Wood Doors in Alberta

A common question we get is, " Can you use a wood door in our climate?"

The answer is yes!  When selecting a front door you want to take into consideration the front elevation of your house.  Is it North or South facing , do you have any type of overhang or coverage.  A lot of wood door manufactures will not warranty a door if you stain it dark and if it is south facing.  One thing you want to also make sure of is that it is finished properly, this is one thing that you want to leave to the professionals.  Investing in a reputable company to stain or paint the door properly will go along way.  Remember the old cedar doors that are quite old and only after a number of years might need a fresh coat of stain?  Exactly, they seem to have lasted forever! Make sure you also select a wood species that is recommended for exterior applications.

One very important thing that needs to be taken into consideration is that some of the wood doors come from places like BC and which is very humid compared to places like Alberta. When finishing a door from a humid climate you need to let the door dry out to approximately 7% and then you need to make sure that you remove all of the weatherstripping and any hardware.  The door will expand and contract between winter and summer and you want to ensure that the door is completely sealed.  If the door is sealed properly it will stand the test of time.  We have installed many wood doors over the last 15 years and they look as good as the day they were installed. Always follow the finishing guidelines from the manufacture and on the back of the finish, this will guarantee that you will be looked after should you have any issues with the door.  Typically wood door manufactures don't have a long warranty and it only covers manufactures defects.

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Condensation on Windows

We often get asked " Why am I getting condensation on the interior glass of my windows?"

The main thing you need to know is that condensation is caused by too much humidity in your home.  It's okay, we have solutions for you!  First you will want to check your thermostat to ensure it is not showing a high humidity level when it is really cold outside (roughly -30).  If the humidity level is showing low but you still have condensation issues you will want to contact your HVAC company to confirm that the thermostat is actually correct.  Alternatively, you can purchase a humidity tester. Sometimes a dehumidifier will solve the problem.

The rule of thumb is if you know that we are heading into a cold spell - adjust your humidity level to 25%.  The second thing you can do is make sure you have proper air flow around your windows. We get a lot of people telling us that they are concerned that if they reduce the humidity it will cause problems for their hardwood floors.  We recently spoke with a representative at Mirage Hardwood Floors and they warranty their floors to a minimum of 25%.  It is perfectly safe to reduce the humidity levels for short periods of time, although you will want to double check with your flooring manufacturer to confirm warranty.  Click Here for more information and tips to reduce the humidity in your home.

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