This spring as home owners flock to Home Depot and Lowes for their next DIY consider one quick project first! RE-PAINTING YOUR DOOR JAMBS AND TRIM! Keep yourself out of a maintenance nightmare for less than half an hour and 15 bucks.
Scratches and peeling paint are the start
If your door looks like the picture on the left then you are already en route to need to make repairs. What looks innocent, is really exposed wood sponging up any moisture that comes its way and is starting to rot. Lower parts of the door are more susceptible to damage as rain is more likely to blow in on it. Exterior doors typically take the brunt of weathering on the house. Typically there materials are not best suited for an exterior setting and must rely on paint. Garage man doors are usually the worst as they typically have no cover.
Time to take action!
If your door looks like the one on the right then you need to take action immediately. This door has large chips of paint coming off and needs to be caulked in between the door and the moulding. If a door jamb becomes soft its time to replace as well. One thing to consider when replacing the whole door or just the brick mould (trim) is to switch to a PVC product. PVC is becoming more widely used in the millwork setting. It is a great option for exterior areas prone to weather, as it will not rot. Once a door jamb starts rotting it needs to be replaced. Don’t let it get too far, take a minute and paint and save yourself some money!