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Buying a house is essentially paying an enormous amount of money for a never-ending list of chores. Every part of your house is rotting, warping, rusting, and eroding on a constant basis, and keeping it all from collapsing around your ears is a full-time job. This means you really should consider any addition or augmentation that helps slow down the process of rot and ruin, and one of the easiest things you can add to your house in this effort is a storm door.
While some people think storm doors aren’t attractive or add needless inconvenience to entering the house, the benefits of a storm door far outweigh these perceived downsides—especially since it’s not a terribly expensive upgrade, costing an average of $380 to install. Here’s why you should do so before the winter storms arrive.
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A layer of protection
Your front door is a huge aspect of your home’s curb appeal. If you splashed out for a brightly colored door with some attractive paneling, why are you letting it sit, exposed to the sun and rain and snow? A storm door protects that investment and keeps your front door clean and in good shape. And if you live in a home with children who can’t seem to grasp the concept of closing the door behind them, your storm door will also keep the wind, rain, dirt, and leaves out of your entryway.
Storm doors also offer security in a more practical sense: A locking storm door lets you open your front door to speak to someone without giving them instant access to your home. Storm doors aren’t exactly impenetrable, but they do offer you one more layer of security.
Let there be light
Storm doors also brighten your house. Many storm doors are designed with large glass sections that let in a lot of light, which allows you to leave your front door open so it can act as an extra window. If you’ve got a dim entryway, this can make a dramatic difference—especially if your house gets a lot of sun. Storm doors also often include screen options, so you can get the benefit of breezes and improved airflow. And if you do like to leave the door open for more light and breezes, the storm door will act as a barrier to all the bugs and other critters that are scheming to get inside.
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This can also benefit your pets, who will gain a spot where they can sit and be entertained by the outside world, even during inclement weather, or when you don’t have time to take them out (assuming they are allowed out). You can even find models that include built-in pet doors, giving your companions an easy way in and out of the house without leaving your door wide open to the world.
Improved insulation
If your front door is relatively new, you won’t realize much in the way of energy savings from installing a storm door, as modern doors are well-insulated to begin with. However, if your front door is older (especially if it shows signs of wear and tear, like damaged weather stripping or weathering) a storm door can add to the energy efficiency of your home by preventing drafts and air leaks that let cold out in the summer and warm air out in the winter. Even if you have a newer door, an extra layer of insulation can’t hurt.
