Your patio doors play an important role in protecting the interior of your home from the elements year-round, but during the summer, they also act as an important passageway between your interior and exterior entertaining and living spaces. Old and damaged patio doors will perform both of these functions much worse and can cause complications for the interior of your home as a result. Knowing some of the most common warning signs associated with old patio doors can help you identify when you should start thinking about replacing them.

1. Difficult Operation

One of the most obvious signs that you need to think about replacing your patio doors is if you find that they have become significantly harder to open and close. There are a couple of reasons why this may have happened. Older wooden patio doors can absorb moisture, which will cause them to swell and thus make it harder for the door to move within the track. Alternatively, the tracks themselves can become damaged or worn out of shape with time, which can cause the doors to become stuck at certain points. The same thing can happen if dirt or other debris accumulates within the track itself. You can try to clean the track, but if the same issue keeps popping up, replacement is likely the next step.

2. Signs of Water Damage

Another clear indication that you should talk to a door contractor about replacing your patio doors is there are signs of water damage around the frame or base of your patio doors. Water can even enter the space between the panes of glass in your patio doors, which can form condensation and cause interior structural damage to your doors. In either case, you'll want to have your doors replaced quickly to prevent further leaking and water damage from occurring within your home, which can prove to be more expensive than replacement doors if allowed to continue.

3. Drafts and Energy Bills

Finally, the last indication that your patio doors should be replaced sometime soon is if you notice any sort of air flowing in the immediate interior area around the door. This can point to a broken seal or frame that is allowing air to enter your home. If this is a regular occurrence, it can cause your central HVAC system to work overtime, no matter the season, which can greatly increase your energy bills each month without you changing the settings on your thermostat.

For more information, contact your local entry door installation team today. 

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