by Joe Aguilar
HomeOwnerNet Columnist
When you protect your home and garden from snow, rain, and windstorms, it shows. If you live in an area that experiences extreme weather, you should consider installing storm doors. Not only do storm doors guard your home's exterior doors, they can trim your monthly utility bills.
Storm Doors: Low-Energy Protection
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a typical storm door costs around $200 or less. If your house isn't energy efficient, storm doors could be well worth the initial cost. Besides protecting your exterior doors, storm doors can save energy by reducing air leakage and creating insulated air space. You can purchase storm doors with aluminum, steel, wood, and fiberglass frames. Also, some storm doors feature low-E glass, which may further enhance your savings. While storm doors can be a smart investment if you have older, well-preserved exterior doors, storm doors may not be practical if your house has modern foam-core doors or plastic trim.
Plastic Storm Doors
If your house has an unused door, you should consider installing an energy-saving plastic storm door inside your house. Plastic storm doors are simple to mount, and you can easily remove them. First, you'll need to attach a plastic sheet to a wooden frame that fits your door's inner surface. You should use UV-resistant plastic to heighten your plastic storm door's durability. Next, install handles on your plastic storm door for quick installation and removal. After you've mounted your plastic storm door, you should add weather stripping to tighten the seal.
If you'd like to protect your patio doors, storm doors are also available for patios. However, if your patio doors already have low-E glass, installing patio storm doors probably wouldn't be economical.
Sources
"Exterior Doors and Storm Doors," BobVila.com"Install Storm Doors," U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
About the Author
Joe Aguilar is a freelance writer in Boulder, Colorado. He has an MFA in creative writing from Oregon State University.
