Installing a Storm Door
Installing a storm door to your home can be an easy home improvement project that adds a lot of living value. A storm will bring security, energy efficiency, and beauty to your home. The door I choose to install was a Pella Select Series 6000 from Lowes Home Improvement Center. I picked this door because of its easy installation, color and style choices, Energy Tax Credit,and price.
It is a modestly priced door with a lot of easy customization. In the store you get to pick a frame color, a glass style, and a hardware color. You can get a door that matches your style without having to order one. This door, like many, can be hinged in either direction. It also qualifies for the home improvement tax deduction. Since I have installed this door the house has been warmer. The cold wind from north no longer creates drafts or rattles the front door.
The total time it took to install this door was about 2 and a half hours. If I needed to install a second door I could in less than 90 minutes. My storm door installation required no build out or shimming.
The installation instructions provided by Pella were clear and illustrated well. The door is built very well and feels solid. The pneumatic closers are also well designed. You can lock to door open with your foot!
My only regret is I didn’t install this door before. It looks great!. This do it yourself home improvement project is worth it.
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I also bought one from the discount rack at Lowes. It was a bare frame out of the box, I added the lock hardware and had a screen frame made.
My youngest boy ran throught the first screen. Oh well. The second screen was made wrong and didn’t fit. I took it back and got a new one up. Three months ago the cat was hanging from it to communicate his desire to entire the house and broke it down. I had specified pet resistant heavy duty screening - which held - but the thin extrusion of the frame didn’t. I flipped it around and resecured it, it’s holding for the time.
Now the mortise lock has failed - it fails to unlatch. IF I can get it out I could flip the lock works over or repair it - but its semi- permanently fixed in the channel and Pella/Larson has no data online about the repair.
I thought a quality storm door with screen option and mortise lock would hold up to some teenagers, but it looks like I got what I paid for. Fortunately, it was cheap from the formerly installed rack. Unfortunately, it is cheap. At least it’s January and I can take it down.