ᐅ Adding insulation to an existing steel door in the basement

I am trying to improve the insulation of my house and discovered a thermal leak in the basement. The steel door leading to the outside stairs has no insulation at all. Replacing it is not an option for me. Now I am considering simply sticking a thick layer of extruded polystyrene (Styrofoam) on the door. I still have some leftover pieces. What do you think about this somewhat unconventional idea? Will it work, or could it possibly cause damage?

Hi Jupp,

have a look around for a used steel door with insulation; they don't cost much. In my opinion, most heat loss in these old steel doors is due to drafts. I would focus more on making the door completely airtight rather than adding extra insulation. Buy a good door seal from the hardware store and pay special attention to sealing the bottom of the door, as drafts often come through there.

Hello Jupp,
Kneerim is right, sealing the joints and the area towards the floor is important.
I cannot say whether insulating the door leaf will make a difference. Insulation will offer some improvement, but as I mentioned, I cannot determine the extent of that improvement.

Ok, thank you all, for now I have only improved the waterproofing. The wind was indeed blowing through quite strongly :-)

Hello,

I originally planned to do it this way and came across these posts. My idea was to insulate it with Styrodur, but the problem is the joints and the bottom edge of the steel door.

Are there any other suggestions?

It is better here, as already suggested, to buy a new or used steel door. They are not that expensive. This way, the insulation issue is solved. That is much better than trying to patch something up here.