What Type of Storm Door is Best for Your Home?

Choosing a storm door is a big decision. Storm doors can be decorative but their primary function is to protect your home and your interior door from the elements so choosing the right one is important. The storm door that you choose will have an impact on your home’s energy efficiency and the protection of the structure of the home as well as the appearance of your home.

Make sure that whatever kind of door you choose that storm door has a good sweep on the bottom of it. The sweep is an external piece of flexible plastic or rubber that protects the bottom of the door and your home.

It prevents snow or rain from getting inside the home or inside the door frame and it keeps out noise, pests, and wind. It also prevents air from leaking out from the inside of the home.

Almost all storm doors are made from aluminum with a foam core. Make sure that you’re choosing a door that has an aluminum outer core so that it can withstand the elements and will stay in good shape for years to come.

There are five primary types of storm doors that you can choose from. All of them come in different colors and finishes so that you should be able to find one that complements the existing color and décor of your home. Adding a storm door in a bright color that contrasts the color of your home’s exterior is a nice way to give your home a cosmetic upgrade and improve curb appeal.

There are also storm doors that have decorate finishes and metallics so that you can find a door that matches your unique personality. When it comes to function the five different types of storm doors you have to choose from are:

Full View

A full view storm door has glass panes on the top and bottom so that the interior of the home is visible when the interior door is open. A full view storm door is a great choice for back doors because it gives parents full sight lines throughout the backdoor if they need to keep an eye on their kids.

It’s also a good choice for pet owners who let their pets out into their yard but need to keep an eye on them when they’re running around outside. If you have a decorative interior front door and you want to show it off or if you have holiday decorations like wreaths or signs hanging on your interior door and you want them to be visible but not exposed to the elements, then a full view storm door is a good choice.

The full view storm door will frame the interior door much the same way that a frame shows off a picture. One of the downsides of choosing a full view storm door is that you have to physically remove the glass panel and put in a screen when the seasons change or when you want to be able to ventilate the home in the warmer weather. Safely store the glass panel when you have the screen in. If you have kids or pets keeping that glass panel intact and safely stored can be a challenge.

Mid View

A mid view storm door is a more traditional type of storm door. It’s called a mid view door because the glass goes almost from top to bottom but it stops about 18 inches from the bottom of the door. Instead of having glass all the way down there is a kick plate, usually made of metal, that protects the bottom of the door.

This is useful if you have kids who are rough on the door when they come in or if you have pets that are small. Pets can come up to the door and peer over the kick plate but you don’t have to worry about them breaking or chipping the glass if they scratch at the door or try to get out.

If the storm door is for an entry that gets daily use, the mid-view storm door is a smart choice. A full view storm door is a better choice for doors that aren’t used all that often.

High View

High view storm doors only have one pane of glass in the top half of the door. The lower half of the door is entirely solid. This is not great for ventilation, but it’s great for people with small children and large pets.

A high view storm door is ideal for families who have kids going out and coming in all the time because the lower half of the door isn’t glass so it won’t show fingerprints and it won’t break if kids are rough on it.

If you have a medium to large size dog you might choose a high view storm door so that your dog won’t break the glass or scratch the glass trying to see outside or go outside. Because the lower half is solid door it also is great for energy efficiency although it doesn’t let in as much light or fresh air as the full view or mid view storm doors.

Ventilating

A ventilating storm door can come in a mid-view or high view. What makes a ventilating storm door different is that the screen and the glass are all in the same panel so that if you want to use the screen you can use a toggle switch to drop the glass inside the door and leave only the screen.

It’s a much simpler and safer way to allow fresh air into the house than a traditional storm door where you need to remove the glass panels and replace them with a screen when you want to be able to ventilate the house.

A ventilating storm door is the best choice if you live in a climate where the temperature can be cold one day but warm the next or where there are four distinct seasons and you don’t want the hassle of changing the storm door insets all the time.

Security

A security storm door has decorative looking metalwork on the outside of the door that keeps people out while still letting light into the home and protecting the interior door. The metal bars and scrollwork are attractive looking and make it very difficult to break into the house.

If the glass on the door is broken by someone trying to get into the home, the shatter-resistant glass and the metalwork will make it unlikely that they would actually be able to get in.

Security storm doors usually have one-way irreversible screws so that the door screws cannot be removed and the door can’t be just taken off the hinges or taken down out of the door frame.

If you’re having trouble deciding what type of storm door is best for you just ask the experts. They will be happy to recommend a door for your home that will suit your personality and give you the type of storm door that is the best for your home.

Feldco Storm Doors

We offer durable, energy efficient storm doors that come in many different styles and color options. Let us help you find the storm door of your dreams as we’ll go over your preferences then create your storm door and do the installation as well.

We have serviced over 400,000 homes across the Midwest and delighted homeowners with our customer service, affordable products, and professional installation, all which has kept us in business for over 40 years. You can trust us with your home renewal projects so get started today and click here to get a free quote.