STORM DOOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

A storm door provides a protective barrier between your entry door and the outside world. These doors deliberately measure slightly smaller than the doors they protect because they must fit within the existing door trim. Once properly installed, they take the brunt of seasonal foul weather and unexpected violent storms.

You don’t necessarily have to live in a stormy area to benefit from the protective benefits of a storm door. Even a high wind could throw rocks or other destructive objects into your door’s finish or glass panels. A storm door can also protect your entry door against vandalism, while its extra lock can help deter break-ins.

What Other Benefits Can a Storm Door Offer?

Storm doors can enhance your everyday quality of life during fair weather. On sunny, temperate days, you might want to open your door and let the fresh air sweep into your home. A storm door with movable glass inserts will give you that natural ventilation while also keeping mosquitoes and flies from invading.

A storm door can also perform the opposite task, preventing air from moving in or out of your home through small gaps around the entry door. This second layer of insulation can improve your comfort and energy efficiency. However, it might trap unwelcome heat or even promote door damage if it receives lots of daily sunlight.

What Storm Door Types Can You Choose From?

Storm doors come in many variations to give homeowners the widest range of stylistic choices. Your storm door installer or a professional home stager can often help you select the styles and colors that best complement your home. At that point, you can consider what functional and structural features you want from your storm door.

The arrangement of glass in a storm door determines its overall type. A full-view storm door features glass running its entire length, often backed up by a screen. A mid-view storm door uses glass for most but not all of its surface area, while a high-view storm door includes glass only toward the top half of the door.

You can also define a storm door by its ventilation features. Some storm doors offer a full-sized fixed screen, while others make use of a partial screen that you can move up or down. Combined with retractable glass inserts, these variations let you choose just how much ventilation you want.

What Material Works Best for Storm Doors?

You can get storm doors made of wood core, aluminum, fiberglass, or vinyl. Each of these materials comes with its own set of pros and cons, so your selection will depend on your needs, climate, and personal priorities.

Wood core stands up well against hot weather, but it can crack or warp in response to humidity and moisture over time. Aluminum offers the lightest weight and greatest durability, although it can readily show dents and scuffs. Fiberglass and vinyl come in many colors and textures while hiding surface damage relatively well.

How Do You Maintain a Storm Door?

Since manufacturers design storm doors to withstand a certain amount of punishment, you’ll find it fairly easy to keep them looking good and working well. A simple cleansing with soap, water, and a soft cloth should remove any debris that may collect such as dirt or spider webs.

When storm doors do develop functional problems, your installer or service technician can most likely fix them, sparing you the expense of a full replacement. You might simply need new closer hardware, an adjustment to the closer cylinder tension, tightening of the hinge screws, or a corner joint replacement.

If the wind keeps blowing your storm door open when you use its ventilation features, you run the risk of all that extreme motion harming the hinges. To avoid or solve this problem, ask your storm door provider to add a wind chain to both the door and the surrounding frame. This spring-mounted device limits door motion.

If you want to equip your home with a storm door that combines style, beauty, functionality, and durability, turn to the experts at Shank Door. We sell a variety of storm door models and can help you choose the perfect storm door for your needs and preferences. We’ll then install that storm door skilfully and efficiently. Contact us today.