Storm Door Expert Needed

[G26ster]

I recently purchased a storm door made by a subsidiary of Anderson. Fit and finish are good, but I was deceived by their Home Depot store display I believe. It concerns the "closer." A necessary item that keeps the wind from grabbing the door and slamming it open ripping the hinges and destroying the door and frame. In the display, the storm door closed fine, with little resistance when the it the build up of air between the storm door and the house door, when the door gets close to the house door, as it closes. A wood simulation of a house door was used in the display. However, once installed on my house, when the door closes and hits that resistance, it does not latch fully. The air build up prevents it.

Now I have thoroughly researched this issue online, and made EVERY recommended adjustment possible, to no avail. I even bought a so-called "heavy duty" closer, but it made absolutely no difference. Took it back. I then contacted the company that made the storm door and I was told to "either" remove some of the weatherstripping on the door (kinda defeats the purpose), or remove the bottom rubber swipe. Rather than do that, I returned to the store display to see why that door closed so well, and mine did not. Well lo and behold, a check of the simulated house door on the display had huge 6" or so oval holes cut into the top and bottom which prevents ANY air build up as the storm door closes, and "presto" it latches fully. I brought this to the attention of the HD worker in that dept., but probably should have contacted the store manager.

In any case, I do not want to return this door and go through the trouble of uninstall and reinstall another brand, as it's all about the closer. I believe, based on every thing I've researched that it's not brand specific, but rather a common issue to all storm doors. So, my question. Has anyone had this issue, and if so, how did you solve it? Thanks in advance for any input.

[Jusme]

Try drilling a small hole near, or at the bottom of the door, it should relieve some of the air pressure and allow it to close. The small hole won't cause enough air flow to cause very much cold or hot air transfer.
You may also want to be sure that the door isn't hitting the door knob, on the interior door preventing it from closing JMHO

[WTR]

You should have a chain that limits the amount the door opens. This will prevent the door blowing too far open. Also, make sure the interior door is open when closing the storm door so that pressure is relieved.

[TreyHouston]

You should have a chain that limits the amount the door opens. This will prevent the door blowing too far open. Also, make sure the interior door is open when closing the storm door so that pressure is relieved.

with this. How are you going to close the storm door if the inside door is closed? I would think that it would always be locked as to add an extra amount of home safety (ie door kick ins) Am I missing something?

[Jusme]

You should have a chain that limits the amount the door opens. This will prevent the door blowing too far open. Also, make sure the interior door is open when closing the storm door so that pressure is relieved.

with this. How are you going to close the storm door if the inside door is closed? I would think that it would always be locked as to add an extra amount of home safety (ie door kick ins) Am I missing something?

Not if the OP is going out. The interior door would be closed and locked, but if the storm door doesn't close, he can't lock it. Storm doors now days are very air tight, to prevent air exchange they are apart of a thermal barrier. If the air pressure can't be relieved, and the door is installed properly, the pressure can hold it open. JMHO

[suthdj]

Crack the storm door window a bit to let air out. By crsck i mean open a little.

[G26ster]

Thanks for all the replies, but I'll add (IMHO) that the storm door should close fully even when the house door is fully closed. The problem is with the strength of the "closer." All seem to be inadequate to fully overcome the air pressure. One should not have to modify the door, or remove weather stripping, or time how and when to close the storm door depending on house door position. If I knew that I'd have saved my money and not purchased a storm door. Live and learn I guess.

Oh, and as for the chain, I have been told by some that even with a chain, a strong enough wind will simply rip the chain out of the door. Not saying a chain is worthless, but I'd kinda like the door to latch on it's own, as designed

And yes, the window must be at least 1/3 way open (in my testing) for the door to fully close. However, that defeats the weather sealing and insulatation properties of the door.

[WTR]

I punched out a commercial building which had not been designed properly. With the A/C running, there was so much positive pressure that not even commercial closers set at max closure force,would not close a door. With no A/C the closers would cut your arm off. It is not always the closers fault.

[G26ster]

I punched out a commercial building which had not been designed properly. With the A/C running, there was so much positive pressure that not even commercial closers set at max closure force,would not close a door. With no A/C the closers would cut your arm off. It is not always the closers fault.

Thanks, hadn't thought of that, but my closer won't fully close the door A/C or heat on or off. I agree it's a common problem from all I have read. I think it's the deception used in the store display that has me the most ticked. Nothing in the literature from the manufacturer addresses this as a problem at all. In all their instructions, the adjustments simply say to adjust the position of the closer and/or bracket to make the door fully latch, while in the store display they had to cut huge holes in the simulated house door to make it function fully.

[twomillenium]

Is it too late to contact the store manager or owner? Just because an employee did not give an adequate response, doesn't mean there are no more options.

[puma guy]

I punched out a commercial building which had not been designed properly. With the A/C running, there was so much positive pressure that not even commercial closers set at max closure force,would not close a door. With no A/C the closers would cut your arm off. It is not always the closers fault.

Thanks, hadn't thought of that, but my closer won't fully close the door A/C or heat on or off. I agree it's a common problem from all I have read. I think it's the deception used in the store display that has me the most ticked. Nothing in the literature from the manufacturer addresses this as a problem at all. In all their instructions, the adjustments simply say to adjust the position of the closer and/or bracket to make the door fully latch, while in the store display they had to cut huge holes in the simulated house door to make it function fully.

My solution would be to drill two 1/4 " holes, one on each side of the door jam just below the header. You may have to drill all the way through the 2x4 used to rough frame the door opening if the jams are too close to them. I suggest not drilling holes upward into the header because the rough frame is usually made thick enough to make full contact with the wall board and wouldn't vent well.

[rotor]

When you say storm door I think of one of those aluminum doors with a screen built in and moveable glass. I have a security door on the outside of my front door, big glass with steel security gate built in. It will not completely close on it's own, I manually close it each time and friends coming over have difficulty opening it when they leave. I don't think anything will close it with a door closer. My daughter has a similar one at her house and in the summertime the glass broke because they do form a tight seal with the door closed. For me it is a security door, I can open the main door to see who is there and they can not push into the house. I put up with manually closing it.

[G26ster]

Is it too late to contact the store manager or owner? Just because an employee did not give an adequate response, doesn't mean there are no more options.

I don't want to uninstall and return the door. I'll put up with it as is if I need to. The display is put up by the manufacturer, and I am composing a letter to them about it.

My solution would be to drill two 1/4 " holes, one on each side of the door jam just below the header. You may have to drill all the way through the 2x4 used to rough frame the door opening if the jams are too close to them. I suggest not drilling holes upward into the header because the rough frame is usually made thick enough to make full contact with the wall board and wouldn't vent well.

I'm not sure such small holes would be the answer, but it's possible.

[flechero]

If the heavy duty "closer" doesn't do it, it's more likely a latch issue... perhaps the latch needs re positioning or adjustment. My parent's storm door had a similar issue and I was able to adjust the latch and it now closes and latches by itself.

[G26ster]

If the heavy duty "closer" doesn't do it, it's more likely a latch issue... perhaps the latch needs re positioning or adjustment. My parent's storm door had a similar issue and I was able to adjust the latch and it now closes and latches by itself.

Thanks. Tried that. Moving the latch outward didn't help. There's just not enough oomph in the closer to pull the door closed once it reaches the latch. Closers have two speeds. You have the slower or gradual closing speed when the door is opened (approx. 90 degrees), and as the door gets closer to the jamb you have what is called the "latch speed," which closes faster to make sure the door handle latch onto the striker/keeper. My problem is the "latch speed" at the end is too slow and soft, and no amount of adjustment makes it better. Even the so-called heavy duty closer made no difference. There's just too much air resistance from the trapped air between the doors. As I said previously, if I open the door window about 1/3 way, all works perfectly as the air can't build up.