I recently bought a new entry door from a local company, and it's been giving me a lot of trouble during the winter months. Ice keeps forming around the outer edges of the door right where the seals and weather stripping are. The company has already sent someone out to install thicker seals and make some minor adjustments to the alignment, but I'm still having the same issue in really cold weather. They claim it's due to high humidity in my home, but I measured the interior humidity and it's around 30%, which seems normal to me (also confirmed by my dehumidifier and a small hygrometer). No other windows or doors in the house have any moisture problems. This icing has gotten so bad that my wife struggles to open the door, and I have to pull really hard to get it open. I'm on the verge of giving up trying to get the company to help us, especially since we live in western Canada where temperatures can drop to -22°C. I'm happy with the door's appearance, but the icing issue is really frustrating. Any advice would be appreciated!
3 Answers
Have you checked what kind of weather seal you have? If the door is metal, think about asking them for magnetic weather seal instead of the usual expansion seal. It might give you a better seal and help with the icing!
It definitely sounds like an issue with the door itself. When you close the door, you could try doing a paper test by closing it on a piece of paper. If it comes out easily, that means the door isn’t sealing properly. It should be tight enough that the paper holds on well. That could help you explain to them what's going on!
This sounds like it's definitely a problem with the door's installation or possibly a defect. It’s not likely related to the humidity inside your home at all. I recommend contacting the company again and insisting they come take another look and fix the issue. They should stand by their product!