Exterior doors
Are Storm Doors Worth It in North Alabama?
A storm door can protect an exposed entry and let in a breeze, but it is not always worth it. Here is when it helps, when it does not and the heat trap to avoid.
By the ACM Pros team, Madison, AlabamaUpdated 9 minute read
Quick answer
A storm door is worth it in North Alabama when your entry door is exposed to rain and sun with no porch roof, when you want screened ventilation in spring and fall, or when an older door in good condition needs extra protection. It is rarely worth it on a covered porch or in front of a newer insulated door. Be careful with a full-glass storm door over a dark, sun-facing entry door, because it can trap heat and damage the door. A ventilating or screened model avoids that.
Key takeaways
- A storm door earns its place on an exposed entry with no overhang, where it takes rain and sun off the main door.
- On a covered porch or in front of a newer insulated door, a storm door adds little and gives you one more thing to maintain.
- A full-glass storm door over a dark door that gets several hours of direct sun can trap heat and damage the main door.
- For sunny entries, choose a model you can vent, such as a retractable screen or interchangeable glass and screen panels.
- A drafty front door usually needs new weatherstrip, a new door sweep or threshold work, not a storm door.
The ACM Pros replaces exterior windows and installs exterior doors only. We do not install interior doors or interior windows.
Storm doors used to be on almost every house, and plenty of homeowners still ask us whether they should add one when they replace a front door. It is a fair question, and the honest answer surprises some people: sometimes a storm door is a smart addition, and sometimes it is money spent on something you will mostly just have to clean.
A storm door is a second, lighter door mounted on the outside of your main entry door. It usually has glass, a screen or both. Here is how to tell whether one makes sense on your home in North Alabama, including one caution that matters a great deal in our sun.
What a storm door actually does
A good storm door does three jobs. It shields the main door from rain, sun and wind. It adds a layer of still air in front of the main door, which helps a little with drafts. And with a screen in place, it lets you open the main door for a breeze without letting in bugs.
That last job is the one many people in Madison and Huntsville care about most. On a mild April or October day, a screened storm door lets fresh air through the house without running the air conditioner.
When a storm door is worth it
In our experience, a storm door earns its place in a few specific situations:
- An exposed entry with no porch roof or overhang. Wind-driven rain and direct sun hit the main door every day. A storm door takes that weather load and helps the main door's finish last longer.
- An older door that is still in good shape. If you like your existing wood door and it is sound, a storm door can protect it and add a bit of draft protection. The U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Saver guide to doors makes the same point, noting that a storm door can be a good investment for an old door that is still in good condition.
- You want screened ventilation. If you like opening the front door on nice days, a storm door with a screen is the simplest way to do it.
- Pets or small children. A storm door with a sturdy screen or glass lets you leave the main door open while keeping the dog or the grandkids inside.
When a storm door is not worth it
On a deep covered porch, the main door is already sheltered from most rain and sun. A storm door there adds very little protection, and it becomes one more door to open, one more closer to adjust and one more pane of glass to wipe clean of spring pollen.
It also adds little in front of a newer insulated door. The same Department of Energy guide notes that adding a storm door to a newer, insulated door is generally not worth the expense, because the extra energy saved is small. A modern foam-filled fiberglass or steel door with good weatherstrip already does most of what a storm door would do. Weatherstrip is the flexible seal around the frame that the door presses against when it closes.
If your main reason for wanting a storm door is a draft, look at the main door first. A draft usually comes from worn weatherstrip, a worn door sweep, which is the rubber strip along the bottom edge of the door, or a threshold that has dropped or come loose. The threshold is the strip at the bottom of the doorway that you step over. Fixing those treats the cause, while a storm door only covers it up.
The heat trap: an honest caution for sunny entries
This is the part many storm door sales pitches leave out. When a full sheet of glass sits a few inches in front of your main door, the air between them can get very hot in direct sun, much like the inside of a parked car. If the main door is dark and faces south or west, that trapped heat can be enough to warp the door, blister or fade its finish and wear out its weatherstrip early.
The Department of Energy guide warns about this directly: if the exterior door gets more than a few hours of direct sun each day, a glass storm door could trap heat against it and cause damage. It suggests Low-E glass to reduce the heat gained and recommends checking the door manufacturer's recommendations. Low-E glass has a thin, invisible coating that reflects much of the sun's heat while still letting light through.
In North Alabama, with long summers and hard afternoon sun, we take this seriously. If your entry is sunny and your door is dark, here are the ways to keep the benefits without the risk:
- Choose a storm door you can vent. A retractable screen, or glass and screen panels you can swap, lets you switch to screen for the hot months so the heat can escape.
- Look at ventilating designs. Many storm doors have a glass panel that slides down to open a screened section at the top, which lets hot air out.
- Ask about Low-E glass in the storm door itself.
- Think about the color of the main door. A lighter main door absorbs less heat behind the glass.
- Read your entry door maker's guidance. As the Department of Energy suggests, check what the manufacturer of your main door recommends before you add glass in front of it.
And if none of those fit your situation, the honest answer may be to skip the storm door and let a well-chosen main door do the work on its own.
Storm doors and energy bills: keep expectations realistic
A storm door adds a second barrier against air movement, and that is a real effect. It is also a small one, especially in front of a modern insulated door. Do not expect a storm door on its own to make a noticeable difference in a summer cooling bill.
If comfort near the front door is the goal, the bigger wins are usually a door that seals evenly against fresh weatherstrip, a threshold that is set tight and level, and, on a sunny entry, Low-E glass in the main door's sidelights or windows. A sidelight is a tall, narrow glass panel beside the door.
A quick way to decide for your entry
| Your entry | Storm door worth it? | What to choose |
|---|---|---|
| No overhang, takes rain and sun, light colored main door | Usually yes | Any good quality model, ideally with Low-E glass |
| No overhang, several hours of direct sun, dark main door | Only with care | A ventilating model you can switch to screen in summer |
| Deep covered porch | Usually no | Skip it unless you want screened ventilation |
| Newer insulated fiberglass or steel door | Rarely for energy savings | Only for ventilation, pets or looks |
| Older door in good condition that you want to keep | Often yes | A model that protects the finish and vents in summer |
What to look for in a good storm door
- Frame material. Storm door frames are usually aluminum, steel, fiberglass or wood, and the Department of Energy notes that wood storm doors need more maintenance than the others.
- View style. A full-view door shows off your main door, while a mid-view or high-view door has a solid lower panel that stands up better to pets, kids and kicks.
- Ventilation. Retractable screens and sliding glass panels let you switch between glass and screen without storing panels in the garage.
- Closer and hardware. A solid closer that shuts the door gently, plus a sturdy handle and lock, makes a big difference in daily use. A wind chain or a closer with a hold-open feature helps keep a gust from wrenching the door open.
- Bottom sweep. An adjustable sweep closes the gap at the threshold and keeps out drafts, insects and blowing leaves.
Expect the screen and glass to need more frequent rinsing in spring. North Alabama's heavy pollen season coats them quickly, and a screen clogged with pollen lets through less breeze.
Installation matters, even on a simple door
A storm door mounts to the exterior trim around your main door, so that opening needs to be square for the storm door to close evenly and seal. Many older openings in North Alabama have shifted a little over the years, and an installer who simply screws a frame to an out-of-square opening ends up with gaps, a door that drags or a closer that never quite latches.
We check the opening before we quote and make sure the storm door does not interfere with how water drains away from the main door's threshold. If your main door needs replacing at the same time, our guide to the best entry door material for Alabama covers that choice, and our entry doors page shows what we install. Every main door we set gets a sloped, sealed sill pan underneath, a shallow tray with turned-up ends called end dams that drains any water back outside. Our exterior door installation page explains the rest of that process.
Our honest recommendation
Put a storm door where it does real work: an exposed entry, an older door you want to protect, or a home where screened air on a spring day matters to you. Skip it on a sheltered porch or in front of a new insulated door unless you simply want the ventilation. And on a dark, sun-facing door, choose a model you can vent, or do not add one at all.
You can see the styles we offer on our storm doors page. If you are not sure which side of the line your entry falls on, we will tell you plainly, even if the answer is that you do not need one. Brad and Chase Miller offer free in-home estimates across Madison, Huntsville, Harvest and the rest of North Alabama, with no pressure to sign and a price that stays the same next week. Request your free estimate or call (256) 585-6817.
Questions people ask
Can a storm door damage my front door?
It can if the main door is dark and gets several hours of direct sun, because a full sheet of glass traps heat between the two doors. That heat can warp the door or ruin its finish. A ventilating storm door switched to screen in summer, Low-E glass or a lighter main door all reduce the risk.
Do storm doors lower energy bills?
A little. They add a second barrier against air movement, but the savings are small, especially in front of a modern insulated door. If your entry feels drafty, new weatherstrip, a new door sweep or a threshold adjustment on the main door usually helps more.
Is a storm door worth it on a covered porch?
Usually not for protection, since the porch roof already keeps most rain and sun off the main door. It can still make sense if you want screened ventilation or a way to keep pets in with the main door open. Otherwise it is mostly one more thing to clean and maintain.
What is the difference between full-view and mid-view storm doors?
A full-view storm door has glass or screen from top to bottom, which shows off the main door behind it. A mid-view or high-view door has a solid lower panel with glass above, which holds up better to pets and kids. Both styles are available with screens that slide or retract for ventilation.
Will a storm door help keep pollen out?
With the glass panel in place it adds one more barrier at the front door, but a screen lets pollen through along with the breeze. During heavy spring pollen in North Alabama, many people keep the glass in on the worst days and switch to screen once it settles. Expect to rinse the screen and glass more often in spring.
Where do you install storm doors?
We install storm doors on homes in Madison, Huntsville, Harvest and towns across North Alabama, along with entry doors, sliding patio doors and exterior French doors. We do not work in Tennessee. Estimates are free and come with a written, line-item scope.
