Understanding Energy Efficient Doors

Lighting, electronics, windows, roofing, and doors all play a major factor in your building’s energy efficiency. When selecting features for an entrance, architects and designers are often forced to choose functionality and efficiency over style. With Dawson’s new Thermally Broken custom entrances, you can have both!

What are the most energy-efficient doors?

With so many factors at play, the “most energy-efficient” doors are ultimately doors with low U-Factors. This is a measure of how much heat is lost through the door. Other factors such as the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) and air leakage are also accounted for when considering heat loss in a building.

What classifies a door as an energy-efficient door?

Doors that combat unwanted heat transfer with excellent insulation and have a thermal break make for the most energy-efficient doors. They are the barrier between inside and outside temperatures. U-factor measures the rate of heat transfer through a product. Typical values of doors and windows range from 0.4 – 1.0. The lower the U-factor, the better the door keeps in heat.

What materials make doors energy efficient?

Resistant to dents and rust, fiberglass doors make a great choice for homeowners that want to save money and need standard sizes. Fiberglass doors often do not provide the overall aesthetics and luxury feel that architects, designers, and building owners have come to desire and therefore tend to be found more in residential applications.

Although beautiful and full of character, wood doors are not the most energy-efficient and can absorb moisture from the air which can cause mold to form on the door. Doors made from wood also are prone to chipping and surface scratching as well as bending, bowing or twisting. Wooden doors require more upkeep and maintenance than other door types because of these vulnerabilities.

Steel doors are very durable and add to the security of your facility. However, all steel doors are not equal. Some manufacturers produce doors that have a 24 – 26 gauge surface. Utilizing only the best materials, Dawson’s custom steel doors are blanked from a single sheet of 16 – 11 gauge steel, depending on the needs and application (which is more than 3x thicker than some manufacturers). Dawson also now incorporates a pour and debridge technology that reduces heat transfer by applying an insulating barrier in the door’s framing structure.

Having energy-efficient doors in your building will keep your energy costs down by stopping heat from entering or leaving right through the front door. The money you spend on heating and cooling should not go to waste.

Transcend Thermal Series

Learn about Transcend – the most energy-efficient custom commercial doors on the market – only by Dawson!