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Residential exterior doors should swing inward. While this cuts into your living space and prevents you from putting furniture near the inside of your door, it also means that the hinges will only be accessible from the interior. Hinges that sit on the outside of your home leave your property far less secure, as someone looking to get in could simply unscrew them and remove your door. Additionally, inswing exterior doors will be operable even if you have snow or other obstructions outside.

An interior French door should last you anywhere between 30 and 50 years, while an exterior French door unit will last around 15 to 30 years on average. Exactly how long your French doors last depends on the quality of the materials you choose, with vinyl doors lasting far less time than fiberglass, metal, and clad-wood doors. Upgrading to shatterproof glass can also improve the lifespan of exterior French doors.

You should rekey your house every three years to minimize the chances of someone gaining access to your home. You can do it more than that, but it depends on the level of foot traffic and visitors you get. Businesses, for instance, routinely rekey their locks every six months to a year. If you experience a break-in or a house key has gone missing, rekey the locks immediately. The same goes if your lock becomes damaged.

Fire doors are more expensive than your run-of-the-mill residential composite door because of additional materials and expanding sealants that help the door slow down or even prevent the spread of temperatures over 1,000 degrees. If you have homeowners insurance, talk to your company and see if installing fire doors can lower your premiums, especially if you can install steel doors.