Which is more energy-efficient: a hollow-core door or a solid wood exterior door w/ 10 glass panes?
We want to replace a low-quality hollow-core door in our 1899 cottage with an antique solid exterior-rated door with 10 panes of beveled glass but are concerned about energy-efficiency.
We live in San Francisco and almost never use heating and never use air conditioning. We both agree that the door with the panes would be much more attractive.
I think that the glass-paned door could provide us with passive solar heating through the panes (we don't have any windows on that side of the house), but my sweetie thinks that the heat loss from the panes would negate any solar heating effect.
Is the hollow-core door more energy-efficient than the solid door with glass? And if so, how much more? Or is weatherstripping more of an issue?
Thanks!
R-Value is the measure of the resistance of heat flow through a particular product. There are window panes out there that can give you a higher r factor than some hc doors. But, since your cottage is from 1899 realistically it won't make much difference. A house built today will have, usually, an R-11 wall, most windows today will be an R-4 or so. A house built in 1899 did not have standards like these of today. See below:
But to answer the question, I would compromise, and get a door with glass at the top which would give you light and satisfy your husband as well. A HC door does not provide much insulation at all. You were right about the weatherstripping though, a door or window that doesn't have good airtight seals will lose more than just having a glass or HC door.
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