While many people use the words storm door and screen door interchangeably, there is a difference between screen doors and storm doors. They both provide protection, but the protection is different based on the type of door.
Difference Between Screen Doors and Storm Doors
Screen Doors
A screen door has a frame that surrounds a window of screen. The screen could cover the entire door aside from the frame, or it could be only on the top like an actual window. The frame can be made with a variety of materials and will be priced accordingly. Commonly screen doors have wooden frames that are covered with a thin layer of aluminum. Others can be covered with steel, which provides more protection. Inexpensive screen doors might be made of fiberglass or vinyl without the inner base of wood.
The screen door will provide protection from pests while allowing a breath of fresh air and sunlight into the home. In the summer time, children can run in and out of the home continuously. Parents like screen doors, because they latch behind the child. It lets the parents see outside into the yard if they are keeping an eye on the child too. Often, screen doors lead to screened in porches too. It’ll keep pests like bees out of the house during the day and mosquitoes at night while letting in a cool breeze.
Storm Doors
Storm doors have a piece of double pane glass or other tough material surrounded by a wood frame. The frame of the storm door is what keeps it secure. There are various types of materials used in the door frame including steel, vinyl and aluminum. In some storm doors, the glass isn’t one piece. It can be divided into panels with inserts of steel or other materials for added strength.
Storm doors are often purchased to keep out the elements like wind, rain or snow, but still allow sunlight into the home. They also provide an added layer of protection against intruders. Those concerned with security can buy doors with less glass and a more secure frame, especially for a back door. Intruders are more likely to try to get into a homeowner’s back door than the front, and while according to the FBI statistics, burglaries were down by 4.1 percent in 2013, there were still over eight million cases of property crime. Storm doors can be heavy steel constructed pieces with multiple locks for extra security. An intruder would have to get through two doors, not just one door.
Related Resource: Replace a Garage Door
Combination Doors
Many storm and screen doors are combination doors. The screen or glass can be replaced based on the season or purpose. In some doors, the glass or screen can be released into the self storage area behind a lower panel so there’s less work for the homeowner. During the early spring or late fall, the door might need to provide both options without a lot of hassle. The homeowner can use the screen one day and the glass the next without dragging a door or piece of glass from the garage.
