Best Storm Doors

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Hey Josh,

What is your list of ‘best storm doors’ based on? I sm in the process of deciding on a storm door and so far it’s been like trying to compare mattresses. There is simply no way since they each are a little different. I’ve looked at Armaclad, a brand sold at a custom door store here in Baltimore and I’ve looked at ProVia (Sugarcreek). They run about $1000 plus hardware and installation. I saw one I liked at Lowes, a Larson for around $300 plus installation but I’ve been told Lowes sells builders grade (yuck) and their installation services leave a lot to be desired. Do I have to spend $1000+ for a really good door? Thanks.

My best storm doors are based on the top sellers and recommendations which I have reviewed and read. I do believe however that you don’t have to pay $1,000+ for a good storm door. Andersen and Sugar Creek are top of the line and if you can get a good deal its worth the price.

Good luck

Josh-
I am trying to figure out how to change my storm doors glass pannel to the screen. I cannot figure it out-can you help? It’s a full view glass door. On the inside of the door it lists: CVIS 163 then the size, color and seriel number. The door does not have hooks that hold the glass in place, but it does appear to have a thin molding around the pane, which is not one piece, it appears to seperate at each corner.

Which brand do you have Bridget? If it has molding it should help with replacing it with mold. You don’t necessarily need hooks.

Give me more details

Same problem as Bridget, trying to put screen on storm door and can’t figure out how to get storm door out of frame. One srew/latch on top, but nothing happens when I take it out. Wright door.

I am looking at the Anderson Storm door. THey have the one with the brass on the window. Have you heard if this will tarnish or get moldy. IT seems the endge of the brass could get dirt in it.

Thanks

@Scott

It shouldn’t matter. If it is brass, it can be cleaned easily with toothpaste and a lukewarm cloth. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Moldy I doubt, but normal tarnish yes.

I, too, have an Andersen full view screen door. The molding on the left dislodged and the screen was not seated correctly. I took the strip (on the left) off and now can’t figure out how to get it back to snap into place. Any way you can help???

Thanks.

I recently got an Andersen 3000 storm door and after installing it found that the inside brass handle interferes with the deadbolt. Not by much, mind you, just about an 8th of an inch. I can move the striker plate for the front door, but that’s just a band-aide and not a real fix…After walking around my local*other* wharehouse hardware store, I saw that some of the Pela doors have the inside handle with a shorter shaft than the outside handle. In my Andersen door, both handles protrude about 2 inches. This particular Pela door I saw has the inside door handle protrude aboutn 1 3/4ths inches…
So, after this long and drawn out lead up, my question is, does Andersen have a door handle that fits the 3000 series door and doesn’t protrude as far as the stock handles?
And honestly, if it fits, I only need the inside handle!
Thanks
Ed

I am not a fan of Anderson. It seems that all products that they make some how do not fit. I put anderson windows in
my beach house and they fogged up and Anderson would not replace them. I pulled the junk out and put another mfg. windows in and have been very pleased. I suggest either selling the door or try to find hardware that will work.

I have a Larson full glass front door and cannot figure out how to remove the glass and put in the screen. Please talk me through step by step. It has rubber type strips on the left and right side of the glass frame and it looks like you need to remove these to get the door out. we do not want to force it and ruin the door.
thanks

I am having hte same problem as Bridget…is ther a solution to getting the molding off to replace the glass with a screen

Same as everyone else. How do i get the molding off the door with out breaking it? I just want a screen in!!! Where are the answers on this website?

Tell me how to install the screen door. I don’t know how to position the long narrow plastic strips that hold the screen in place. Please advise.

Has anyone had the experience of a 3000 fullview door with Brass Glass having a cracking sound. I have had this since it was installed in Feb. 07.
On July 15 08 we returned home to see a door that looked like beautiful lace. Yes, you guessed it the door shattered.
Has anyone ever heard of this happening?
For the people who are asking how to put the screen it we saw the instructions in the Installation Guide. Good Luck!

Like Bill,I cant get the screen in. The retainer strips dont snap in to hold it in place. Have you figured it out? Please share the secret. It is so hot in here.

I bought an EMCO Series 400 door yesterday at Home Depot. I unpacked the door and read the directions only to find there are no directions for how to install the the metal surround pieces to the brick mold. We’ve turned the casing pieces every which way but the unfinished sides always seem to be facing out and the finished sides in. This door and all doors at Home Depot are hinged right or left so the consumer has to use templates for handles, locks etc. I am just about ready to pack this up and return it to the store. Are there any doors that are sold left OR right hinged so the consumer can buy what is appropriate for the opening and avoid these extra steps?

Thanks, Pam

Just installed a new Larson Door to replace old deteriorating one. The retainer strips were extremely hard to snap in place. My older door was very easy.
I finally put soap on the strips (the edge that goes into side channel) and had to push extremely hard with the edge of my hand, using full body weight behind it. I started pushing the strip into place at the top and worked my way down to the bottom until it snapped into place.
I called the Larson Customer Help line and told them about this. She said that they are designed to fit tight so the glass doesn’t fall out. She said the first couple of times can be difficult and suggested using a rubber mallet to hammer in place. She said that they should become a bit easier to install after a few times.
Try using soap on the strips like I did. It definitely helped, but you will need to push EXTREMELY Hard to get them in. I am hoping that they will bend and conform to the fit of the door channels after being in a while and will be easier to reinstall later.
Hope this helps!

I have the same problem-can’t figure out how to get the glass out and replace with screen??? Website is no help and phone number never gets you a person….any answers from anyone? Help.

Figured out the screen issue….you actually have to go to the moldings that are rounded on the right and left on the inside of the door and use a screw driver to pry the bottom corner out and then pull the rest of the molding out. Do it on both sides then the glass will pop out and you can replace it with the screen and then put the moldings back on.I got the answer after trying the customer service line for about 2 hrs!!!!

wow suzanne, 2 hrs. thanks for posting the solution.

Here is the answer to glass removal/screen replacement for the Anderson 3000 Fullview Door. As most of us were told when purchasing this door,changing out the glass for the screen is easy and all you have to do is rotate the door handle in the upward position and then merely push the glass out. That answer leaves A LOT of informatoin out. To begin, rotate the door handle in the upward position. This does not in any way release the glass, this is merely done so when the glass eventually comes out it won’t hit the handle. After rotating the handle to the up position, you will need to remove 4 plastic moulding pieces: 2 on the sides and one each on the top and bottom. I began by removing one of the side moulding pieces first by grabbing the upper corner of the moulding piece and pulling it out toward myself. After the corner of the side piece pops out, gradually move downward and the rest of the side piece will pop out. After that piece was out I went to the other side piece of moulding and did the same thing by starting at the corner and working my way down. You will see that the glass is freed up on both sides. Then I took the top moulding piece out and lastly removed the bottom moulding. IMPORTANT: AS YOU REMOVE THE TOP MOULDING HAVE YOUR FOREARM OR A HELPER HOLD THE GLASS BECAUSE THE GLASS MAY WANT TO FALL INWARD TOWARD YOU ONCE THIS PIECE IS REMOVED. Once you have the 4 pieces of moulding removed, the glass will lift right out. The moulding is the only thing that holds the glass in place.

To install the screen you begin by placing the screen in the door frame. You will notice that one side of the screen has the small round rubber around the inside edge of the screen and the other doesn’t. I don’t think it matters which way you initially put the screen in. I happened to place the screen in the frame with the rubber facing out, but I don’t think it matters either way. Now you have to replace the 4 moulding pieces you just removed. Here is where I was initially confused. The moulding will need to snap in place, but it DOES NOT snap in between the screen and the door frame. Rather, it snaps in the small groove on the metal door frame. I began with a side piece and started at the top corner. I used the thumb of one hand to hold the moulding against the door frame and my other thumb to push inward to snap the moulding in place. You will definitely feel when it snaps into the right place because it fits snug with no movement. Once the upper corner of the side moulding snapped in place I continued downward, still using one thumb to keep the moulding flush against the frame as I pushed inward to snap the moulding in place. I then installed the other side piece of moulding, then the top piece and lastly the bottom piece. If done correctly the screen will be securely held in place with no movement of the screen or moulding pieces whatsoever.

I did all this by trial and error. At first I thought there was no way the screen would stay in place, but after I figured out where the moulding was actually supposed to snap into, it worked great. It is unfortunate the instruction manual does not explain this procedure and equally unfortunate that the Home Depot employees, where I purchased the door, did not know how to do this either. When I purchased the door both the Home Depot employee and the actual installer told me all I had to do to remove the glass was merely rotate the handle to the up position and the glass would come right out. That is the wrong answer. Once you complete the above steps, it is really quite easy. The first time may frustrate you somewhat, but after that it will be easy. I hope these instructions are helpful because most instructions I have ready are quite vague. Any problems, feel free to email me at perrychance@sunflower.com. Or if these instructions work for you, feel free to let me know of your success.

[...] to give you more door reviews! Thanks to the great people who have helped answer question about the best storm doors. It can be a complex installation if you’ve never installed a storm door. Today I want to [...]

The main thing we are wondering is how well the rolling screens work in storm doors. Do they last? Are they hard to replace?

where can I buy a piece of full view storm door retainer strip. Mine got brittle and a piece of it fell apart. I need about 6′ or so

Gary Meritt

I have a 21 year old Chamberlain full view storm door. The door was in great shape until recently when I didn’t have the retainer strips snapped in and the sun beating in on them melted them and disfigured them. (I recently had a very large tree cut down that used to provide shade. I think they melted this year because of the sun beating directly on them) Where can I find replacement storm door retaining snap in strips?

Tracy,
I’m going through the same ordeal. I emailed Chamberlain (garage doors only now). They referred me to Chamber Doors. I called them. They evidently still carry some of the molding styles, but they needed the door serial number, which I don’t have anymore. They said that Menard’s carries their doors, and if I brought a sample into Menards, they might be able to help. You can find Chamber Doors on the web, and get their customer service phone #. By the way, they cost about $30 per set.

Were do I purchase replacement strips for full view storm door.

Larsen storm door retaining strips – Short side says facing you – does that mean toward the center of the door? or into the channel? Had such hard time holding the glass and that I
took the door off,laid it on the floor and still can’t
get the strips in.

We also have a Larson door. We tried to replace the screen with the glass and gave up after a couple of hours trying to push the retainer strips in. This is frustrating and annoying. We called Lowes and their response was…”there is no trick. It’s just hard to do” The end!I wish the I would have read these blogs before purchasing the door!!!

Hello, question. My storm door opened opposite the door. I switched the way it opens and now the knobs hit when it closes. Got any ideas?

Have full view storm door, thought was a Larson, but sent them pictures and they say it’s not their door. Having same problem as many comments describe. Where can I get new
retainer strips. Age and sun have caused them to break when changing from glass to screen. Any help ?? Orval Evans

I just had a builder install a Larson Full View storm/screen. Neither he no any of his workers could get the strips into place. In the end, they broke them and it was left with duct tape as a retainer!

I can’t believe Larson expects a typical homeowner to go through the retainer strip ordeal twice a year. Every door I’ve had in the past had simple thumb screws and the process took less than a minute with no aggravation.

Larson just pointed me to the information I had already reviewed on their Web site. They didn’t even offer to replace the broken retaining strip. Terrible Customer Service! This door is coming down and going back to the dealer.

Can anyone suggest a good quality door with a simple window retaining system?

Does anyone know of a good quality full screen storm/screen door that secures the glass & screen the old fashioned way: thumb screws and metal retaining tabs? All the ones I’ve seen use those plastic strips that are a PITA to remove and install.

I am looking at installing a Larson screen door (Timberline model) with the retractable screen that disappears into a cassette in the top. My question is , if a replacement screen should ever be needed, how difficult is it to replace?

Thanks

I just bought an Anderson 3000 storm door, I liked it at the Home Depot so had it installed came home ran screen up and down; screen ripped. I went into Home depot and they said oh yea they rip just call them and they will send you a new one. I then asked well thats fine who will is coming out to replace it. why you are. I said I just bought it and just paid to have it installed. Well I just received the screen.
I called Emco (Anderson) and they don’t pay for repair. I wish I had a company that could produce a poor product that I did not have to stand behind and when anything goes wrong i send out a replacement part and say you fix it. Charge the most in the industry for the product and still stay in business!
They are living under the Anderson name and they don’t live up to the hype!
This door only has one closer slams closed or will not close all the way when adjusted.
Small bugs get in around screen because it is open behind screen in track. A lot of holes for bugs to get in.

Wow, not happy with this door! Not happy with Anderson!

I have a Cole-Sewell storm/screen for my front door and recently threw out my “screen” due to being bent and torn…I assumed I could go over to “Home Depot” and or “Lowes” and come to find out they don’t carry a screen for my door… Where can I get a replacement screen with frame at this point…Appreciate suggestions

Thanks
Donna S

I am installing a storm door. The Brick moulding is plastic. Can I screw the framing for the strom door onto the plastic moulding?

I just changed out my new Anderson Storm door.I had three of them installed when I got my house re-sided last fall.One has a roll up screen,one has a screw in screen(custom door-only 24″ wide) the other(Front door)has the mouldings.It only took a minute to tear them out and remove the glass.Replacing the screen was a pain.You must get the mouldings lined up correctly and then press the moulding into place firmly.You will know when it goes in,sort of a solid “click”.I’m not mechanicly inclined,and had no instructions,I quess the siding guy tossed them.Good luck everone-it can be done w/out ducktape-!!!

Thanks all especially Perry,
I just did a swap on 3 doors I have. The last being the easiest by far. A gloved hand will allow you to zip that trim right back on.

Tim, the Andersen 4000 Fullview storm door is very easy to change out the glass and screen. There are no plastic strips. There is a button near the handle you push up, then while holding the button raise the handle up 90 degrees. This releases the window or screen to be easily lifted out. When the other one is placed in, then simply rotate the handle back down to lock it in place.

We had a Forever Door Screen door) by Emco put on our front door when our house was built in 1996-7. The No of the door is L-42903. In sliding the window down to access the screen the Spring Catch to hold the sliding window broke off on the one side. Is there a part to replace this “Spring Catch”? And where do we get it??

I have a Anderson Ultracore brass oval model Forever storm door. I can not get the window retainers to stay in place. Either when the window is in or the screens are in. The retainers are always popping off. I know I have had this door for sometime and the retainers have not worked good from the start.

Thanks, I have a Larson storm door and haven’t been able to take the glass out because I was afraid the strip would crack but a comment up there helped, I went ahead and pried it away from the door. It came out ok so I rubbed bar soap on the strips and pushed them back in. That was the screen. In the winter when I put the glass back in, well we’ll see.

I need to replace my storm door, but it has an arched top and have no idea of what to expect by way of cost for a custom door – any insight?

I have an Anderson door. Perry, the instructions make perfect sense — thank you! I am having trouble, however, getting the side strips off. I have now cracked the bottom and top of one of the side strips when trying to pry it off with a flat-head screw driver and then the back of my hammer (for leverage in prying). What did you successful strip removers use to pry them off?

They snap back into place — is it a matter of getting a grip on both sides of the l-shape molding and squeezing it to get it to come out?

Help, please!!

Thanks,

Laura

I’m looking for a storm door for a door that gets full sun all day long. In the summer, it is HOT by that door (we live in Maryland with hot summers). I really want a full view door, but am concerned about the heat buildup melting the trim on the regular door. I’ve looked at a Provia storm door with a bottom vent, but am wondering if that’s the right solution. Should I be looking at a storm door with tinted glass? I’ve also read that storm doors with top vents (I haven’t found any) are a waste of money.

Any guidance/suggestions would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Merry

In 1996 I had two Forever storm doors (SURVIVOR product) installed. One of the wooden frames just got stripped where the holder attachs. Now, I am having difficulty finding anyone who is willing to repair this. I’m told Survivor went out of business and most Forever doors are made by Emco now so no one will help me with the lifetime warranty on my door.

Any suggestions? I don’t think using wood glue would be strong enough for this, and the storm door is still in excellent shape.

Thanks, Sher

makes me afraid to buy a new door. Larson looked best to us, the model with the top screen that pulled down.To replace you you get the top roller with screen. they say its simple. That’s what they say any way

I have EMCO(Anderson)3000. I agree with comments on how hard it is to change out screen and glass. Perry’s comments
on 8/30/08 are very good. I would add that I learned to remove the top strip last. That hold the glass(which is quite heavy)in place as the glass sits in a channle at the bottom of the frame, at least on my door which is 4 years old.

I have a problem with the sreen. It seems somehow the frame has warpped or shrunk. The vertical suare tube of the frame are bowed in. The plastics hold down strips will not cover correctly and leave a gap at one side or the other the is wide enouth to put a pencil through. I contacted EMCO customer service who kindly offered to send me a replacement screen for $85.00. The whole unit only cost a $125.00. They did tell me the frame is plastic not metal and that they sometimes shrink or warp due to weather.

Any comments or solutions?

Thanks,

Bob

>Does anyone know of a good quality full screen storm/screen door that secures the glass & screen the old fashioned way: thumb screws and metal retaining tabs? All the ones I’ve seen use those plastic strips that are a PITA to remove and install.

—I just looked at ProVia doors at my local building supply house. They still use the old-fashioned thumb screws with retaining tabs (plastic now, I think, but sturdy looking).

I completely agree with the comments by Mike Osborne above about how Anderson screen doors are crap. I just installed one about 3 weeks ago, and my dog put his paw right through it. The screen is basically made of thread. Not any kind of metal. They call it “fiber mesh”, which I thought, hmm, must be some kind of carbon fiber thing. Nope. Just thread that a 30 pound dog can put his paw right through without even trying hard.

So I just got off the phone with customer service about it, and they don’t even sell an aluminum screen for the door. I was willing to buy a screen replacement kit if it came with a metal screen, but they don’t even offer it. My Anderson windows came with aluminum screens, but apparently, they think the much higher traffic area screen door should come with the flimsy fabric screen instead of metal. Makes no sense whatsoever.

The customer rep’s solution was to go to a hardware store and buy some aluminum mesh and cut it to size myself and replace the screen with that. Hardly a good solution, although it’s what I guess I will do.

So my recommendation, is don’t buy you screen door from Anderson. It’s complete crap.

We have had our Larson door for 3 years now….unable to properly install the glass or screen back. I was ready to hire someone to come out and install the glass, once and for all to leave for eternity…….THEN I read the post about putting soap on the inserts. We have spent a total of 7 hours on this door over the past years, unable to correctly put the inserts in. I soaped the inserts up, and after about 15 minutes I had BOTH sides installed! And I’m not a strong, big girl by any means. Just wrapped a washcloth around the end of a screwdriver to push the inserts in. THANK YOU for the soap idea! A LIFESAVER!!!

This is the kicker I received today. I also have broken all the vinyl strips for the Andersen 3000 trying to switch the screen and glass over the past couple of years. I have to get new strips to safely hold the glass this winter. I called Home Depot to ask them to order them and he told me the cost is 58.00. For the vinyl strips. Even the HD guy couldn’t believe it. I’m going to call them myself and after I finish yelling…I’m going to try to rig some other way to hold it in.

Anderson screen door sucks. The handle hits the front door lock set. SO STUPID !!!!!!

have a house 4 blocks from the beach (salt air). Need a storm door for the side of the house to protect from rain. Will leave in the glass. What is the best door.
looking at Larson, Anderson (2000,3000,4000), Provia

What a bunch of whiners on here. Most of your problems are due to operational error or the lack of common sense.

Please forgive me — I haven’t read all of the messagges on your site. We are looking to replace our storm door with one with a dog door insert for a miniature poodle. He will weigh less than 16 pounds when full grown. I think buying a storm door and inserting a dog door in it will lead to problems in sealing aganst weather. Buying on line can involve expensive shipping, and return, if necessary, could be a nightmare. Larson makes such a door with the dog door built in, available through Lowe’s for $248 plus tax. But the man at Lowe’s says it is a wood core door which may not hold up well against weather. This door will be shielded by a deck with a system for diverting rain water, so weather may not be a problem. Does anyone out there have comments pro and con the Larson door?

Larson Door — The thing about not being able to put the glass retaining strips in is totally true. My neighbor sought my help and I found a tip in this forum that totally saved me. I will make it a bit more clear here:

Get a large screwdriver and two old wash clothes. Take one old wash cloth and use it with dish soap to lube up the part of the strip with the writing on it. Take the other one and wrap it around the point of your screwdriver (to protect the strip). Position the strips so the text that says “stay facing you” is actually facing into the channel. Put the other edge flush against the glass — this will leave a little bit of the edge sticking up above the edge of the door. Starting at one end, put the screwdriver against the strip and give it whack with you hand, driving the strip into the channel — should snap about 1-2 inches of the channel into place. Move up a few inches and repeat until you get to the other end.

Using this method I had both strips in in under 5 minutes after apparently years of relatives wrestling for hours on this. Good luck!

I, too, have and anderson 3000 storm door…I found that the easiest way to deal with the plastic retainer strips was to lightly heat them for better flexibility with a HAIR DRYER….they pop right in

I find it really funny that people are complaining about the andersen 3000 series that you cant just rotate the handle and pop the glass out…because only the 4000 series lets you do that. I agree with steve that there is alot of operational error here, if you didnt want to have to remove those strips pay the extra couple dollars and upgrade thats why its an option. Handle hits the door knob? Put it on the other side! And the emco 3000 at home depot doesnt exist its and emco 300 series and they are basically a cheaper builders grade series door. Thats why they are their so you can get a cheap one. Personally I’ve had an Andersen 4000 for a while and havent had a single issue. But then i’m used to using tools. Ask a contractor if your having issues with things sometimes they’ll even tell you for free. My only agreement would be they could put a stronger screen in. But it is only 4 or 5 dollars for a roll of screen and takes 5 minutes to replace.