Clearing Up the Forecast On Storm Doors

Keeping your home’s exterior safe during natural disasters is as important as doing the same for the interior. Homeowners who live in storm-ridden cities go through great lengths to ensure that every square inch of their home’s exterior, such as garage doors, is as safe from the dangers of the outside world as possible. One simple and worthwhile investment is the storm door, which isn’t a great length but can greatly improve safety during high winds.

Your home may already have a storm door or two installed, but not many people give them much thought or attention. However, more effort into their design and investment in high-grade materials can significantly increase the protection that storm doors and screened entry doors can provide. 

What Is a Storm Door?

What Are Storm Doors and How Can They Help?

Storm doors are an extra door that is installed over the front door of your home. These are designed to be stylish, but also practical, offering a range of benefits for your home’s exterior and even interior. Storm doors can have features like being retractable, and having a glass screen that allows for added natural light to make its way into your home.

While storm doors can be designed to look very attractive, they are mainly installed for practical reasons such as extra insulation, protecting the exterior door from impact and rain, or keeping out bugs and other critters. 

Why Have a Storm Door?

Benefits of Having Storm Doors Installed

The exterior of your home, as well as its doors, takes a lot of damage throughout the years; be it from the rain, frost, constant scorching of sun rays in the summer, or just the general wear and tear from usage. Refacing and repairing the exterior is a natural part of owning a house and you will have to do it at some point, but the storm door can significantly cut down the damage that your door takes from the outdoor elements. This means you will have to repair it less often, which saves you time and energy and increases the longevity of your front door.

Storm doors also help with insulation. As time goes by, exterior doors become loose and the wood begins to warp which allows the breeze and cold air to get through. As a result, the interior is no longer as insulated as it should be and will require your heaters to work extra hard to keep the inside of your house warm. By installing a storm door, you are improving the insulation of your home and may cut down on heating costs. Additionally, glass storm doors allow you to leave your front door open to let in some extra sunlight and keep bugs and other pests from entering your home at the same time. 

Extra Natural Light With Glass Storm Doors

With varying storm door designs available, you also have the opportunity to improve the curb appeal of your home as well. While screened doors may not be particularly attractive, there are some very sleek glass screen door designs that can further embellish your exterior. You can have classic decorative molding on the panels or a very sharp and modern handle that glistens with the sunlight. 

Who Needs a Storm Door?

How Storm Doors Protect Your Home From the Weather

Living in an area with a lot of rain and other extreme weather conditions means your front door is going to take a lot of damage — if not from the moisture, then because of fluctuating temperatures, which will cause the wood to warp and bend. This is why it is highly advised to install a storm door to protect it from the weather and keep your door in top shape for as long as possible.

Also, if you happen to live in a humid area, there are going to be a lot of bugs and pests flying around and they will find their way into your home. Leaving your front door open even for a few seconds gives insects and other critters an ample amount of time to make their way into the comfort of cooler temperatures or savory aromas. By installing a screened storm door, you can leave the exterior door open for as long as you’d like without having to worry about any six-legged guests paying you a visit. 

Storm Door Installation or Replacement

The Relatively Easy Process of Storm Door Installation

Since storm doors are much thinner and weigh significantly less than exterior doors, the installation and storm door replacement process is quite simple. 

To start with, storm doors do not have their own frame, but rather they hang off the casing of the exterior door itself. The insulation, closing mechanism, and other storm door accessories are installed onto the door casing itself. First, the hinge plates are installed onto the door casing and the door is placed against it to see if the dimensions of the storm door line up with the threshold. If the hinge plates are off, the storm door is going to be either too low or too high, so use a tape measure and writing utensil to mark all the spots. 

Once the hinge plates are secured to the door casing, the storm door can be installed onto them. If it perfectly fits into the casing and closes into the lock on the other side of the hinge plates without any extra force, then it has been lined up perfectly. Next comes the closing mechanism, which is usually installed above the storm door hinges. There are various kinds of closing mechanisms for storm doors, among the most common of which are pneumatic closers which allow the door to shut softly and quietly. Afterward, all the other components are fastened to the door: these include locks, doorknobs, and — in case your storm door has one — an adjustable floor sweep at the bottom. 

Types of Storm Doors

As one would expect, there are a variety of storm door materials, doorknobs, and types to choose from. This allows you to pick out the exact door that suits your stylistic and practical needs.

Retractable Screen Storm Doors

The Ease of Retractable Storm Doors

Having to open two doors every time you walk into your home doesn’t sound too unpleasant on paper, but do it a couple of times and you realize how inconvenient it can be sometimes. Fortunately, there is an easier alternative with a retractable screened storm door. The screen on the door can either roll up or come down so you don’t have to pull it open as you would with traditional doors. This also gives you the flexibility to go from screen to no-screen right along with the unpredictable weather.

Storm Doors With Pets In Mind

Give Your Furry Members of the Household Access to the Outside World

If a four-legged member of the family enjoys the outdoor life, they’re going to be using their little pet door quite often. But with a storm door covering the exterior doors, doesn’t that mean your pet won’t have any way of leaving? Don’t make their lives any harder and invest in a storm door with a dog door already installed onto it for your pets to walk through. It works pretty much the same way as any other pet door, so your furry friend won’t even notice the difference. 

Silent or Soft Storm Doors

One thing is true about almost any household, and it’s that there is always at least one member who is a bit more inconsiderate than the rest when it comes to closing doors gently. Whether they do it on purpose or simply don’t notice it, banging doors can be quite disruptive for other members of the family, the neighbors, and the door. And with how light storm doors are in comparison to the front doors, even the slightest breeze can cause them to slam shut. But with a specialized silent closing mechanism, such as a pneumatic close, door slamming will become a thing of the past, be it the wind or biceps that are just too damn big.

Storm Door Material Options

The Best Storm Door Materials to Choose From

As with any other door out there, you have several options of materials for your storm door. Aluminum, wood, and vinyl are three of the most common materials utilized. But most contractors will say that aluminum makes for the best storm doors. This metal is quite sturdy, is weather-resistant, and is also quite light. The problem with wooden screen doors is that they’ll need quite a bit of maintenance considering how much wear and tear they go through. Vinyl is also waterproof and will not warp, but it is not as durable as metal screen doors.

Storm Door Handles 

Why Picking the Right Storm Door Handle Is Important

If there is one rule to go by amidst the large variety of handles, it’s to pick something that is sturdy both in terms of durability and security. While your exterior doors are still going to be your primary defense against break-ins, security storm doors can add a layer of protection to your home given that you have a reliable handle and lock installed. Considering the vast selection, you should have no problem finding one that checks all your stylistic and practical boxes. So whether you’re installing a completely new one or are looking for a storm door handle replacement, be more considerate of what you buy and it will exponentially improve the functionality of your security screen doors.