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Have you been searching for the best storm door for your home? Whether you are choosing to buy a custom storm door or trying to install storm doors here is the recommended brands and types of storm doors that you will need.
Depending on if you need a storm door for your business or home these are the types of storm doors that are available:
- Wood storm door
- Aluminum storm door
- Glass storm door
- Steel storm doors
- Patio storm doors
- Vinyl storm door
- Pet storm door
The list could go on but the location of your home should determine the door you will need. Living in a zone that have many hurricanes, tornadoes, tropical storms or flooding; you will need a very strong door to protect you from a home disaster and insurance problems.
If you already have a good storm door, its possible that you could get off cheaper replacing storm door windows rather than the entire door. Think about it!
Best Storm Door Brand Names
- Larson (aka larsen, lawson – larson 32, 36)
- Emco
- Andersen (anderson 3000, 2000, 4000 storm door aka anderson)
- Gerkin
- Harvey
- Sugar Creek
- Tradewinds
- Wright
- Cole Sewell
- Forever Storm Doors
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.
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