Interesting take on the jamb quality—I get where you’re coming from, but I’m not convinced a pricier jamb would totally solve the seasonal shifting. I’ve got a 1980s house with a mid-range steel door and honestly, even after beefing up the frame and sealing every gap, I still see some movement when winter rolls in. Seems like the freeze-thaw cycle just messes with any wood framing over time, no matter how much you spend upfront.
About those hinge mortises—yeah, moisture is a pain there. I started using a tiny bead of flexible sealant around the cutouts after sanding them smooth. It’s not foolproof, but it slowed down the swelling and gunk buildup for me. Not sure if it’s worth retrofitting on an older install, though.
Sometimes I wonder if it’s less about materials and more about just living in a place with wild humidity swings. No perfect solution yet, at least in my experience...
Sometimes I wonder if it’s less about materials and more about just living in a place with wild humidity swings.
Totally get this. I’m in the Midwest, and my supposedly “energy efficient” door still gets drafty every February. I’ve tried extra weatherstripping, foam inserts, you name it. Sometimes I think the real enemy is just... physics.
Sometimes I think the real enemy is just... physics.
I mean, yeah, physics is a beast, but I still don’t totally buy that it’s all on the weather. My neighbor’s got a 90s door that somehow seals better than my two-year-old ReliaBilt. We’re literally on the same street, same weather, same humidity swings. His doesn’t whistle every time the wind picks up, either.
I’m starting to think maybe some of these “energy efficient” doors just aren’t built the same way they used to be? I know the materials and tech should be better now, but honestly, I feel like I’m constantly fiddling with adjustments just to keep the cold out. Maybe it’s a quality control thing, or maybe I just got unlucky, but I can’t help but wonder if the brand really does matter more than I thought.
Anyone else notice older doors sometimes just... work better? Or am I just romanticizing the past because I’m tired of shoving towels at the threshold every winter?
- 100% agree, older doors just seem to have better seals.
- Noticed the same with my parents’ house—original wood door, barely any drafts.
- My newer “efficient” one needs constant tweaking.
- Could be mass production or just thinner materials now.
- Brand definitely plays a role, but luck matters too... some installs just end up better than others.
Can’t say I’m surprised—my place has a 1950s solid wood door that outperforms the newer fiberglass one I put on the back. The old door’s weatherstripping is original and still fits like a glove. The new one? I’m forever fiddling with the seal or adjusting the strike plate. Sometimes I wonder if it’s just the materials, or maybe installers rushing jobs these days. Still, even with the quirks, newer doors do have better insulation ratings on paper. Just wish that translated to real-world comfort more often...
The old door’s weatherstripping is original and still fits like a glove. The new one? I’m forever fiddling with the seal or adjusting the strike plate.
Man, you’re speaking my language. I’ve swapped out more “modern” doors than I care to count, and half the time I’m back a month later tweaking the latch or redoing the weatherstrip. Old wood doors have their quirks, but they were built like tanks—sometimes I think they’d survive a tornado better than the new stuff. That said, you’re right about insulation on paper... but real-world? Give me a tight old door any day.
I get the nostalgia for those old doors, but honestly, after dealing with some serious drafts and sky-high heating bills in my 1950s place, I’ll take a modern insulated door any day. Sure, they can be finicky at first, but once you get them dialed in, it’s way more comfortable inside—plus, I’m not constantly chasing cold air leaks anymore. Old wood looks nice, but my wallet appreciates the upgrade.
Not gonna lie, I get where you’re coming from. Old wood doors have a certain charm, but when you’re patching them every winter and still feeling that draft, it gets old fast. I’ve swapped out plenty of originals for insulated models in older houses—usually folks are shocked by how much quieter and warmer things feel after. That said, I’ve seen some newer doors (including ReliaBilt) get dinged up quick if they’re not installed right or if the weatherstripping’s cheap. Did you notice any issues with the fit or finish out of the box? Sometimes the factory install isn’t great, and that’s where a lot of problems start. Curious if you had to tweak yours much or if it was solid from day one.
Had a similar experience with a ReliaBilt prehung a couple years back—looked decent, but the frame was slightly racked right out of the box. Took a fair bit of shimming to get it to close flush. Weatherstripping was flimsy too, had to upgrade that almost immediately. Not sure these budget doors are built for the long haul, honestly, but I get why folks go for them price-wise.
I get where you’re coming from about the frame being racked—I’ve seen that on a few budget prehungs, not just ReliaBilt. But I’ll say this: sometimes what looks like a manufacturing flaw is actually more about how the house itself has settled. My place was built in the late ‘60s, and almost nothing is square anymore. The last door I put in (also a ReliaBilt, actually) needed a ton of shimming and tweaking, but so did a much pricier Jeld-Wen I installed for my neighbor last summer. In both cases, the weatherstripping wasn’t great, but I honestly expect to swap that out regardless. It’s like buying a car and upgrading the floor mats.
One thing I do appreciate about these cheaper doors—they’re light enough to wrestle into place solo, which matters when you’re working alone and don’t want to bug your friends for help. And if you mess up a cut or ding something during install, it doesn’t sting as much as with a $400+ door. I’m not saying they’re built to last forever, but with some extra effort on install and a bit of routine maintenance (like tightening hinges and resealing every couple years), they can hold up surprisingly well.
I guess my take is: yeah, you get what you pay for, but sometimes paying more doesn’t buy you hassle-free installation either. At least with the budget stuff, you know going in that you’ll have to put in some elbow grease. Maybe that’s just me rationalizing because I’m cheap... but hey, ten years down the line my back door’s still hanging straight and keeping out drafts.