Often this problem also applies to the front doors in private homes. But unlike windows, the problem is not insufficient air convection. What to do if the door is frosted over, condensation and frost form on it?
We note right away that the appearance of condensate mainly concerns metal entrance doors. For them, this is a very urgent problem, wooden doors are less susceptible to it.
Before dealing with the problem of condensation and frost on the front door, let's deal with possible reasons this unpleasant phenomenon.
The first reason for the appearance of condensate at the inlet metal door quite clear and understandable - a significant difference between the temperature inside the house and on the street. If it is -10 °C outside the door, and +23 °C in the house, you will agree how condensation does not appear here.
The thermal conductivity of metal is almost 300 times higher than that of wood. That is why, loved by many, popular metal entrance doors give off heat so quickly. They are cold to the touch, without proper thermal insulation they cannot protect the house from heat loss.
The second reason comes from the first: the doors are simply too thin and not insulated enough. Inside the metal front door there should be a layer that will help it keep warm inside the house and prevent condensation and frost from forming.
Reason three: cold bridges. In addition to the canvas of the metal door itself, cold can be carried out by:
That is, all the metal parts of the door equipment that pass through the canvas serve as cold bridges. By the way, in a wooden door, the lock can also become a bridge of cold, like a box and fasteners. Therefore, it is not necessary to say that a wooden door is completely protected from all problems with the appearance of condensate and drizzle.
Condensation on the front door is unpleasant in itself, and in addition can cause the following problems - locks and other metal parts will rust under the influence of constant, strong humidity throughout the cold season. Mold can appear on the door slopes, they will turn black, this is unattractive and unhealthy. In addition, a frozen lock is difficult to open.
You can deal with condensation and freezing of the front door in the following ways:
Most effectively, a vestibule or veranda will protect against condensation on the front door and the appearance of ice. Such a simple pass unheated room in front of the house becomes a layer that does not allow the coldest air to get to the front door. And even though it will be cold in the vestibule itself, it will still be warmer than on the street. That is, the temperature difference will be noticeably lower.
For the same reason, another one helps to get rid of problems with condensate. Entrance door, additional. Inside the house, it is advisable to install another door, preferably wooden or plastic, so that the metal is less exposed to temperature differences. The more layers, the warmer - this principle works not only when dressing in cold weather, but also when warming the house, remember this.
The metal door freezes: what to do? The answer to this question lies in the whole complex of measures that should be taken to eliminate such a problem. Most often, it is required to improve all structural details that have been influenced by temperature changes. How to do this you will learn further.
The problem of freezing the front door is often found among owners of private houses.
Not everyone notices in a timely manner that they are freezing. Iron door and so much more work needs to be done in the future. Constant contact of surfaces with moisture, temperature changes affect the condition of all structural details. Often the first thing the canvas begins to swell and peel off the edge. If it is pasted decorative panels, laminate or veneer, they will immediately become unusable, swell and fall off.
Not only the appearance of the door suffers. Framing elements also deteriorate: box, slopes, sills, platbands. If the front door freezes, over time, the lock may become stuck and the movement of the canvas may be limited. Even iron structure can be deformed under the influence of such differences in conditions. Gradually, moisture will spread its influence on the walls and floors. Fungus and mold can develop on wooden parts and concrete.
Most often, the problem is associated with the imperfection of the design and, first of all, the appearance of the door suffers from this.
The presence of a freezing problem can be determined by the following signs:
If at least one sign is detected, you need to act immediately.
Each owner will be interested in why the front door freezes through. There may be several reasons. Most often this is due to the design of the opening itself or the use of low-quality materials.
Improper installation of the front door can cause freezing
Reasons for freezing doors:
So, what to do if your front door freezes through? First of all, it is necessary to determine the most probable cause occurrence of such a problem. In most cases, it is associated with the canvas itself. quality door should be well insulated. Usually this work is done at the production stage, but if you remodeled the door or even designed it yourself, the responsibility for the insulation lies solely with you.
It should also be borne in mind that over time, the material of the inner filling of the web sags and collapses. Consequently, his beneficial features. If you have never encountered the problem of freezing before, in 5-10 years it may suddenly overtake you. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to do a preventive update of the insulation layer.
Replacing the insulation with a more efficient one will help fix the freezing problem.
To replace it, you need to remove it from the hinges and disassemble the canvas. Depending on the design, the insulation can be located inside a solid product or under an additional panel. It is very good if there are several stiffening ribs inside, they prevent the complete subsidence of the material.
You can use for insulation loose, soft and solid types substrates. Dry bulk are laid in non-separable models. In other cases, sheet fillers are used. Soft ones are significantly inferior to more rigid heaters, as they lose their shape faster. therefore the best option become foam blocks.
In order to install insulation, it is recommended to use an additional heat-reflecting substrate and adhesive mixtures to fix the position of the sheets. Cut the material so that it fits perfectly in its place in the door body. The heat reflector and foam are glued to the metal. To do this, it is convenient to use mounting foam, which will close all joints and minimize the presence of cold bridges. After the insulation adheres to the surface, it can be covered with a panel and the door returned to its place.
What if even after internal insulation Does the metal door still freeze through? Such cases are not uncommon, because not all canvases meet the standards of a particular climatic zone. Perhaps the door is not thick enough. What to do in this case?
A metal front door should be not only durable, but also beautiful. For this use various materials, which are lined with the surface of the canvas. Most often in modern models you can find the overlay of MDF panels. This material is quite durable, resistant to various kinds of influences, and besides, it is able to provide additional sound and heat insulation. Decorative MDF panels are attached to the canvas, and therefore, when freezing, they will suffer in the first place. That is why you should not save on finishing.
Sometimes the solution to the problem may be to install a thicker door leaf
Immediately upon purchase, make sure that their thickness is at least 20 mm. Such a sheet of fiberboard will not allow condensation to accumulate on the outer part of the sheet.
The thicker the layer interior decoration- the more likely it is to keep it dry.
The second way to insulate the canvas with the use of external cladding is soft upholstery. Especially often this method is used to update old wooden entrance doors. To complete it, you will need a soft substrate, a heat reflector and leatherette. To prevent the passage of cold, steam, as well as heat loss, a thin foil substrate is laid on the door. Attached from above soft material, for example, isolon is an excellent insulation, a worthy replacement for foam rubber. Upholstery is done using furniture nails and a solid piece of leatherette. To seal the porch, you can additionally build rollers around the perimeter.
Another reason why the iron door constantly freezes can be the imperfection of the box itself. The presence of cracks, voids and cracks leads to the fact that the room passes cold air. At the same time, it condenses and settles on the side parts of the structure. As a result, the edge of the canvas, the box and part of the platbands freeze most intensively. Such a problem is dangerous because the door frames deteriorate under the influence of moisture. If used wooden details most likely, over time, they will be affected by fungus, mold and rot. Other external lining of the opening also comes into an unusable state: platbands, slopes, wall coverings.
What to do so that the box does not let the cold through? For this, it is recommended to overhaul framing the opening and insulate the loot itself. First you need to make sure that during installation all the cracks and cracks in the wall that could occur during the work were eliminated. The door is temporarily removed from its hinges. Carefully dismantle the platbands. If noticeable big gaps between the wall and the box, it is recommended to fill them with insulation and mounting foam.
Please note: mounting foam under the influence sun rays is destroyed. It crumbles and can lead to a weakening of the fastening of the structure, to form cracks and cavities, which will necessarily affect the thermal conductivity of the box.
Small cracks in the frame and small gaps must be eliminated with a sealant or putty. If the loot is wooden and it has begun to dry out, you can fill the cracks with a special primer or glue using a syringe.
After carrying out the work and completely drying the material, install all the parts of the box in place and hang the door. In general, the insulation of the loot and the threshold should be carried out at the stage of the initial installation. However, even this does not guarantee the effectiveness of the measures, since over time the insulation sags and loses its properties. The metal shell must be protected from the interior by means of slopes or MDF installations panels.
What to do if the entrance metal door freezes around the perimeter of the canvas? Most likely, a banal sealing of the joints is necessary. It involves the installation of an additional seal, which will prevent the passage of frost and ice draft into the room.
The heat-shielding function of the door directly depends on the quality of the sealant placed at the junctions of the door leaf and the frame
The presence of such a gasket is mandatory, regardless of whether you suffer from a similar problem or not. The tape will protect you from cold, heat, odors and extraneous noise entering the house. It provides not only sound insulation, but also prevents heat loss.
The easiest way to make a substrate is from a special rubber seal. It is a segment of small width, most often stepped, which adapts to the shape of the box. Sometimes a hollow rubber tube or foam seal is used. More modern material- isolon. It can also be found on the market, it looks like foam rubber, but is lighter and denser.
Both the elastic band and the foam rubber strips are attached very simply. On the reverse side, the seal is applied duct tape. It is necessary to glue the entire perimeter of the box, including its lower part with the threshold, at the place where the canvas joins the frame. The elastic should not interfere with the course of the canvas, but at the same time ensure its snug fit without a single gap in the structure.
The way out of the situation when the front door freezes can be associated with the installation of an additional barrier to the cold. Many people even in apartments, especially on the first floors, prefer to make a double door. This will not only make it possible to resist the accumulation of condensate and frost inside the premises, but will also additionally protect the apartment from burglary, because it is much more difficult to enter a room with such an entrance.
In order to install a second door, you must first make sure that there is enough space in the corridor for such a step. In order for the canvases not to interfere with each other when opening, they should be made in different directions. In other words, the door on the side of the apartment should open inward, and the one located on the side of the entrance should open outward.
Private houses, which most often suffer from freezing problems, can be saved in another way. More effective is the construction of an additional dressing room, preferably heated. This will help keep the heat in the house, and also provide better protection against hacking and provide additional area for storage of various utensils.
Ecology of consumption. Manor: Not only windows can sweat and cry, often this problem also affects the front doors in private houses. But unlike windows, the problem is not insufficient air convection. What to do if the door is frosted over, condensation and frost form on it?
Not only windows can sweat and cry, often this problem also applies to entrance doors in private homes. But unlike windows, the problem is not insufficient air convection. What to do if the door is frosted over, condensation and frost form on it?
We note right away that the appearance of condensate mainly concerns metal entrance doors. For them, this is a very urgent problem, wooden doors are less susceptible to it.
Before dealing with the problem of condensation and frost on the front door, let's deal with the possible causes of this unpleasant phenomenon.
The first reason for the appearance of condensate on the entrance metal door is quite clear and understandable - a significant difference between the temperature inside the house and outside. If it is -10 °C outside the door, and +23 °C in the house, you will agree how condensation does not appear here.
The thermal conductivity of metal is almost 300 times higher than that of wood. That is why, loved by many, popular metal entrance doors give off heat so quickly. They are cold to the touch, without proper thermal insulation they cannot protect the house from heat loss.
The second reason comes from the first: the doors are simply too thin and not insulated enough. Inside the metal front door there should be a layer that will help it keep warm inside the house and prevent condensation and frost from forming.
Reason three: cold bridges. In addition to the canvas of the metal door itself, cold can be carried out by:
That is, all the metal parts of the door equipment that pass through the canvas serve as cold bridges. By the way, in a wooden door, the lock can also become a bridge of cold, like a box and fasteners. Therefore, it is not necessary to say that a wooden door is completely protected from all problems with the appearance of condensate and drizzle.
Condensation on the front door is unpleasant in itself, and in addition can cause the following problems - locks and other metal parts will rust under the influence of constant, strong humidity throughout the cold season. Mold can appear on the door slopes, they will turn black, this is unattractive and unhealthy. In addition, a frozen lock is difficult to open.
You can deal with condensation and freezing of the front door in the following ways:
Most effectively, a vestibule or veranda will protect against condensation on the front door and the appearance of ice. Such a simple walk-through unheated room in front of the house becomes a layer that does not allow the coldest air to get to the front door. And even though it will be cold in the vestibule itself, it will still be warmer than on the street. That is, the temperature difference will be noticeably lower.
For the same reason, another entrance door, additional, helps to get rid of problems with condensate. Inside the house, it is advisable to install another door, preferably wooden or plastic, so that the metal is less exposed to temperature differences. The more layers, the warmer - this principle works not only when dressing in cold weather, but also when warming the house, remember this. published
If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to specialists and readers of our project.
Owners of private houses often face the problem of freezing the front door. Constant contact with cold air and precipitation leads to the fact that in winter there is a possibility of reducing its thermal insulation properties. If the lock in the door began to stick, it opens worse, condensation is observed from inside, which means that it is urgent to find out the causes of freezing and eliminate them. Otherwise, there is a risk not only to freeze in your house, but also to get damage to the door, which will lead to a decrease in service life or breakage. Together with the door, the lock can also freeze - then there is a risk one day simply not getting into the house.
So, the first thing you need to find out the reasons for the freezing of the front door:
Factors listed above include external influence and errors or breakdowns of the structure itself. If the influence from the outside cannot be adjusted in any way, then you can try to cope with the rest of the reasons.
There are several options for solving the freezing problem. You can use one or combine several.
The inner filler of the canvas may lose its insulating properties over time. Its service life directly depends on the quality of the materials used. However, even the most expensive heaters will not serve you forever, so you can try to fix the door freezing problem by replacing the filler. Options for this can be foam blocks, mineral wool, corrugated cardboard, foamed polyurethane, bulk materials. It is also recommended to change the filler just for preventive purposes.
Perhaps, right decision to prevent freezing of the door, the installation will be additional. However, this requires a number of conditions. If the second door is supposed to be placed inside the house, that is, you need to have a sufficient supply of space, because it will reduce the area of \u200b\u200bthe corridor. Installing it outside is even harder, because for this you will have to complete the veranda. It is necessary to design the second door so that it does not interfere with the opening of the first door. As you can see, this is a very expensive method of warming a house.
The thin metal used in the manufacture of the door cannot be made thicker. An increase in the thickness of the door leaf can only be done by replacing facing material, for example, on high-quality MDF panels (painted, veneered, laminated). During the production of the latter, a film layer is applied to its elements, the function of which is to make the material resistant to external influences. You can also use plastic, artificial leather (mainly for wooden doors). It should be borne in mind that the thicker this layer is, the greater the likelihood of maintaining dryness.
If there are cracks or gaps in the wall of the house, it is worth repairing them with building materials. You can stick insulation tape around the entire perimeter of the door frame. You need to make sure that there are no cracks in the frame. If they are still present, they are sealed with putty or sealant.
Installing a sealant, which is often rubber and foam rubber, will help solve this problem. Optional feature This gasket is soundproof. However, when installing these elements, it should be taken into account that they should not interfere with the operation of the door, not complicate the process of opening it. It is possible to seal the gaps between the lock and the canvas using polyurethane foam. It is important not to forget that all the small cracks and gaps together can greatly reduce the thermal insulation of the house.
The above methods will help to some extent to increase the thermal insulation of the front door. If you do not have special skills to carry out all these actions, or you do not have tools and materials available, you will have to use the services of professionals. It may well happen that the efforts and funds expended on repairs and improvements old door, do not justify themselves. If, nevertheless, a set of measures has been taken to improve thermal insulation in the house, but this does not help, or the situation gets better only on a short time, you should think about changing the door.
A new door will not only make your home warmer and more comfortable, but will also help to avoid such unpleasant phenomena as mold and fungus. It also saves a lot of time and effort. If you start high-quality care for the front door while it is still new, you can significantly extend its life. And it will serve faithfully for many years.
