My Menard's entry door freezes to jamb!!!

   / My Menard's entry door freezes to jamb!!! #1  

yooper1

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Feb 1, 2006
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Location
U. P. of Michigan
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New Holland T1510
So, I had replaced my back door with a new steel entry door with a window which opens and a screen.

It was from Menards. (<---ya, I know...this may be my big mistake)

About the same time I had a new furnace put in and added a new heat duct to the basement. The door in question is right at the top of the basement steps and the heat flows up the steps and keeps the entryway warmer.

The door now freezes to the jamb. Almost like it condenses on the outside and freezes to the weather stripping.

Sometimes I have to physically kick the door to break it free in order to open it and get out.

It may be due to the new heat duct in the basement causing that area to have more heat and causing the condensation. I would think an exterior door made for this purpose should not do that.

I cannot figure out what to do. One of these days I may never get it open.

Any ideas?

Is there something I could apply to the door or weather stripping to stop it from freezing?

I probably need to replace it totally, but this time of year is not the time to do it.

Also, there is no way to put a door at the top of the basement steps conveniently either. There are many things in the way and no room for a door.

Thanks in advance.
 
   / My Menard's entry door freezes to jamb!!! #2  
What does the fact that it was bought at menards have to do with anything?? Doors there are built in the same way as any of the ones from lowes, HD, etc.

Is the problem that it is actually freezing as in gettig cold and moisture icing together, or is it just humidity changes swelling and contracting things????

Who installed it and how was it installed??

The proper way to install a door is to leave the frame opening about 1" wider than the door. Then use a shim kit where the screws go so you dont bow the jambs. This gives the door room to expand/contract.

If you made the rough opening the exact same size as the door hoping NOT to use shims, that can cause all sorts of problems as humidity changes.

I have two menards $99 special "commander" series steel doors on my shop. The shop is only heated 3 or 4 days a week on my off days. Un heated on my work days. I have never had a problem with either of the doors in 2 years.
 
   / My Menard's entry door freezes to jamb!!!
  • Thread Starter
#3  
It literally freezes / ices up to the weather stripping.

When I kick it loose, I can actually feel ice all around the outside edge where it meets the weather strip

Once broke free, it opens and closes correctly.

No swelling, no warping.

And, it does not do it every day / night.

It was professionally installed. It is a pre-hung door also.

Some people around here say Menards has ...ahem....less than quality stuff, so you have to be careful of their good deals
 
   / My Menard's entry door freezes to jamb!!! #4  
I have insulated steel doors on my high level of insulated house. I believe MI is somwhere cold. The door is freezing because the temperature on the exterior side is low enough to freeze. As new doors are made to closer tolerances the gap around the door is much less. I presume the old door was wood slab and had a loose fit which allowed lots of house to keep it frost free.
Did the door go in the existing frame or did it have a new frame.
As suggested above the door frame may have some very tight spots that need reshimming. If you do not have a exterior storm door you might have to tarp over the door to check it out. I would you find something to figure out how much gap the door has, maybe very dry out plastercine in little spots and see how much they squeeze. The probablty is the latch side will be bowed in, because the hinge side is kept straight by the doors hinges.
I installed wood core exterior storm doors this past summer and I get frost on them. My Sears aluminum doors with the high winds had been wrapped around too many times and were in rough shape.
Craig Clayton
 
   / My Menard's entry door freezes to jamb!!! #5  
Not a Menard's related problem. Too much moisture in the house. :)

I'd suggest considering/adding a storm door. That solved my similar problem, and it was easy to do. I bought the steel door from a local lumber yard but bought the storm door from Menard's :D
 
   / My Menard's entry door freezes to jamb!!! #6  
Keep the weather strip sprayed with WD40. It will repell the moisture and keep the door from sticking yet keep the cold draft out.
 
   / My Menard's entry door freezes to jamb!!! #7  
I agree with adding a storm door if you don't already have one.
 
   / My Menard's entry door freezes to jamb!!! #8  
Spray silicone lube around door frame and bottom weather strip. Old door allowed enough heat out that freezing was not a issue. Storm door may solve problem.
 
   / My Menard's entry door freezes to jamb!!! #9  
I agree with what everyone has said thus far. Newer doors seal and insulate better. This keeps the heat in the house better and as a result, your door is freezing.

Try the lube where you are seeing the ice and see if that doesnt solve your problems.
 
   / My Menard's entry door freezes to jamb!!! #10  
My door from Menards is working very well thank you. Mine came with its own casing. When I tore outh the old casing, I found out there was NO insulation behind the casement boards. I filled the gap with non-expanding foam. Now I have a warm entry way even the dogs like.

My old door used to have ice on it, probably because the humidity condensed on the door as it leaked out, then froze. So, I would recommend dialing back the humidity and adding some extra air barrier (like a storm door).
 
 
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