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

[yooper1]

Thanks all for the ideas.

The door did come pre-hung which means it had it's own frame.

They had to shim it on both sides and top and it does open well without tight spots.

I guess I will try the wd-40 and or silcone first and then maybe the storm door, but that was why I went with a new door with an opening window and screen in it, hopefully to get rid of the ugly storm door.

The old door was the original from the 20's, and it was not as tight, but it did have a storm door.

Once again, thank you

Happy New Year

 

[westcliffe01]

+1 Silicone is slippery stuff and relatively persistent

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.

 

[yooper1]

oh and also...I do not think there is too much moisture in the house.

First of all it is from 1924 and leaks like a seive.

Second...I have to run a small humidifier now and then to keep things from drying out (like my skin)

 

[beenthere]

oh and also...I do not think there is too much moisture in the house.

.......)

The moisture from the house is what is freezing on the door. So tho it doesn't seem like "too much" for your comfort, it is "too much" for the cold temp around the door.

Just the way it is.

I too didn't want to add the storm door. But did, and find out that the door stays dry, the threshold stays dry, and the door doesn't frost up around the edges. I put a storm on that is about 100% glass (from Menards ). I like it now. No more melted water at the doorway now.

 

[inveresk]

External air is much wetter than inside air at this time of year. The moisture freezing on the door is simply condensation from the outside air such as you get on your car and other cold outside surfaces.

You might try Vaseline instead of wd40 on the weather seals. As well as repelling water, it stops squeaks and lasts longer than wd40 between applications. I use it on the rubber seals of my convertible.

Bees waxing the face of the door might also help repel moisture.

 

[beenthere]

External air is much wetter than inside air at this time of year. The moisture freezing on the door is simply condensation from the outside air such as you get on your car and other cold outside surfaces.
...............

Not as I understand it.

I think the condensation is on the inside of the door caused by the outside cold temp and the moisture-laden inside air.
Outside cold air holds very little moisture, thus the reason the Relative Humidity of cold outside air is usually quite high. Inside warm air holds a lot of moisture and thus condenses when hitting the cold air that can't hold any more moisture.

 

[SandburRanch]

As mentioned by inveresk, for a temporary solution, apply bees wax to the door area that contacts the weather stripping. And then do some investigation by placing a thermometer close to the door edge that seems to maybe stick the worst. First toward the top and then the bottom to see what the temp. differential is. The latch side will be causing the most problems in opening because of the physics of that type of door. If I were a gambling man I'd bet there is a considerable difference in temperature between top and bottom on the latch side. Check back and let us know.

 

[MossRoad]

Two years ago I bought an ice fishing tent. I took it out on its maiden voyage and fished well into dark. I had a lantern inside for heat. It was extremely cold outside but nice and toasty inside. When it was time to go home, I could not open the zipper doors. The moisture from my breath and the moisture from the propane lantern had condensed on the metal zippers and froze them shut. It took me about 10-20 minutes of carefully putting warm metal on the zipper and working it open a half an inch at a time.

So, I know the frostration of being stuck in your own abode. :laughing: The solution I found on the internet was to wax the zipper. It was simple and one application lasted all season.

So, if your metal door is sticking to your rubber weather stripping, I would suggest waxing the metal door where it touches the rubber. I do this with my car doors and it works well, too.

 

[ray66v]

If you use silicone, it will work. But, forget about painting the door, or any area surrounding it for a long time after that.

Wiping Armour All on the seal with a rag, will also work. And will produce a lesser degree of paint contamination, if you decide to paint anything later.

WD40 evaporates so fast, it is hardly ever worth using.

 

[Pops15]

Too much humidity in the house is the problem. A poor seal between the weatherstrip and door could be contributing to the problem, but the real issue is too much humidity. People tend to over use humidifiers. The better a house is sealed (by upgrading doors and windows) the less the humidifier needs to run.