A good storm door is not overrated, and there are plenty of benefits to installing one. Not only is it an effective way to reduce energy loss in your home, but it can be installed in an afternoon with a little patience and a few tools.
I’m a big storm door advocate, so I’m telling you what I know from personal experience.
- Pricing: There are a range of products to satisfy every budget
- Quality: Most manufacturers produce a variety of tiers that present different insulative benefits and design options.
- Design: You can choose a product that’s a full glass panel, half-glass panel, and an optional screen.
I’ve updated two on our house, with much satisfaction. The one on the ground in this next photo, I should mention, was the one we took out. Its metal frame did not hold up well to being kicked and scratched in the years before I owned the house.
Removing an old storm door.
Why use a storm door?
Insulation
The main reason I like our storm doors is because they serve as the first barrier for the direct wind, rain, and snow that blasts our home. It means that less cold air will force itself inside, and the added layer protects our painted wooden entryway doors from the elements.
Natural Daylight
I really like the full glass pane doors because when the solid entry door is open on a day like today, I can still get a bright, warm sunny day greenhouse effect without actually feeling that it’s only 50 degrees outside. Nothing screams springtime like welcoming in more sunlight.
Ventilation
I swap in a screen panel in place of the glass pane come summer, opening up my un-air-conditioned home to a refreshing cross breeze. Most doors come with a screen included, and others are sold with the screen built directly into the door itself so that the glass and screen run on parallel tracks for easy interchangeability.
Safety
Storm doors also lock, so consider them one extra door lock for intruders to get through.
Happy Dog
OK, I’m joking, but man, our dog loves watching passers-by through the glass window (furniture or window height inhibits his view from other places in the house). He could stand there smiling and wagging his tail all day.
Tips for buying a new storm door
You can special order door colors
Stores don’t have the space to stock all colors and sizes, but there are a lot to choose from, so remember to check. Don’t feel obligated to pick up a white door if brown would go better with your home, or wood if you want a steel model.
When shopping, note the width of your doorway
Storm doors for the most part are sold as 80″ in height, but the width itself should match the doorway of your home, which is much more subject to variation. When it comes to adjusting for height, if your door height is, say, 82″, know that you will be able to customize the door sweep and weatherstripping to create a tight, weatherproof seal all around.
Almost all doors are interchangeable and can accommodate left- and right-swing doorways
You will get to pick which side the knob hardware goes when you are installing it. Quick tip: If your entryway door swings in and to the right, install the storm door to pull out and to the right. Hinge the door to the same side that the entryway door hinges are installed on.
Go get ‘em.
This post was originally published on DIY Network’s blog Made + Remade in March 2013.
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