Benefits of storm doors can go beyond practical

Homeowners typically buy a storm door to protect their front door from weather damage and to make their homes more energy efficient.

But storm doors can also provide extra security and boost your home’s curb appeal, says Ryon Oates, owner of The Door Guys in Crosby, Texas.

“If it swings out, it protects the door from getting kicked in,” Oates says.

If you’re in the market for a storm door, be aware that aluminum is the preferred material.

Most manufacturers choose aluminum as the frame for storm doors because it’s stronger, more weather resistant and easier to install.

While you might buy an aluminum door with a wood core, Ron Koralewski, a salesman for the Joe Wilde Company in New Berlin, Wis, says aluminum is the better investment.

“Aluminum is thicker and more rigid. Wood has some flex to it,” he says. Aluminum doors are also sold in various degrees of thickness. The thicker the aluminum door, the sturdier it is, Koralewski says.

After you choose the door’s colour, hardware and thickness, you’ll need to decide what kind of view and venting you want. Here are some options:

Full- or partial-view storm door?

A full-view storm door is dominated by glass and encased in an aluminum frame.

Full-view storm doors provide more light and a better view of the outdoors without opening the door. It also allows you to protect your elaborate wooden front door, while also showing off its features.

You can buy full-view storm doors with interchangeable glass and screen panels to keep insects out.

You won’t get as much natural light or view with a half- or threequarter-view storm door. However, some manufacturers will install a pet door in the bottom half of the door.

Let the fresh air in, keep bugs out

The view you choose for your storm door affects your ventilation options.

For example, you may need to remove the panel in a full-view storm door and insert a screen for fresh air when it’s closed. But some manufacturers make fullview storm doors with retractable screens.

“Within a matter of seconds, you can pull it down and the screen can be exposed,” Koralewski says.

The biggest drawback to doors with retractable screens is that the casing that holds the retractable screen interrupts the seamless glass look.

On the other hand, a partialview storm door allows you to slide the glass or screen into the door when not in use.

Glass can boost efficiency or block heat

Like replacement windows, you can choose the type of glass you want in your storm door. Consider sun-blocking glass to protect your main entry door from fading or warping if your front door faces the sun most of the day.

If you want a full-view door but don’t want to sacrifice insulation, buy a storm door with low-E glass.

How much will they cost?

The cheapest storm doors cost about $180 US. You can spend upward of $1,200 for a storm door if you want additional security features. Oates says you can purchase a quality storm door for about $350, the cost of which doesn’t include installation.

Most retail storm doors are designed for DIY installation. If you want a professional to do it, prices vary.

Oates, who installs doors, but doesn’t sell them, says installation costs range from about $175 to $250 in his market, although some installers charge more. Cynthia Wilson is a reporter for Angie’s List, a trusted provider of local consumer reviews and an online marketplace of services from top-rated providers. Visit AngiesList.com.