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My guess as to why the screen is in the middle is reduced liability from some kid breaking the glass.
My storm door is a solid top to bottom pane of glass. I'm ambivalent on the benefits vs. downsides. In the country it provides additional security, as when locked, a burglar or invader would have to breach that glass (which would be loud) just to get to the main door. Cleaning the glass is easier and the view through it is like the door was open.
Obviously, it can't be used for ventilation, but I have large windows with screens.
As for the swing of a door, it is partially personal preference, but in my case I made sure that the swing was such that the prevailing winds couldn't catch it and bang it against the stop. That isn't as much an issue with a screen door. YMMV
Oh I did think about prevailing winds! This porch is in a weather zone all it's own . Whatever the weather is, it's more so on my little porch. Some weird aerodynamic in play here. The wind almost never hits it unless it is coming straight from slightly north of west. Which would not hit the door from either direction when it's opened because that is the direction my doorway faces. Every other direction seems to bypass the porch, and stuff, whatever is in the air at the time, snow, rain, leaves, other tree stuff, even the lilac petals from the side of the house around two corners, anything, it simply drops straight down, on my porch.
I have stood on that porch in all kinds of weathers and experienced this phenomenon. Someday I'd like to have a roof there.
Yes, money is the reason so far I have not replaced that door. It's been creeping slowly up the list since I moved in and it's getting close, very close, now.
Based on all of the replies so far, I am now convinced the way the door is hung really is solely a personal preference. Well that, and sometimes necessity. Every time I go through that door I wonder to myself why on earth they put it that way
The Andersen3000 recommended has it either way. It looks like a nice door. Thank you for that. I haven't looked at the Larson choices yet, just searched them out so far, it looks like it's the Lowe's brand?
I like the prices better, but I'll do some comparing first.
Thanks! I'm glad I started the thread, I am feeling more hopeful now.
Larson is its own brand, but Lowe's and Home Depot didn't carry the model that I wanted to replace the broken one that came with the house when I bought it. Sometimes, the smaller and local home improvement stores, hardware stores, and lumber yards carry a different variety of items than the big boxes. The smaller store, however, didn't carry the Andersen that I wanted, so I rolled with Lowe's for that.
I've been very happy with the Andersen 3000. The finish has held up well against the elements, it provides a nice seal, the screen lowering/raising mechanism still works smoothly, and it looks very nice to boot. The Larson has taken more of a beating than the Andersen given that it's on the rear of the house and unprotected by a porch or an overhang, but it still looks great and performs well. The screen and the glass on the Larson are the old-school type that there are separate screen and glass panels that you switch as desired, but it's a pretty simple process to change them out, albeit a bit easier with an extra pair of hands.
Pricing has definitely changed since I purchased both doors, but I paid less than $150 dollars for the Larson door, uninstalled. (If I looked in my records, I could find the exact price.)
I got my Larson at Lowe's probably twelve years ago. It looks like it was installed yesterday but then it's on a very protected porch where the sun or rain never reach. It has the built-in screen where the screen is always there but the glass pulls down and up. Nothing to switch out. One reason I got it was so that I could talk to visitors through the screen without having to open the door and risk a door dash by the pooch. I also wanted a screen door of some sort for extra ventilation and extra light in my entry hall. Fills all those requirements. I got lucky, too, that the tan color I ordered was a nearly exact match to my house's base color.
What you want is an Andersen 3000series storm door.
It has a roll-up screen- when the upper glass pane is lowered the screen comes down. When you push the upper pane back up, the screen retracts into the upper part of the frame.
And it can be had in L or R hand swings.
Personally, I don’t think yours is swinging the “wrong wayâ€- but to each his own!
I just had the Anderson 3000 storm door installed and we love it. The storm window slides down so you can let fresh air in through the screen. And i like the closer you step on the button to hold the door open.
What you want is an Andersen 3000series storm door.
It has a roll-up screen- when the upper glass pane is lowered the screen comes down. When you push the upper pane back up, the screen retracts into the upper part of the frame.
And it can be had in L or R hand swings.
Personally, I don’t think yours is swinging the “wrong wayâ€- but to each his own!
I agree.
It isn't the wrong way, our doors opened like that also, I think it is perfectly normal to open like that.
I think because there is a railing right against the swing of your door might make it seem like it opens on the wrong side because there isn't enough space.
I remember our side door opened from the left, and the inside door opened from the right, exactly like yours and it was fine, that is the right way for it to open, well, I think so anyway. JMO
Right now in this season of the year, it is time to take out the storm window and leave in the screen. You can take the screen out in cold weather season and put the window piece back in. It is very easy to pop the window frame out. Just putter around with until you figure it out. Check out YouTube.
Right now in this season of the year, it is time to take out the storm window and leave in the screen. You can take the screen out in cold weather season and put the window piece back in. It is very easy to pop the window frame out. Just putter around with until you figure it out. Check out YouTube.
The thread isn't about that. I know how to slide down the storm window and put it back depending on the season, I mentioned it in the first post, thanks. I was looking for some guidance on finding a new door to fit my needs. Got some great help too.
I just had the Anderson 3000 storm door installed and we love it. The storm window slides down so you can let fresh air in through the screen. And i like the closer you step on the button to hold the door open.
We had one of those. It was neat, but not very sturdy and did not last long. The mechanism was really neat while it lasted through. Not really better than a screen with a glass pane that slides up behind it, but just had a neat factor to it.
We looked at Lowe's storm doors but found better quality and great insulation at our local door dealer. We had Lowe's install a bathroom sink when we first moved here but it took them six months, and many phone calls, to repair the damage and mis-measuring done by their installer. Big box stores aren't always the only solution.
When my storm door and front door are both open, they align on the same wall. When facing my storm door from the front of the house, the handle is on the right and the door opens outward, right to left. When facing my front door from the front of the house, the handle is on the right and the door opens inward, right to left.
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. Whatever the weather is, it's more so on my little porch. Some weird aerodynamic in play here. The wind almost never hits it unless it is coming straight from slightly north of west. Which would not hit the door from either direction when it's opened because that is the direction my doorway faces. Every other direction seems to bypass the porch, and stuff, whatever is in the air at the time, snow, rain, leaves, other tree stuff, even the lilac petals from the side of the house around two corners, anything, it simply drops straight down, on my porch.
