Front Door - Bearing on Energy Rating/U-Value?

Quack13

I am just about ready to start building and am trying to make some choices before we start. One of which is to decide on a front door.

We are 'aiming' for an fairly energy efficient house (A3 or so) with the usual air-tightness/HRV etc. Walls have a u-value of 0.16, windows a U-Value of 0.8, Roof a value of 0.12.

My question is...is the front door something I also must pay a lot of attention to with regards to u-value etc.

For instance am I wasting my time going to a local joiners to design the door we want, if I want it up to spec do I need an 'engineered' door, that has a proven low U-value and airtightness etc.

Is it possible for us to get a door from a joiners and then ensure it is sealed properly etc, would that suffice?

Quack13

Sorry to bump this, but can ANYONE help me out on this one?
Anyone any experience of similar?

Jimbo

For BER purposes, you would need the U value certified by the munufacturer.
If this isn't provided, the BER assesor has to use default, conservative U value.

A local joiners wouldn't be able to provide this, so if you want a non-default U value used for your BER, you have to go to a munufacturer who is able to certify it.

I don't know if it's too late, but for BER and energy efficiency purposes, it's also a good idea to have a lobby off the front door (min. 2 square metres)

MicktheMan

Quack13 wrote: »

I am just about ready to start building and am trying to make some choices before we start. One of which is to decide on a front door.

We are 'aiming' for an fairly energy efficient house (A3 or so) with the usual air-tightness/HRV etc. Walls have a u-value of 0.16, windows a U-Value of 0.8, Roof a value of 0.12.

My question is...is the front door something I also must pay a lot of attention to with regards to u-value etc.

For instance am I wasting my time going to a local joiners to design the door we want, if I want it up to spec do I need an 'engineered' door, that has a proven low U-value and airtightness etc.

Is it possible for us to get a door from a joiners and then ensure it is sealed properly etc, would that suffice?

Given the spec of your walls, roof and sindows, the u value of the door will have a negligable effect on the rating. Yes, the airtightness of the door will be important. This can be tested when installed.

Quack13

Can a anyone recommend any Irish companies that do bespoke engineered doors?

I'm not crazy about ordering a one off door from an Irish company who acts as an agent for a European company as the delivery costs on a one off item could be a lot.

gman2k

Quack13 wrote: »

Can a anyone recommend any Irish companies that do bespoke engineered doors?

I'm not crazy about ordering a one off door from an Irish company who acts as an agent for a European company as the delivery costs on a one off item could be a lot.

PM sent re Irish joiner doing one off insulated timber doors. Don't know about the certification though...

sinnerboy

Or add the door into the order for the windows from one of the importers . Most do a broad range .

mr_edge_to_you

sinnerboy wrote: »

Or add the door into the order for the windows from one of the importers . Most do a broad range .

We are considering this in our window decision. One company in particular have an amazing range and is one of the reasons we are almost there with our window decision. But in relation to the original question, it makes no sense insulating your home to the n-th degree and leave a mad hole in it at the front door.

Quack13

sinnerboy wrote: »

Or add the door into the order for the windows from one of the importers . Most do a broad range .

Yeah that would be the ideal scenario. Unfortunately the company we are using could not quite do the design we wanted and when they finally got a quote from them ..it was €6,000!

Even at that there were compromises on the door design.

Quack13

Actually can I re-word my initial posting.

I am not that concerned with BER ratings, as I don't ever intend on moving.

I am more concerned with having a well insulated, airtight door that is up to the spec of the rest of my build.

sinnerboy

Go for style then .

For a customised design you won't get a cert - so BER default 3.0 . But in relative terms it's a small % of the overall heat losing area . And it's (BER) not your main focus . As an AT + BER assessor I say - fair enough . Its got to look good and so a judicious "relaxing" / not endlessly chasing down U Values can be apt. ! So go for it

Find a joiner and go see finished work - and employ your own common sense / judgement