How to Clean Brass Doorknobs

A great way to give your home a lift is by cleaning your door knobs - they are so rarely cleaned that when you actually get around to it, the difference is palpable. If you are living in a period style or older home, you most likely have brass doorknobs, or at least brass door hardware of some description, whether it is a knocker, lock, lever handle or letter flap. If you would like to clean your brass hardware, but are worried about damaging it, read on for our guide to safely and effectively cleaning brass.

lowes storm doors

All About Brass

LOWES STORM DOORS

Firstly, brass is a golden-colored metal, made by mixing copper and zinc. It is one of the oldest alloys known to man. In centuries past, brass was produced by mixing copper, quite a common metal, together with calamine, which is a zinc ore. Brass can be mistaken for gold, but often has some brown variegation through its surface. The reason it is used so often in older homes is that it has a relatively low melting point of around 900 degrees, compared to other metals. This sounds like a lot, and you might think that there isn't much difference between 900 degrees and 1100 degrees celcius, after all, they'll both fry you to a crisp quicker than you can squeak, but if you are a blacksmith working an old-fashioned bellows, two hundred degrees makes quite a lot of difference! The second reason is that it is relatively resistant to tarnishing ... and so does not need as frequent cleaning ;-) And the final reason that brass is such a common material is that it is easily recyclable without extensive loss of properties - it is quite easily melted down and reformed into different objects, without a change in color or a weakening of the metal.

There are several different varieties of brass. There is common brass, around 37% zinc, which is easy to work and cheap. Brass which contains around 33%zinc is known as yellow brass; there is also admiralty brass, which contains 1% tin along with 30% zinc. The tin makes the zinc less reactive to chemicals in the environment which might degrade the brass. Aluminium brass also contains around 1% aluminium, for similar reasons to why admiralty brass utilises tin. Any of these sorts of brass are common materials for your door knobs. The other types of brass are used for boiler fireboxes, gunmetal, flexible hoses and bellows, and also fittings like rivets, screws and springs. Brass is not degraded by sunlight, is wear-resistant and cost-effective to create, and is a popular choice for the mechanisms in watches, compassed and clocks.

To Clean Brass Door Knobs

If you haven't cleaned your brass door knobs in a while, scouring them will help give you the best possible finish. However, a word of warning - if your brass has fine detailing, scouring may remove some of this. Use a fine grade of steel wool, not your usual dishscrubber. It is better to scour lightly, for a longer time, than to rub hard and get it all over and done with quicker. This allows you a little more care, and helps ensure that what you are rubbing away is actually dirt, and not the metal or etching.

A good solution to use to clean your brass door knobs is a heaped tablespoon of salt mixed with half a cup of vinegar. This creates a saturated salt solution, and the undissolved salt crystals help to gently scour away dirt, while the vinegar's acid helps to eat away some sorts of dirt. Salt is a great disinfectant, too, helping remove germs from your door handles.

One of the bonuses of having brass door handles, as opposed to door hardware made from other metals, is that brass is fairly nonreactive. If you have regular door handles, without particularly fine detail, you can incorporate the handles into your trip round the house with the disinfectant and dishcloth. If you use harsh or commercial grade products though, it is a good idea to check the directions for what the solution can safely be used on.

Commercial brass cleaners usually do an excellent job, with Brasso, the old stand-by, still as popular as it was when your granny was naught but a babe! Check the ingredients first though if you have detailed brass pieces - if you see ammonia in the list, the cleaner is likely a caustic or alkaline one. If you use these repeatedly, they will leave a residue on the brass which reacts and dissolves it over time. Acidic cleaners (like vinegar) are a better bet. If you are looking for a commercial cleaner other than Brasso, try Autosol Metal Polish.

The exception to the rule of not using caustic cleaning products occurs when you need to restore badly tarnished brass to a usable state. Look for the more expensive or well known brands of brass cleaner, and make sure that you do not leave the product unattended while it has the cleaning solution on. Some products come with their own acid neutraliser, or you could use a vinegar spray on top of the cleaner to help neutralise the alkalinity.

Ultimately, the easiest way to clean your brass is to keep on top of it, and do a little often rather than a lot all at once. If you leave the cleaning for a yearly event, you'll need to use harsh cleaners and run the risk of damaging your piece. If you want your old brass to look new, go gentle, and come again soon!

How to Clean Brass Doorknobs

LOWES STORM DOORS

Wood Crown Moldings

There are so many things you can do to your home to spruce it up. This is one of the wonderful things about acquiring your very own piece of real estate. All of the sudden you get to make all of the choices. You can choose to decorate your humble abode any way you please. This means all kinds of window treatments, wood crown moldings, linens, pictures, light fixtures, and other decor. It really does not matter what size of home or floor plan you end up with. You can make your house look however you choose to inside and out. The key is experimenting, and coming up with some cool and unique ideas.

lowes storm doors

Where do you shop around for wood crown moldings, and various other interior decorating supplies? These products and materials are certainly not difficult to find these days. The truth is you can shop in any routine home improvement store, such as Lowes or Home Depot. These massive super centers are located all over the United States, and typically offer a vast array of window treatments, storm doors, counter tops, blinds, replacement windows, wood crown moldings, and much more. Just think about what it is you are shopping for before you head over to a local home improvement center or superstore first.

LOWES STORM DOORS

You can pay all different kinds of rates for wood crown moldings, as well as any other time of supplies for fixing up your home's interior. A lot just depends on the brands and styles you select. The materials used to make the wood crown moldings will also make a difference. As you may already be aware, certain hardwoods cost more than soft woods. It is often helpful if you simply call ahead and find out what all each super store has to offer in regards to wood crown moldings, or any other materials and supplies you are interested in for your home. This way you can ask questions and learn more about what is available.

Keep in mind the labor involved with projects like installing a new front door, adding curtain rods to the living room, putting a new light fixture in the kitchen, or installing wood crown moldings in your living and dining areas. While some people already know how to handle these projects, others do not. In this case, you should hire a professional carpenter to assist you with wood crown molding installation. He or she can give you an estimate if you simply call them in order to get a quote first. They can tell you what it costs for supplies, as well as labor. Different experts will charge different rates.

Wood Crown Moldings

LOWES STORM DOORS

Vertical Blinds Are a Great Investment

Vertical blinds are an affordable, stylish way to filter or block light, stop drafts and increase privacy. Here's what you need to know about them before you make a purchase.

lowes storm doors

Vertical blinds are most commonly used as patio door blinds, but they also work very well for wide windows. You can choose from the easier-to-clean vinyl vertical blinds, or have your blinds match your decor perfectly with fabric vertical blinds. Faux wood and perforated blinds are also available. It usually costs around 0 for vertical blinds for a window 66 wide x 84 high or 78 inches wide and 84 inches high. A window 104 inches wide and 100 inches high would be about 0.

LOWES STORM DOORS

You can get custom-made blinds from any Lowe's with same day turnaround. They also offer a special kind of vertical blind -- "S-curve" that makes the blinds look more like drapes than standard vertical blinds do.

Extra Features You Might Want

Self-lubricating wheels help the blinds' tracks move smoothly without you having to get out the WD40.

UV Coating can make the color of your blinds last much longer without fading. If you live at high altitude, where UV light is more intense, or in a southern climate where overall light intensity is strong, having UV coating, especially on blinds that are anything other that white might be worth some extra money.

Wand Control Versus Chain Control

There are two mechanisms, or ways to open and close the blinds and control how much light comes through between the vanes.

Cord and chain controls are standard and wand control is the newer, more advanced option. Cord and chain controls let you have separate controls for vertical movements -- the fabric or cord is used to move the vanes horizontally, or back and forth along the headrail that goes over the top of the window. So you would use the cord to completely pull back the blinds from the window and see through the glass.

The metal chain is used to control the angle of the vanes, so you use the chain to control how much light comes through the blinds with them still drawn together. Cord and chain controls are considered a wee bit more dangerous than wand control because of the cord dangling down near the ground where children and pets sometimes get interested in them and then tangled in them.

For wand control, you twist the wand to control how far apart the vanes of the vertical blind are, and you pull the wand along the headrail to open or close the blinds as you wish.

Motorized Vertical Blinds

Hunter Douglas and other major blind manufacturers make motorized blinds that open and close with a remote control. The motorized option is also available for their "gliding window panels", which are vertical blinds grown large -- a foot wide each, and they can be sized to go floor to ceiling. This can be an excellent choice in a room that would overheat from afternoon sun if the blinds were left open.

Popular Vertical Blind Brands and Retailers

You can get blinds from Lowes, Levolor, Kmart, Hunter Douglas, Smith and Noble, Target, JCPenney, Ace Hardware, Walmart and Overstock.com. Depending on the retailer, the time of year and what kind of sales are going on, you can spend as little as to more than 0 for a patio door window.

Vertical Blinds Are a Great Investment

LOWES STORM DOORS

Top 10 Ways To Save Money On Energy at Home

1.) Properly Maintain Your Equipment

lowes storm doors prices

Most homeowners never think to regularly scedule to inspect their heating and air conditioning equipment. Simple 2-minute checks that really do matter, like changing your air filters every 30 days or checking that there is no condensation on the water lines.

LOWES STORM DOORS

How about cleaning and removing debris from your outdoor air conditioning unit or heat pump? When it snows - don't shovel the driveway first, shovel the area around your heat pump first - when snow gets around the edges, it can become very inefficient and really spike up your costs. Lastly, changing your temperature settings in the fall and spring can have your air conditioning and heat usage at their most efficient levels.

2.) Blinds and Shades

During the summer, make sure they are closed all the way during the day and the night to block the sun from further heating up the home that you are trying to cool down with A/C. During the winter, leave your shades open during the day so that the sunlight can help you heat the home.

3.) Temperature Settings

Did you know that a one-degree change inside your home can save you as much as 5% per year on your bills? Depending on your comfort level, a good rule of thumb is 74 degrees in the summer and 70 degrees in the winter. Use programmable thermostats and adjust for when you are not home. It makes no sense to crank the A/C al day if you are at work for 8-10 hours. For your water heater or boiler, keep that set around 145 degrees and you'll have energy efficiency as well as savings.

4.) Trees and Shrubs

Plant them. Their shade will help the inside of your home stay cool in summer when using your A/C. They will also block the wind in the winter a little bit.

5.) Leaks and Infiltration

Windows, doors, vents, and exhaust systems are places that you'll need to pay close attention to. Seal with foam insulation or flashing. Make sure all the windows are locked all the way so there is no gaps or spaces around the edges. Also check the seals around your doors and install door jam strips to drevent drafting.

6.) Lighting

Use compact flourescent and LED bulbs. Period. The extra money you pay for them today will pay for itself 20 times over in the years to come. Use time clocks for your lights and remember to turn off if you are not in a room.

7.) Attic

Air flow is the key here - you need a clear roof line and eaves. Add insultation to prevent leakage and to keep the heat in the winter and the cool in during the summer. Seal all the vents and duct tape the duct work so there is no leakage at the seams. Add roof vents. There are several kinds including whirly-bird, O'Hagan Flat Show, Dormer, Ridge, Static, and Gable. Ask an expert at Lowes to help you decide which is best for your home.

8.) Turn it Off!

Lights, electronics, appliances...if it is plugged in, it is most likely drawing power even if it is powered off. Computers all have sleep features, make sure these settings are accurate so that power is not being wasted. Use cold water for the laundry!

9.) Use Energy Star Applicances

These appliances and devices are up to 30% more efficient that their counter-parts. You will be repaid within 3 years of your initial purchase. Take a look at the SEER rating - these are important. Lastly, there are usually rebates available for these purchases, always take advantage of them.

10.) Seek cheaper Supply

Many states today are deregulated and consumers have a choice in who will supply them with their electricity and/or natural gas. Your current Utility will still be responsible to distribute or "carry" the power to you, but you can choose where they get it from. The supplier. Seek budget stability and always go with a fixed rate product. Exercise your right to choose today and you can save anwhere from 10% - 30% monthly.

Top 10 Ways To Save Money On Energy at Home

LOWES STORM DOORS

Choosing a Good Storm Door

With many the many different climates that the Earth has to offer there are products that can offer great convenience to many homes around the world. One of the most convenient home products that offer climate control for your home is a storm door. These doors are not for storms but for climates and the convenience of having the option of having the front or back door open without the problem of pests such as animals and insects. This is an additional door that is installed over a home's metal or wooden door, usually the front that has glass or screens to prevent moisture from getting on a home's front door. There are many different types of doors that range from metal, steel, aluminum, wooden or even fiberglass that not only prevents moisture and bugs, but also gives some homes a different look. In some cases the storm door may not be used due to the damage that they may give a front door due to heat or direct sunlight.

lowes storm doors

There are many different types of doors that are available at many home improvement stores such as, Home Depot or Lowes. These doors can be as low as and can cost up to 0 or 0, depending on how it is constructed. Metal Storm doors with glass are usually more expensive than that may be made from fiberglass. Fiberglass storm doors have changed over the years and many home owners are changing from aluminum storm doors to fiberglass storm doors that have internal screens. These internal screens have the ability to change from a glass opening to prevent weather damage to screens with the touch of a button to give the option of getting a fresh breeze throughout the house. Many home owners that may not have storm doors over their doors may have to replace their doors more frequent than a person who may have storm doors on their home.

LOWES STORM DOORS

The best storm doors available to home owners come from one of the leading manufacturers of storm doors and windows in Larson Doors and Andersen. Larson Doors has been a leader since 1954 and also offer custom doors that best fit a homeowner's needs. Larson offers many different styles of doors where consumers can choose from many different designs and colors. Andersen in the company that offers EMCO doors, that have built in screens to prevent home owners from constantly changing screens and glass whenever the weather changes. This a convenience that many homeowners are starting to choose now.

Choosing a Good Storm Door

LOWES STORM DOORS

Steel Security Screen Doors

There are many different steel security screen doors. They all tend to have similar features from the kind of frames they are inset in to the kind of locks and hinges they use. The largest difference is in the kind of screen material used. This can also determine the use of the door as some of the screening material would not look good on residential property. Whereas some of the screening material is definitely for commercial use only. It is this difference which will impact the cost of the doors the most. The other variable will be the kind of locking device chosen and the type of hinges. However, most of the hinges are tamper proof hinges. So, we will begin with screening material, then take a look at locks and then the hinges. No manufacturers will be named. A internet search will be able to find the manufacturers.

lowes storm doors

There is steel mesh wire, which is just as it sounds - a mesh. The differences are in weight tolerances, so be sure to get that information before making your purchase. Welded mesh is the next type of material found in security screen doors. Welded wire is welded at the intersection of the wires. One can select the size of hole desired, but this is not an insect proof type of mesh. Woven wire is like a cloth weave except the wires are woven at their intersection. This will provide insect protection.

LOWES STORM DOORS

Most of the above meshes are more appropriate for commercial applications than residential, largely due to their looks. Residential security screen doors are readily available at merchants like Ace Hardware, Lowe's and Home Depot stores.

Locking devices range from double bore box locks, which seem to be the most common. These will accommodate most 2 3/8" back-set lock-sets. There are also heavy duty closers and handle with deadbolt lock and 2- way bank vault locks. Some provide for additional locking with a slide bolt or key lock. In addition, one can get keyless locks for convenience.

Tamper - proof hinges are the largest choice followed by the concealed hinge. The choices and styles are limitless depending on the purchasers taste and budget. Check to make sure the weight allowance on the hinge is great enough to withstand a large amount of weight. No hinge will withstand abusive weight, but you want to make sure your hinge will carry the weight of the door and any accidental occurrence, like the door being caught by the wind and straining against the hinge and frame.

The key to any security door is they need to open out since that cuts down of a home invader being able to kick "in" the door. These type of doors tend to discourage home invasions because of the difficulty involved in opening and out- opening door as opposed to an in-opening door.

One last variable not mentioned above is choice of colors. Some companies only offer a limited number of color choices, whereas other companies seem to have an unlimited color selection. With these differences also comes some differences in options in the door being selected. So be careful when making a selection of manufacturers.

Steel Security Screen Doors

LOWES STORM DOORS

Home Security Door - Shutting The Door On Potential Burglars

Can you remember hearing your grandparents telling you as a small child how much safer times were and how they could leave the front door unlocked? Unfortunately, those days are only a memory as home security is more important than ever in today's society. One of the most important areas is with a home security door.

lowes storm doors

Yes, locking your door is always a good ides, but it will most likely never stop a burglar bent on breaking in your home. A home security door goes a long way in stopping criminals from doing just that.

LOWES STORM DOORS

A standard wood door will easily give way and splinter into pieces when kicked in by a burglar, but the construction of a home security door doesn't allow this.

These doors may or may not include a glass pane to see out of, but in the case where these doors do, the glass is stronger than standard glass. It will withstand more than the standard amount of force.

Door locks on home security doors are much better than standard door locks. The design of a home security door is really no different than your typical front door. So it's not like these security doors are some ugly monsters that tip everyone off that home is a virtual fortress.

You can find a home security door at most any large home improvement store like a Lowe's or Home Depot. Prices can range from a couple hundred dollars to more than 0.

The warranty on these types of doors are typically for life or as long as you live in the home. Which gives you peace of mind in knowing your money is being well spent.

So, if you are looking to add some security to your home and protect yourself from would be burglars and thieves, buying a home security door is a step in the right direction.

Home Security Door - Shutting The Door On Potential Burglars

LOWES STORM DOORS

Replacing Your Sliding Glass Door Rollers

If the sliding glass doors in your home are more than 10 years old, you might notice that they are becoming harder to slide open. This problem is even more common on aluminum frame dual pane doors. The reason is because the doors are heavier due to the dual pane glass, but many of the aluminum units did not use stainless steel rollers. So, in many cases, the rollers get rusty from moisture and they start to bind.

lowes storm doors

In order to replace the rollers, you have to remove the sliding panel from the opening. In most instances, the fixed panel must be removed in order for the sliding panel to come out. There is a simple way to determine whether or not your fixed panel has to come out as well. If the slider is on the inside track and the fixed panel is on the outside track, you have to remove both panels, because the slider will only come out from the outside. There is a lip on the bottom of the track inside your house. That lip keeps water from coming in. Unfortunately, that lip is also too high to lift the sliding panel up and over. So, you have to remove the fixed panel first, then lift and swing out the slider from outside. If you are one of the few people who have a slider on the outside track, then you can lift your slider out without removing the fixed panel.

LOWES STORM DOORS

But, let's assume you need to remove the fixed panel first. Here is what you do: Remove your screen door if you have one. The screen door will have two rollers on the bottom. Lift one end of the door frame with one hand while using a flat screwdriver to lift the roller off the track. Do that on both sides, then take out the screen door and set it aside. Now, look for a metal piece on the bottom track that runs from the bottom corner of the fixed panel all the way across to the bottom of the side jamb that has the door lock hardware. If your door is really old that piece might be missing. If you have one, you can pry it up from the track. It is snapped in place even though it looks like it is a part of the track. Once you have that piece removed, you want to look inside the house where the fixed panel is against the wall jam. Look for screws holding the frame to the jam. They usually have one near the top and bottom corners, and one near the center. Remove these screws and put them where you won't lose them. Now, you should be able to pull the fixed panel out of the side jam. There is a very good chance that it will be stuck. If it is, grab the center rail near the bottom and lift up as hard as you can. If you feel the panel go up, pull it back down. Do this a couple of times, then try to pull it out of the side jam again. This usually loosens it enough to pull it out. If it still won't come out, you will have to put a thin screwdriver between the fixed panel frame and the side jam and pry while a helper pulls the panel away from the jam. Once you get it free of the side jam, grab the fixed panel side rail and have a helper grab the other rail. Lift the panel up into the top track and swing the bottom out of the bottom track. Remove the panel from the top track and set it aside with the screen door.

Now, you can try lifting the slider up and out, just like you did with the fixed panel. If the slider won't clear the bottom track, you need to do a couple of things. First, look to see if it's the old rollers protruding from the bottom that is preventing the door from coming out, or if the actual bottom of the door frame is hitting the track. In almost all cases, it will be the old rollers. But, if the opening is 8' wide, sometimes the wood header that runs across the opening has sagged just enough to make it tight in the center of the opening. If it's the rollers, you need to adjust them all the way up into the door. Look for a hole on the bottom side where you can put a phillips screwdriver and find the adjustment screw. Then turn that screw counterclockwise as far as you can. Do that to both sides, then try lifting out the door. If you are still getting stuck, have your helper lift one side and pull outward while you try to pry the frame and roller over the track. If you get one side out, have your helper hold that side with his or her foot to prevent it from going back in while he or she lifts the other side for you to pry free.

Once you get the slider out, almost all rollers are held in place by the same screw that holds the frame corners together. So, you need to set the panel on one side, remove the screw in the corner, flip the panel over, remove the screw on the other bottom corner. Now, you can take a rubber mallet or the wood handle of a hammer, and tap the bottom frame off the glass. This will give you access to your rollers. Take a close look at how they are inserted into the door frame. In fact, it's a good idea to only remove one roller to bring with you to match for the new ones. Then, when you get back home, you can use the roller that is still in place as a guide to installing the new ones.

Places like Home Depot, Lowes, and Ace Hardware carry about 80-90% of the rollers out there. So, you should be able to find them. However, let's say this just isn't your lucky day, and you can't find your rollers anywhere. You are going to have to have them ordered. Bring the roller to your local glass shop. If you're lucky, they will have them in stock. If not, they can order the rollers, but you won't get them for about a week. Don't panic. Just go home and tap the bottom frame back on the door panel, but leave the corner screws out. You can even leave the roller out that you removed. Lift the door back in place, install the fixed panel but don't snap the bottom piece back in, and don't install the inside screws. Then, from inside the house, lift the slider and pull it closed. You don't want to drag it if you left the roller out. It will scrape the bottom track. Just lift it enough to take the pressure off, and close and lock it.

When Your new rollers come in, take everything back out and install the new rollers. Adjust the new rollers all the way up before putting the door back in. That way, the new rollers won't interfere with you lifting it back in place. Adjust the new rollers down until the door slides good and locks. You want to be sure there is an equal gap at the top and bottom when the door is about an inch from closing into the side jam. You can adjust the rollers to make this dimension even. If you can get the job done by a professional for or including parts, it might be worth hiring someone to do it. But, in high population areas such as Los Angeles, it's common to pay 0 in labor only. Then they mark up the cost of the rollers, and you could wind up spending 0 for a job that you can do yourself for about . Next week i'm going to tell you how to repair your broken or defective window glass.

Replacing Your Sliding Glass Door Rollers

LOWES STORM DOORS

Enhancing Your Doors With Enclosed Blinds

When you buy your first house, enclosed blinds might not be at the top of your list of most important things to purchase. However, after a few days of no privacy and bright sunlight, you'll start to understand how great enclosed blinds can be.

lowes storm doors

What are Enclosed Blinds?

LOWES STORM DOORS

Enclosed blinds are more upscale and less frustrating than mini-blinds. Unlike mini-blinds, they sit between two pieces of glass so they're not exposed. Mini-blinds are the most common blinds out there. They're very popular in apartment buildings and rental houses because they're cheap. Mini-blinds are plastic. They're opened with a long chord that frequently gets tangled up. The shutters are opened by turning a rod.

Enclosed blinds are much more user friendly, they last longer, they don't need to be dusted and they're more decorative than mini-blinds. These blinds fit the windows more snuggly because they sit between two layers of glass. They can be opened, closed and tinted by using a tab on the frame. This eliminates all tangled strings.

Because the blinds are placed between glass, they can't get caught in the door or window and they don't get tangled. This is an especially nice feature in high traffic areas of the home. Enclosed blinds attach to an aluminum frame and are most commonly used on doors.

Advantages of Enclosed Blinds

Enclosed blinds share the same benefits as vinyl mini-blinds. They keep out sunlight, which in turn keeps your house cooler. They also give you privacy. Unlike mini-blinds, enclosed blinds don't need to be dusted because they're never exposed to dust. Instead, they sit safely between two pieces of glass.

Finding Enclosed Blinds

You can find enclosed blinds in a variety of different places. Home improvement stores such as Home Depot and Lowes carry enclosed blinds. These places will install your enclosed blinds for a fee. Many enclosed blind buyers install their own blinds because it's a relatively simple process.

Enclosed blinds come in all different colors and can be made to custom fit unusual doors. Before you go shopping for your blinds, measure your door window. You need to measure the height and the width of the door measuring from the center of the screw holes. Your salesperson should be able to tell you if you need custom blinds.

Enclosed blinds are more expensive than mini-blinds. For a full-length door, enclosed blinds cost more than 0. You can find them for about for a door that has a half-piece of glass. This may be expensive, but keep in mind that you'll only need enclosed blinds for doors. You don't have to get them for every outside door in the house, just the high traffic areas. If your family never uses the patio door, you don't need enclosed blinds for the patio. You really only need enclosed blinds for the doors that are most commonly used.

Enhancing Your Doors With Enclosed Blinds

LOWES STORM DOORS

Choosing the Right Storm Door From an Expert Storm Door Installer's Perspective

Making the decision to add or change a storm door to your house can drastically change the look of your home. It is important to choose the right storm door that fits with the look of your house. When choosing a storm door, there are 5 main things to consider: Price, Material, Size, Handing, and Style.

lowes storm doors with screens

Pricing on Storm Doors

LOWES STORM DOORS

First and foremost, you should stick to your budget. Storm doors range in price from around 0-0 for standard size doors that you can find at Lowe's or Home Depot to around 0-0 for custom sized doors ordered from the same retailers. Now be realistic, while you may find a coupon that gives you a good deal, a 0 screen door is not going to perform like a 0 storm door.

Now you may ask, "What makes a 0 storm door better than a 0 storm door?" The answer is the materials and the bells and whistles. Vinyl storm doors are less expensive than extruded aluminum storm doors. While you save money on the price, they will wear out faster because of exposure to the elements. However, you can get a wood-core vinyl door which is more sturdy and provides better insulation for a little bit more money. On a higher-end door you may get a choice of custom colors like cranberry, hunter green, or almond where on the lower end you can only have white or black. With more expensive doors you can usually choose a hardware color ranging from brass or silver to oil-rubbed bronze and antique brass. One important difference is most top end doors come with 2 door closure pistons instead of 1. They are mounted at the top and bottom of the door instead of just having one at the top of the storm door. This gives the door better rigidity and allows you to adjust the speed more. Keep in mind that the cost of a separate piston is only about .00, so don't spend an extra 0 on a door just to get a second door closure.

The best way to get a sense of the price is to either go into a national retailer like Lowe's or Home Depot and look at the storm doors or search online If you go to a store, be aware that while some associates may have general knowledge, most do not know the first thing about storm doors. I personally try to avoid them because in my experience none of them has ever actually installed a storm. To make matters worse, their training is minimal and they give cookie-cutter answers to all your questions. Personally, I like to shop online to compare prices and narrow down more what I am looking for.

Another thing to consider about pricing is that most storm doors are Energystar compliant, which means that your new door qualifies for an IRS tax credit. The credit can be up to as much as 0 and is claimed on your next years taxes. So keep in mind that you can save money on your taxes by purchasing a higher end door. For more information, refer to our Storm Door Information page.

Materials

All storm doors are made from metal, wood, vinyl/plastic, or some combination thereof. Less expensive doors use vinyl/plastic and may or may not have a wood core for added rigidity and insulation. More expensive doors are made from extruded aluminum ("extruded" means "shaped")

The benefits of vinyl/plastic doors are that they are less expensive to purchase, are easy to clean, and inexpensive to replace. With vinyl doors, especially Emco's Forever door, the color is molded throughout the door. This means that a scratch on the door is less visible because it is not a different color underneath. The drawbacks are that these storm doors wear out sooner, look "cheaper", and have trouble standing up to extreme heat and cold.

The benefits of an extruded aluminum door are that it is heavier, more durable, longer-lasting, and better looking. They look classier and offer much more security. The drawbacks are that they are more expensive, are little harder to clean, require more maintenance, and can become hot to the touch when exposed to heat for a long time.

Sizes of Storm Doors

While you can order a storm door in whatever size you need, standard door widths (measured in inches) are 30", 32", and 36". Standard door heights (measured in inches) range from 80"-81" and 96" (for 8' feet tall doors). Traditionally, your front door opening is 36" wide by 80"-81" high. Back doors are traditionally 32" wide by 80"-81" high; however newer homes (built after 1990) have been also using 36" wide by 80"-81" high doors at times.

Storm Door Handing

One of the most important questions down the road becomes, "Which way will the door open?" If you are dealing ordering from a retailer like Lowe's or Home Depot, it is imperative that the sales rep be crystal clear on this. In the world of door installations, handing is everything. Now we get to some industry jargon.

First, ALL storm door measurements are assuming that you are standing OUTSIDE of your house looking at the door. Now, handing is stated as either "left-handed" or "right-handed." This means that if you but your back against the jamb where you want the door do be hinged, whichever hand of yours is on the outside is the "handing" of your door.

For example, let's say you but your back against the hinge side jamb of your front door and your right hand is facing the outside. Then you want a "right-handed" door.

The good news on handing is that most standard sized doors can be installed either way; you don't have to purchase a storm door that is pre-handed (unless you have an 8' tall door).

Now most of the time you want the storm door handles to be on the same side as the entry door handles. However, there are a few cases where this is not true. One such case is if you have a wall close to the opening. It is always preferable to have a storm door open towards a wall that is 12" or less from an entry door. This is to ensure that your "traffic pattern" is not interrupted. Meaning that people won't have to open and then walk around the storm door to get into the house. Doing this ensures that the storm door is not in your way when you enter and exit the house.

3 Styles of Storm Doors

Storm doors come in 3 different styles: Full-view, Ventilating, and Roll-screen.
Full-view: A Full-View door is one where you can have ONLY the glass panel OR the screen panel in the door at any given time. You must physically change the glass and the screen and store the panel that is not in use. If you want to maximize daylight and visibility to the outside, this is the way to go. As long as you don't mind installing the screen in the spring and the glass in the fall, you will be happy with this door. It does not have a line across the middle of the door obstructing visibility. Ventilating: If you do not want to go through the hassle of changing glass and screen, the ventilating style keeps both glass and screen in the door at the same time. With this style, there are 2 panels of glass, and depending on the manufacturer, one or both move up and down revealing the screen portion and allowing for ventilation. Rollscreen: The Rollscreen models are the newest hybrids and take the best of both worlds from the Fullview and the Ventilating style. In this style, the screen is still self storing like the ventilating model, but you get the visibility of a fullview door because the screen is rolled up on a tensioned dowel at the top of the door. As you pull the top window down, the screen is attached and then revealed. This is a great choice of you have kids or pets that have a keen ability to destroy screens, because the screen is only on the top part of the door . . . far out of their reach.
Once you have decided which style, then it is time to decide which manufacturer.

There are 4 main storm door manufacturers: Pella, Larson, Emco, and Anderson. Lowe's Home Improvement sells Pella and Larson brands while Home Depot sells Emco and Anderson products. From an installer's perspective, I would rank these manufacturers in order of preference based on product selection, price, durability, warranty, ease of installation, customer service, and fewest number of problems in the long run as:
Pella Brand Storm Doors Larson Brand Storm Doors Anderson Brand Storm Doors Emco Brand Storm Doors
Carefully considering these 5 areas of storm doors will ensure that you pick the right storm door for your home. It will help take out some of the stress involved in selection, and make sure that your expectations of the performance of your new door are realistic.

Choosing the Right Storm Door From an Expert Storm Door Installer's Perspective

LOWES STORM DOORS