Which is more energy-efficient: a hollow-core door or a solid wood exterior door w/ 10 glass panes?
We want to replace a low-quality hollow-core door in our 1899 cottage with an antique solid exterior-rated door with 10 panes of beveled glass but are concerned about energy-efficiency.
We live in San Francisco and almost never use heating and never use Air Conditioning. We both agree that the door with the panes would be much more attractive.
I think that the glass-paned door could provide us with passive solar heating through the panes (we don’t have any windows on that side of the house), but my sweetie thinks that the heat loss from the panes would negate any solar heating effect.
Is the hollow-core door more energy-efficient than the solid door with glass? And if so, how much more? Or is weatherstripping more of an issue?
Thanks!
It depends on a number of factors. A holow-core door can be very energy-efficient (the airspace acts as an insulator)–but it has to be a good quality door designed with this in mind (the hollow interior has to be sealed.
A solid wood door is very good, though–but the panes should be "double-panes (two layers of glass with an insulating space between.
However–for doors, the most important factor is usually not the door itself, but the frame and weatherstripping. The frame/weatherstripping need to be in good condition and form a seal (on all four sides–don’t forget the bottom) or you will have so much leakage that you might as well nt bother with making the door energy efficient.
As for passive heating via the panes–that will work in principle (it’s essentially how a greenhouse works. I’m not sure how much heat you’lll get from that, though.
Should I cut down my trees to go "green"?
It depends on a number of factors. A holow-core door can be very energy-efficient (the airspace acts as an insulator)–but it has to be a good quality door designed with this in mind (the hollow interior has to be sealed.
A solid wood door is very good, though–but the panes should be "double-panes (two layers of glass with an insulating space between.
However–for doors, the most important factor is usually not the door itself, but the frame and weatherstripping. The frame/weatherstripping need to be in good condition and form a seal (on all four sides–don’t forget the bottom) or you will have so much leakage that you might as well nt bother with making the door energy efficient.
As for passive heating via the panes–that will work in principle (it’s essentially how a greenhouse works. I’m not sure how much heat you’lll get from that, though.
References :
I’d bet that the solid door will be a better insulator than the hollow door especially if glass is fairly thick — double pane is better. But a tight fit (weatherstripping) may be a bigger factor than the door construction.
References :