Dos and Don’ts in Installing Storm Doors
Fact is that each season brings in humidity of varying levels, temperature of varying degrees and thus, different insulation needs. Weatherization is important to protect your home from the outside elements like wind, precipitation and sunlight. The aim of weatherproofing is to reduce the energy consumption by optimizing your home’s energy use. Installing storm doors is one of the most commonly practiced ways of maximizing your home’s energy consumption.
What are Storm Doors
By definition, storm doors are additional protection from bad weather. There are different types of storm doors depending on the season. There are storm doors that come with self storing pockets where glass can be inserted during the summer and then replaced with screens during the winter. There are also those with full length screens that slide sideways for ventilation while others are a combination of screen and glass.
The best storm doors for the purpose of weatherization are those that are made of aluminum, fiberglass and steel. These doors are more durable and require less maintenance than the wooden storm doors.
How to Install Storm Doors
After choosing a type of storm doors, it’s time to roll up your sleeves for installing them.
- Measure the door opening to be sure that you have the right size of storm doors. You also have to make sure that the door jamb and surrounding trim are solid and even. Since storm doors can be opened from left to right, you may position your door jamb either way.
- The hinge frame should be 1/8 less than the total length of the door frame opening. Cut your storm doors accordingly.
- Attach the hinge frame and the hinges by bolting them with screws
- The latch side of the frame should be 1/8 less than the total length of the door frame. Make the necessary changes.
- Add the rubber sweeps for easy sliding and to strengthen your doors for the process of weatherization.
- Install the doorknob, the striker plate, stop washer and the closer unit
Dos and Dont’s in Installation
Since you need storm doors for fulfill your goal of weatherization, you need to make sure that you install them correctly.
- Do not add glass storm doors if you know that they will get extreme sun exposure most of the day because heat cracks glass.
- If you live in a region where moisture is a constant, make sure that if you choose to install wooden storm doors treat the wood well. Moisture makes wood warp and swell.
- Aluminum storm doors are known conductors of heat so during the summer, don’t forget to add foam strips or vinyl to your doors’ frames.
Installing storm doors is easy. The difficult part comes in their maintenance and choosing the best doors for your house. Since storm doors are at the forefront of the battle against the weather elements; make sure that you buy storm doors of the highest possible quality. Each door material comes with pros and cons so choose wisely.
For more information about weatherization or use of storm doors, call 504-383-3261.
Tags: home’s energy consumption., process of weatherization., weatherization