In addition to providing privacy and security, exterior doors can serve as effective weather barriers and sound reducers (see image).

They’re about 13?4 inch thick, 3 feet or more wide, and at least 6 feet 8 inches high. There should always be a secure layer of weatherstripping around an exterior door’s edges to ensure a tight weather seal.

A house’s front door deserves extra attention because it’s the part of a home visitors see first. The main entrance can make an impression that adds considerably to a dwelling’s appearance, and even to the home’s value and saleability. Because of the special importance of front doors, they’re constructed differently in some respects from just “plain” exterior doors. Details such as door caps, exterior moldings and panels, windows or lights in or to the side of the door, and reeded or fluted pilaster trim at the jambs all help make the front door something to be approached by its own sidewalk, lit up from the outside at night, flanked by landscaped shrubbery beds, and  protected by a roof overhang.

Home security should not be forgotten in connection with any exterior doors. Security means a combination of the proper door locks and hardware plus the ability to see who is calling before the door is opened. One way that front entrance visibility can be accomplished is by the installation of sidelights. Sidelights are narrow glass panes or panels that run the height of an entrance door, placed either at one or both sides of the door for added beauty and natural light. Two drawbacks are their relatively poor insulation value and their susceptibility  to intruders who, if the sidelights are not positioned correctly in relation to the door’s locks, can break the glass then reach inside to unlock the door. Sidelights vary in size, but are normally less than 1 foot wide. They’re available in many finishes and textures, some with low-e insulated glass for increased energy efficiency.

If there are no see-through sidelights, opt for a peephole to see who’s outside before opening the door. Electronic touch pad and remote-type entrance locks are available that eliminate fumbling for keys at night.

For a side door or rear door having large clear energy-efficient glass panes, consider a unit with built-in blinds. Because the blinds are sealed between tempered safety glass, there’s no dusting or cleaning of the individual slats; they should operate for years with practically no maintenance involved. Such inside-the-door or -window blinds will tilt a full 180 degrees, which allows you to control sunlight levels and privacy with fingertip adjustment. Some units even come with an option that enables raising or lowering the slats just like that of a traditional blind.