A quality exterior steel door for your business represents an investment that can pay you back substantially, far beyond the original cost. Not only are steel doors one of your best defenses against burglary or vandalism, but they also can play a part in protecting human life during fires, explosions, bad weather and other disasters. If you’re hesitating about the extra cost of installing a good quality exterior steel door, consider the following.
Benefits of Secure Exterior Steel Doors
While it’s not impossible to break into a business with steel doors, steel is obviously a lot tougher than wood, when it comes to slowing down burglary. Plus, a steel door in good repair sends a message to any would-be miscreants that the owner is on top of things, and takes security seriously. That in itself can be a deterrent to criminals.
Adding steel doors may also help bring a building up to code, which could lower your insurance rates, while increasing your property values.
What’s more, a well-maintained steel door can send a message to customers that your establishment is well secured, and that they can have confidence when leaving property with you for repairs, or just transacting business in general.
Steel doors also have some acoustical benefits, in that they are your best option for reducing the transmission of sound, which can in turn help you be a better neighbor.
Steel Door Designs
There are many different exterior steel door designs; the design you select will depend on the nature of your business. Let’s say you need an exterior steel door for an industrial-type business. You choose a door with a thermal break, but then you may want to select one with a glass option. You could choose from these:
- Full glass
- Half glass
- Narrow light
- Vision light
- Two light
- Narrow light
One of the best ways for narrowing down your choices is to consult the Steel Door Institute’s door selector tool at www.steeldoor.org. This nonprofit organization develops quality and performance standards for the steel door and frame industry.
Steel Door Installation and Maintenance
Good maintenance of an exterior steel door starts with installing it the right way. The door should fit properly, and hinges should line up correctly, but the door should also clear the ground when it opens and closes. Attention should also be paid as to whether it knocks against anything when closed or opened more vigorously.
Steel, as durable and tough as it is, can be dented and damaged, so make sure the door has a clear path to open and close.
Try to catch dings, dents, scrapes and rust spots early on so they can be appropriately repaired. Be particularly vigilant if your business operates in a humid environment where rust might be an issue.
You may want to paint your exterior steel door. If so, use the right kind of paint. Be aware that as coats of paint accumulate, the door may not fit as well, so be sure your painter or maintenance consultant knows how to keep the door opening and closing as needed.
For best results, examine the door now and then. Call for maintenance, so that any issues are dealt with before they become big problems.