A handyman using a drill to provide exterior door repair services for the front door of a home in Collinsville, IL.

Though few homeowners in Collinsville realize it until problems arise, your home’s exterior door can make or break the curb appeal of your home. If your entryway or exit is looking a little more weathered than you’d prefer, or you’re noticing that it’s just not sealing like it used to, giving you cause for concern about break-ins and theft, it’s time to contact a Collinsville handyman for Collinsville exterior door repair.

Our experts at Mr. Handyman of Metro East believe that entry door repair is a great way to extend the lifespan of your door and avoid the upfront costs associated with an exterior door replacement. That being said, our service technicians also have the experience and expertise to help you decide whether repair or replacement is right for you. To learn more about our Collinsville exterior door repair service, keep reading. Or, give us a call to book an appointment or request more information.

Unfinished attic with brick and wood.

Common Causes Of Exterior Door Damage

Exterior doors are designed to be exceptionally sturdy. They play a big role in not just keeping you and your family safe and secure, but also in preventing drafts that cause your heating and cooling systems to work harder.

Despite being designed for durability and longevity, all panels and frames—even the highest quality doors—naturally reach the end of their lifespan at some point. Depending on the material, some entryways require more maintenance than others. If maintenance has been neglected over the years, your entryway may require repair or replacement sooner than expected.

There are many different reasons why an exterior slab or frame may be damaged, but the most common causes include:

  • Wood Rot: If your entryway doesn’t have a wood panel, don’t skip this one just yet. Many entryways have wooden frames regardless of the panel material. If wood is not regularly sealed or painted, water can infiltrate the fibers and cause wood rot. Once wood rot begins, it is difficult to stop it.
  • Warping: Wood doesn’t respond well to temperature fluctuations. High heat and humidity can cause frames and panels to expand, while cold weather causes them to contract. This can lead to your panel sticking in the summer or having gaps in the winter.
  • Lock Failure: Over time and with repeated use, locks will naturally wear down. This can cause your locks to jam and make it difficult to enter and exit your home.
  • Misalignment: If your entryway was once problem free, but you’re now finding the slab drags or doesn’t line up properly with its frame, you may have faulty hinges or a shifting house.
  • Cosmetic Damage: You pass through your entryway with many people and objects over the years—regular wear and tear are to be expected. If moving your daughter’s furniture out of your home and into her college dorm left a big dent in your front door, you may wish to have it repaired to boost your curb appeal.

Our Collinsville Exterior Door Repair Service

If your entry doors have seen better days, your trusted Mr. Handyman team can help them look their best again. We can perform repair services on a wide variety of styles of doors, including but not limited to:

  • Storm doors
  • French doors
  • Sliding glass doors
  • Panel doors
  • Windowed doors
  • Carved wood doors
  • And more!

If you’re looking for commercial door repair rather than residential repair, we can help with that, too. Owners of commercial businesses that require door repair for commercial, office and mixed-use buildings can rely on our team of handyman professionals to take care of their entryways in accordance with commercial building codes.

Our service professionals aren’t just jacks-of-all trades, but also highly skilled carpentry professionals. This means that when you book an appointment for Collinsville exterior door repair, you’ll have full confidence in our team to execute intricate repairs on solid wood doors with unique architectural styles. Whether your hardwood panel requires extensive millwork carpentry knowledge or just needs a fresh coat of paint, our handyman experts are up to the job.

Each exterior door repair service appointment looks different, as we tailor our tools, methods, and steps according to the unique requirements of the project at hand. That being said, some of the steps your service technician may take during your appointment include:

  • Door Assessment: Upon arrival, your technician will take a look at the door in question. He or she will diagnose the problem and identify possible solutions. These solutions will be presented to you alongside an estimate. Once you’ve chosen the solutions you’d like to take, we’ll get started.
  • Part Installation and Repair Service: If new parts are required as part of your repair service (i.e., installing a new threshold or new hinges), your handyman will conduct and complete this installation. Additional repairs generally come after the installation step. For example, if a small part of your frame is rotting, your handyman will apply a product to stop the wood rot in its tracks and rebuild the lost wood with a wood filler or epoxy.
  • Clean Up: Once your repair is complete, your handyman will clean up their mess completely. They’ll communicate the results of the repair project with you, provide you with any advice to help the repair job last, and answer any remaining questions you may have.

Alongside exterior door repair, some of our customers also choose to use our pressure washing service to help restore curb appeal. Some of the most common questions about Collinsville pressure washing involve improving the appearance of the exterior of the home, but pressure washing can also be used to prepare a surface for refinishing and remove contaminants such as dirt, dust, pollen, and algae.

Maintaining Your Exterior Doors

To avoid needing exterior door repair in the future, we recommend taking the time to maintain your newly repaired door. Your service technician can answer any project-specific questions you may have about maintenance, but in general, simply cleaning your door and making minor repairs as needed is the best way to keep your entryway looking and functioning at its best.

Because there is such a wide range of materials that can be used in front door construction, it’s a good idea to use products specifically formulated for the surface in question. For example, there are products for wood doors that nourish the wood while also protecting against damaging UV rays. Conversely, glass cleaners may be used on french doors, assuming they don’t have a film that could be damaged by cleaners.

The simplest way to maintain your door is to wash it down with a bit of soap and water once every year, preferably in the spring. Metal doors that get dings in the paint should be touched up with a fresh coat of paint to prevent corrosion from occurring.

FAQs For Exterior Door Repair In Collinsville

When is It Better to Replace Vs. Repair an Exterior Door?

Many homeowners hum and haw over exterior door repair and replacement. At the end of the day, there’s only one main question that you need to ask yourself when deciding whether repair or replacement is your best option—how much do they cost?

A good exterior door can be expensive to replace in an established building. Exterior doors need to be fit by a professional to ensure that you get a tight seal between the slab and the frame. Failing to do so could result in the decreased energy efficiency of your home, leading to higher energy bills.

On the other hand, very old building entries could end up costing you more by needing regular repairs. Though a single repair costs less than a full installation, over time, these repairs can add up to cost more than a replacement would have cost in the first place.

Other factors worth considering when deciding between repair and replacement include:

  • Existing Slab Material: Hardwood costs much more than fiberglass to replace. If you want to replace your existing door with hardwood, you can expect to spend a pretty penny.
  • Sentimentality: If you live in a character home with its original door, you may wish to preserve this, no matter the cost.

Shop around for panel options to get an idea of how much materials will cost, and contact our handyman professionals to get a clearer idea about how much repair vs replacement would cost for your improvement project.

Can I Repair My Exterior Door on My Own?

Unless you have carpentry experience, it’s generally not recommended that you repair your exterior door on your own. As previously discussed, ensuring your entryway slabs and frames are tightly sealed through proper installation and repair is essential for improving the energy efficiency of your home. If you think a drafty door won’t make much of a difference to your energy usage, think again. You’d be surprised how much additional usage you can rack up on your utility bills with a door that doesn’t properly seal.

On the other hand, if your repairs simply involve repainting and not much else, you may be able to give the project a try on your own. Repairing wood rot, warped and missing wood, and misalignment are repairs that are best left to the pros.

How Much Does Exterior Door Repair Cost?

The cost of exterior door repair in Collinsville depends on multiple factors, some of which include:

  • Entry size
  • Location factors
  • Project details
  • Architectural details
  • And repair type

Recent statistics for Illinois indicate that customers generally spend between $100 and $500 for exterior door repairs. Keep in mind that these prices are changing all the time due to changes in the minimum wage, inflation, and supply chain disruptions. For door replacements, you’re generally looking at $1000 or more.

We encourage you to contact us directly about pricing for a more accurate understanding. At Mr. Handyman, we strive to provide our customers with the highest quality services and workmanship at the greatest possible value.

Do You Replace Glass in Patio and French Doors?

If your glass exterior doors are damaged, a repair will not be possible. Even glass window experts rarely replace a single pane of glass and instead replace the entire unit.

If your glass patio doors, glass sliding doors, or glass french doors are cracked or no longer insulating properly in the winter, we’ll be happy to provide you with a replacement service. Alternatively, if the glass is in good condition but you’ve noticed the caulking start to go or the wood begins to warp, we can touch these up for you.

Do You Offer Free Estimates?

Depending on the project, some of our customers request estimates beforehand, and others wait until the day of the service appointment to discuss pricing. If you would like to get an estimate for your exterior door repair improvement project, we encourage you to contact us by phone or fill out our online service request form with your project details.

In most cases, we prefer to provide homeowners with in-person quotes, as assessing the damage firsthand allows us to offer the most accurate estimates possible.

What Other Exterior Repair Services Do You Offer?

Our outstanding handyman professionals pretty much do it all. Whether you need interior or exterior services for your commercial or residential property, we have your back.

In addition to exterior door repair, our more popular exterior services include:

  • Deck and patio construction and repair
  • Deck furniture assembly
  • Deck staining
  • Deck painting
  • Pet door installation
  • Fence installation and repair
  • Gutter cleaning and repair
  • Pressure and power washing
  • Soffit repair
  • Siding repair
  • Fascia repair
  • Garage door opener installation
  • Weatherstripping
  • Window frame repair
  • And more!

If you have any questions about our local services list, we encourage you to give us a call.

For Expert Collinsville Exterior Door Repair, Schedule An Appointment With Mr. Handyman Of Metro East Today!

When you choose to get Collinsville exterior door repair done with Mr. Handyman of Metro East, you’ll receive not just outstanding quality of workmanship, but the best customer service you’ve ever experienced with a home services company.

Our handyman team undergoes extensive background checks, has an average minimum of 10 years of experience, and is fully insured. This combined with our quality workmanship guarantee helps us offer our customers the greatest peace of mind possible.

Whether you live in Collinsville or another nearby community, such as Belleville, Shiloh, Fairview Heights, or O’Fallon, we’ll be happy to provide you with quality exterior home services, as well as services for a wide range of additional projects including everything from drywall repair to bathroom remodeling.

To book an appointment or discuss your project in more detail, feel free to contact our knowledgeable customer service team, or take a look at our reviews to learn more about our services. We look forward to welcoming you into the Mr. Handyman family!

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