The latest trend in home designing is choosing to inaugurate a storm door at the entrance of your home.
A storm door is installed with the exterior door of the house. Its function is to prevent the house from extreme weather conditions but simultaneously allowing the flow of air for a comfortable living space.
It is usually made up of the glass material to allow visibility and keep the pests out of the house. Also, it adds to the beauty of the entrance to your home.
Storm doors help let the sunlight come in without letting other pollutants and simultaneously protecting your home from unpleasant elements of nature.
How To Measure For A Storm Door?
Before you begin, make certain there are no hurdles in your way. Take note of the placement of the opening handle and the lights which are sometimes in the way of construction.
Do comprehensive planning that you are going to follow. Decide beforehand if the door will be opening in the front or the back.
Make space respectively to allow free movement for the installed door. Decide at which side, left or the right, do you want the handle to be installed.
Trace the outline of the door which is already in place. Measure the length and the width.
Make a marking in three places. Take a long tape measure and align between the markings. Average the three readings you get to get approximate dimensions of the door.
The average length of new homes will be around 80 inches, but for ancient homes, it can be around 95 inches.
To make sure that the measurements you have taken are okay, repeat them. These measurements will be your reference when purchasing the storm door.
The width and the height will correspond to the dimensions of the storm door.
This step is essential in setting the basics. Without it, you will not be able to buy the suitable product and will create problems later on.
How To Choose The Perfect Storm Door?
Soon as you have the dimensions, it is now time to choose the perfect storm door to complement your house. This is an important process.
Once the door has been installed, it should look exactly like you had imagined it so that the hard work you put in shows and you are satisfied with the look.
Different companies produce storm doors in pre-set sizes. These companies also issue books and guides to help you decide which size is perfect for you.
Some companies namely are Larsen, Anderson, and EMCO. Go out and look around!
Decide on the door that you like and then compare the sizing to get to your perfect match.
One thing you should be mindful of is why you need the storm door. It can be because you want extra security for your family and you. If it is this, choose wood or steel as your material.
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If you want it for ventilation, the net will work best for you. If you want to save energy letting in the sunlight, glass or net, both will work just fine.
And, if you want the door to increase the attractiveness and create a specific look, go with glass.
Sometimes it may seem hard to find the size you are looking for. In this case, you will need to order a custom-built door.
This may be a little heavy on your pocket, but the perfect fitting will be worth the look you will get in the end.
It will also take more time, but you can get the design you have exactly got in your mind. This will make the extra charges you need to pay worth the result at the end.
If the difference is less than an inch, you can get a Z bar to fill the space. Otherwise, it is essential to get the door built on order.
How To Install A Storm Door?
After you have the door you want to install; you can now begin the process. The general tools that are needed are a power drill, hammer, hacksaw, level, screwdriver, sawhorses, spirit level, and measuring tape.
The installation process of every door differs slightly. So it is best to follow the instruction manual provided by the company from which you have purchased the door.
Before you start, make sure that the parts that you have been provided with are complete.
To do this compare the parts to the list that is printed on the box or in the manual.
Now determine the length of space you want between the door and the storm door. First, install the drip cap. It is a strip of cloth-like material which stops the rain from coming inside. Mark where you want to drill using a pencil. Make holes on those mark by powering on the drill and pressing it to the marks.
Once the holes have been made, put the drip cap and screw it securely to the frame.If you have purchased a z bar, it is time to install it. Position it with the door, and like before, mark the points where you need to make a hole with a pencil and use your drill.
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Once that is done, screw the z bar to the door, leaving a few inches on the top and the bottom. The z bar may extend farther than needed. Now, cut it to fit your need.
Next, take the storm door and line it with the door frame. Make sure the z bar sits perfectly snug with the drip cap. The size should be a perfect fit for it to be completely stable and neat. Attach the other z bars that have been provided. The latch side z bars will secure the door in place. Make sure the side of the latch has been determined and is in sync with the installed drip cap. The door has now been installed.
The finishing touches are, however, still left. You will be provided with a handle set. Drill the marks of the set and screw it tightly on to the door. Make sure the screws are completely in place and provide a strong grip so that the door can easily be opened.
One more thing to be cautious about is that the handles of the door and the storm door do not hit and interfere when they are closed.
You may also want to install a closing mechanism so that the door automatically closes and is not left open by mistake.
At this point, you now have successfully installed your storm door. Cheers!
