Choosing Efficiency First

Changing your home's entry doors is so beneficial for both your home's curb appeal and your utility bills. The newness of the paint or wood stain, the improved weatherstripping, and the better fit all help make your home a more comfortable place to be. Changing the entry doors also gives you a chance to improve the lighting in your home, at least in the areas right by the doors. If you previously had solid doors with no glass, and there was little natural light getting into your home by the doors when they were closed, now's the time to make a few more changes.

Glass Panes in the Doors Themselves

The easiest way to allow more light into your home when you change the entry door is to get a new door that has glass panes in it. These can be the half-circle that so many doors have at the top, or be a long, vertical series of panes like you find in French doors. There are many options in between, so you're not stuck with just a couple of styles that might not be to your liking. The company installing the doors can show you what they offer, and if they also make custom doors, you might want to discuss creating a unique design.

Try a Transom 

If you own a home that's not in a development controlled by a homeowner's association, you have the ability to modify your home as long as it meets local building codes (if you have the money and the right design). One option for allowing extra light in when you change the entry door is to add a transom window above. This won't be possible in every home because of how the house is constructed, but if you do have extra space, you may be able to have the area transformed into a row of glass panes. You may have seen transom windows that open in old detective movies, but transoms can also be stationary, non-opening glass panes in a frame.

Add Sidelites

Sidelites are the vertical strips of glass that you see on the sides of some front doors. These are great if you like glass block designs. The one issue is whether there's enough room once the new door is installed to have sidelites on both sides or just one side of the door. If your home currently has double doors at the front, you may wonder if you could convert one door into a wall with a sidelite. However, double doors are helpful when you have to move large pieces of furniture into your home, so removing one door may not be to your benefit.

Speak to a contractor to learn more about entry door installation.