep the storm/screen doors locked when the inside door is open.
I have same set up as techmom with storm/screen door. I want as much sunlight streaming into house in winter as possible, and as much cross ventilation in summer. Keep them locked also when other door is open.
Wood door. Storm/screen door if you would like one. A top notch quality exterior paint should hold up well. A door is fairly easy to repaint if needed given the small surface area.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, I opted for a very heavy fiberglass door with a factory painted finish. It has a much tighter seal than the wood one it replaced. We have to deal with a lot of rain.
We just replaced our front exterior door. I went with wood, as that’s what had been there and that’s what I’ve always had, in 30 years in Connecticut. It’s painted an unusual color, which I love.
I would think in New Jersey you’d want to have a storm door to keep the heat in and the cold out. If we didn’t have one, we’d have a lot more cold air coming in around even this brand new door.
I have hurricane proof doors . The top has a glass inset with a nice pattern. Very $$$$
A few years ago we replaced our traditional storm door ( where you have to take out the glass panel and replace with the screen panel when it gets warm and then switch again for the winter.) We put in a storm door with a retractable screen. It has etched glass and looks great and we can get fresh air any time we want. Bought it at Lowes - it is something like this one - https://www.lowes.com/pd/LARSON-Tradewinds-Selection-White-Full-View-Aluminum-Storm-Door-with-Retractable-Screen-Common-36-in-x-81-in-Actual-35-75-in-x-79-75-in/50375006
I went through this last year with a storm door, replacing an antique model. The metal ones made these days can be quite nice and be full view glass with screen inserts for summer, or above with the roll down screen. My front door is open whenever I am home, and the storm door is locked if not in the heating season.
If you live in an area with any mosquitoes and have need for the energy conservation feature, the storm door is needed. Personally, I am a fan of wooden doors, though the manufacturer I used 25 years ago for a wooden storm door has gone out of business. I found one on Craigs List. For a front entry door, go with what is common in your area, giving some visual access to who ever is at your front door. I prefer the aesthetics of wood, however look at the energy value of both wood and other materials.
My house faces west so a wood door would require a lot of maintenance. Likewise the steel door we had oxidized quickly.
I now have a two year old fiberglass door that still looks fresh and new. The quality and appeal of fiberglass varies widely with different price points. I have a Therma-Tru door. I was shocked at the poor quality of the Pella doors since I have been satisfied with their windows.
I suggest you do a online entry door review search before looking at the actual doors in showrooms. Most brands offer several price points within the brand. I would then go to the brand’s website to find certified or preferred installers.
Lastly I would never recommend a solid door. Your front door is very important to curb appeal. Add some decorative glass designs.
@MaterS Curious as to why a west facing door would require more maintenance?Are you perhaps ocean front on the west coast? Just trying to understand.
I think the decision to go with a solid door or one with glass inserts really depends on the architectural styles. Our front door is solid wood but we have sidelights/transoms plus a lot of millwork for visual appeal. It really needs to match the house style, IMO.
Many storm doors are kind of cheesy-looking on a front entry door, IMHO. A new, quality door in a frame will not be drafty. If you are not replacing the frame, that could be a different matter. I guess it depends on your set-up, but if I want air circulation I open windows, not the front door.
I have to disagree with MaterS regarding the appeal of doors with decorative glass vs solid. A nice solid paneled door painted a good color is like a man wearing a great tie. 
Doors with glass inserts, on the other hand, run the gamut.
A lot depends on the style of your house.
We replaced a side entry door in our house several years ago. The one we replaced was not the original, it had been installed by the previous owners. It was a poor quality wooden door with glass inserts along the top and on either side, a colonial style that didn’t match the front doors, and it was really drafty. We replaced it with a wider quality wood-grained fiberglass door that echoed the style of the front doors and has a double-paned glass insert down one side. I wish I could remember the name of the manufacturer: it’s a great door.
I am in flyover country. A west facing door is subjected to many hours of hot afternoon sun.
OP: Take a walk around your neighborhood and check recent postings on Zillow or similar for matched housing… Sadly while entry door replacements are costly most of the salesmen have few design skills.
Always replace the frame if you are replacing the door.
Some door replacements qualify for income tax credits.
Climate matters. Consider the insulation factor of the door. We had a wood west facing door in our old house- needed to have it restored (stain…) which kept a match with the interior doors. We also had a full glass storm door (a couple of years later than built- should have had it to begin with)and could have used the screen. Here in Florida we replace the front door with a fiberglass one, keeping a glass insert- larger, better and hurricane rated (think anti burglar/smash proof). It is under a portico so sun not an issue. Given the weather and so many rear windows we do not want a screen door which would let in heat/humidity and be unsecure. Our door could have been stained and had a wood grain appearance but I chose to paint it. House woodwork and window frames are white, chose a tan. Old house stain matched woodwork.
Agree with checking out the area for ideas. We have always had sidelights (full length) so no need for a window to see out of. The design should fit the house- ie traditional/contemporary/other. Color depends on stain/paint. For stain I would match interior woods. For color it depends on the house and can be repainted by the next owner.
Storm doors can help protect the front door and offer airflow/extra insulation.
Go online and read various manufacturers’ take on doors. The brands can vary with the region. By reading you will find how brand X is superior to others because of Y. They often offer comparisons. You can check on which features seem good for you and at what cost. We could have spent a lot less/more depending on the glass insert chosen from the same company. Having the leading within the glass makes it so much easier to clean than the old one (plus no leaks).
With your new door you will have to decide on the handle as well. Can’t find the feature I loved in the old house- lockable handle plus the dead bolt. Now only found the deadbolt in the handle styles. Chose Kwikset for two reasons (replaced all door handles in house- levers instead of knobs). With Kwikset we could easily rekey all locks to match ourselves instead of needing a locksmith. Also, harder to lock oneself out as you need to unlock closed doors to leave (with Schlage it was easy to go out to get the paper just by opening the locked door but then you could shut the door and lock yourself out).
The door handle color and style depend on your taste and the house. We never bothered with keyless entry for doors. Brands can vary in costs. You do want a 1" deadbolt of a better grade.
Ditto on replacing the frame. See if neighbors tend to have screen doors (ours does not but all have glass inserts).