Storm Doors
Written by Elizabeth Wood
Editor In Chief, United Home Improvement

Storm doors are an essential aspect to enhance the appearance of your home. In addition to aesthetics, storm doors are also a great way to weatherproof your home and save in energy costs. Certain storm doors also provide ventilation and illumination. They consist of windows, screens with glass or acrylic panels and sometimes both.

There are several things to consider before purchasing a storm door including the type of door finish, hardware quality, weather stripping, and construction material. It is best to invest in a storm door if your main exterior door is old. It is often a waste of money to add a storm door to a new exterior door because the energy savings are not worth it.

The price of a storm door is affected by a large range of materials and options. High-quality storm doors and windows use low-e glass and are typically more expensive. Frames are usually made of aluminum, steel, fiberglass, or wood. Metal-framed storm doors and windows might have foam insulation in their frames. Wooden storm doors require more upholding than the other types.

There are many different styles, colors and designs to choose from as well. Certain storm doors are equipped with full view panels which allow the exterior door to be viewed. Also, you can get glass panels that slide out of the way for ventilation. Other doors come with half screen and half glass which slide past each other. Some are removable for cleaning, others are not. Some doors have self-storing pockets for the glass in summer, and an insect screen for the winter.

In addition, kick plates that shield the lower portion of the door are also available. If circulation is a concern, there are vent options for on the top or bottom of the door. Also, security features such as grids and dead bolt locks increase the level of protection. All of these features add some convenience and higher costs.

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