Storm Door Selection: How To Chose The Best
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 Storm doors can be installed for several reasons. They can allow addition light into a house that has a solid exterior door that can be opened to bring in light. The can increase the efficiency of your home since they can provide an airtight seal on an older leaky door. They can also be installed for security reasons. If security is a big concern, you may purchase a door with protective grilles and/or deadbolt locks. Certain brands of storm doors have more security features also include laminated security glass and multi-point locking systems. The Proper Fit Most storm door units can be adjusted slightly to fit into a doorframe. The frame should have a flange that allows the door to fit a range of opening. Check the allowable opening size and compare it to the dimension of your opening. Measure your opening at several points since there may be a bow in the frame. Measure the height and width of your doorframe carefully before you visit a store so you will have the information needed to find the correct door size. Measure the space between the exterior brick mold trim pieces, not the inner doorjamb. The flange of the storm door will attach to the brick molding. If your opening is too big for a standard door, you can purchase an adapter kit that includes a Z-bar extender. Some homeowners find the adapter kit look unattractive and prefer to order custom doors. Before installing the door, inspect the wood jamb and trim around your door opening to make sure it is secure and will support the weight of your storm door. Use a level and square to make sure the door will fit properly. Types of Screens and Panels If your storm door is exposed to direct sun, use screens the summer and spring and glass panels back in the fall and winter. The glass panels will act like a greenhouse, heating up the air between the two doors. This can cause weather-stripping to deteriorate quickly. In extreme cases, the heat could warp the entry doors. Screen Selection Screens can be made of galvanized steel, aluminum, bronze or fiberglass. Galvanized steel screen are the least expensive and are highly durable. Add an annual coating of household lubricant to helps prevent rust. Aluminum screens are not as strong as galvanized steel but they never rust or corrode (except in seaside areas). In areas with a lot of smog, aluminum tends to darken. Aluminum screens can be protected with commercial spray products. Fiberglass screens resist corrosion and are easy to install but they are do not resist tears. Children can easily tear a fiberglass screen. Most storm doors come with either a doorstop or door closer. Both mechanisms stop the door from opening too far on windy days. A door stop, also called a snubber, uses a chain attached to a spring to control the door. It is easy to install and adjust. A pneumatic closer not only prevents a door from opening too fast or too far, but also closes the door slowly to avoid banging A sliding washer on the rod of the door closer is used to hold the door open. Most doors have one pneumatic closer, but some have two for extra protection against high winds. The information on this site is provided for reference only and is provided "AS IS", "AS AVAILABLE" with no guarantee of accuracy. Information comes with no warranties, express or implied. Use the information from this site at your own risk. See our disclaimer for more details. |