Interesting points about sealing the door edges—I definitely agree moisture control is key. But have you noticed that sometimes even a well-painted door still swells slightly during extreme humidity? I've had doors perfectly sealed that still gave me trouble in the rainy season... ended up shaving off a tiny bit from the edge to keep it smooth year-round. Did you find your keyless setup sensitive to slight alignment shifts, or has it been pretty forgiving overall?
"But have you noticed that sometimes even a well-painted door still swells slightly during extreme humidity?"
Definitely experienced this myself. A couple of years ago, I installed a keyless entry system on our front door, and initially, everything seemed perfect. The door was freshly painted, sealed, and aligned just right. But once the rainy season hit, I noticed the same swelling issue you're describing—even with careful sealing and painting, the wood expanded just enough to cause slight alignment issues.
In my case, the keyless lock was fairly forgiving at first, but as the swelling got worse, it started to struggle. It wasn't a huge problem, just a bit annoying—sometimes I'd have to pull or push slightly on the door handle to get the bolt to slide smoothly. Eventually, I did exactly what you mentioned: shaved off a tiny bit from the edge of the door. It wasn't much, maybe just a millimeter or two, but it made a noticeable difference. After that minor adjustment, the lock has been completely reliable through all seasons.
One thing I'd suggest is checking the strike plate alignment periodically. Even minor shifts can make a big difference in how smoothly your keyless lock operates. Also, if you haven't already, consider applying a silicone-based lubricant to the bolt mechanism every few months—it helps keep things moving freely and reduces wear over time.
Overall though, I'd say these keyless systems are pretty resilient. Once you get past any initial alignment quirks due to humidity or seasonal changes, they're quite dependable. Just keep an eye on things during extreme weather shifts and make small adjustments as needed.
I've honestly found that switching to fiberglass doors solves most of these swelling headaches. Wood looks great, sure, but it's always sensitive to humidity changes no matter how well you seal or paint it. Installed a fiberglass door with keyless entry on my last flip—zero swelling issues since then. Might not have the same charm, but practicality-wise...it's hard to beat.
Fiberglass doors definitely have their perks, especially if humidity is a constant battle. But have you noticed any difference in insulation or noise reduction compared to wood? I've been tempted to switch myself, but my old wooden door seems to block street noise pretty well, and I'm wondering if fiberglass would match that.
Also curious—did you go with a textured fiberglass door or smooth finish? I've seen some textured ones that look surprisingly close to real wood from a distance. I mean, sure, up close it's not fooling anyone...but from the curb it might pass the charm test.
And speaking of keyless entry, how's battery life been for you? I installed one last year and love the convenience, but I swear it eats batteries faster than my kids go through snacks. Maybe it's just my model though...
We switched over to fiberglass last year (textured, btw—you're right, from the sidewalk it's pretty convincing). Insulation-wise, I'd say it's about the same as our old wood door, but noise reduction...eh, not quite as good. We live near a busy street, and I swear I hear more traffic now. As for keyless entry, battery life has been decent, maybe every 6 months or so? Could depend on brand though—ours isn't fancy, just a basic keypad. Still beats fumbling for keys while juggling groceries...
