Are Storm Doors Necessary?

Are Storm Doors Necessary?

You’ve probably seen or even had a storm door, but you may not fully understand what the purpose of a storm door is. Storm doors provide an additional barrier against the elements and prevent cold or warm air from entering your home, especially with poorly insulated main doors. Adding a storm door can be a good investment, but it may not be worth the expense if you have a newer, well-insulated entry door.

What Is a Storm Door?

Storm doors are a different type of exterior door that are installed in front of a standard entry door and are primarily used for protection against the elements. Storm doors generally have glass fronts that can be replaced with screen panels or have built-in screens that can be exposed by lowering the glass panel. This design allows them to provide ventilation when the weather is pleasant or help protect your interior from colder temperatures in the winter months.

Do You Need a Storm Door?

For families, the purpose of storm doors may be to watch and hear children who are playing outside, which you can’t do with a solid entry door. If you enjoy fresh air and sunshine, your purpose may be to increase ventilation and light levels while creating a barrier against bugs.

From a strictly monetary standpoint, the purpose of storm doors usually leans toward energy savings due to their ability to help insulate against air leaks. They also create a pocket that traps cold or warm air between it and your main door, effectively keeping unfavorable temperatures out of your home. If you have an ornate and/or expensive front door, a storm door can also protect your investment by protecting it from rain, snow and ice.

Benefits of a Storm Door

Besides answering what is the purpose of a storm door, you also likely want to know some of the specific benefits of installing one. Many of the benefits tie directly into the purpose of storm doors, with the top benefit being increasing the energy efficiency of your exterior door. This helps keep your utility bills in check, but there are many valuable benefits including:

  • Providing ventilation in good weather
  • Increasing visibility and light
  • Preventing bugs from entering your home
  • Protecting your entry door from the elements
  • Increasing your home’s curb appeal
  • Adding an additional level of security

Storm Door Considerations

The Department of Energy doesn’t recommend storm doors for exterior doors that get more than a few hours of direct sun every day. Heat trapped against the entry door from the storm door’s glass could damage your entry door; however, Low-E glass should reduce the heat gained.

Your local climate is another big consideration when deciding whether a storm door makes sense for your home. If you live in an area predisposed to torrential downpours or severe winter storms, exposing your main door to these elements could prematurely age it. Because quality entry doors typically cost more, it’s a sound investment to protect them with a storm door while also lowering your energy costs.

There are also factors that might indicate you don’t need/want a storm door, such as it detracts too much from your home’s curb appeal. It requires you to open two doors instead of one, which could be a hassle if you have small children, pets or elderly family members. If your entry door is under an overhang or on a porch where it’s already protected from the elements, a storm door probably isn’t necessary.

Where to Get a Quality Storm Door

At ThompsonCreek, our professional-grade storm doors are built with 20% thicker aluminum than what you find at big box home improvement stores. Our professional staff can answer the question “What is the purpose of a storm door?” and provide you with reasons why it’s a sound investment. Contact us for a free, no-obligation cost estimate and to learn more about the purpose of storm doors and your storm door options.