I have had constant problems with my front screen door. I think it is also called a storm door, because I can slide glass windows down and the door feels heavy and is metal. The first door, from when I moved in this house, caught some major wind and basic went flying off the hinges. It was a dumpy cheap aluminum door, dented, light as a kite. I did not feel a big loss. I got a new door, had it delivered and professionally installed. I repaired the holes in the area where the first door came out. First problem, the installers, did not do a good job with installing the door into the moulding of the doorway. I also asked for a wind guard, but that did not happen.
Then I noticed within months that the bar that makes the opening and closing of the door happen in a controlled way, rather than slamming, appeared to be bent. (that bar near the bottom) Within about a year, I noticed that a small section of the metal sheeting of the inside of the door was broken, then another piece, almost as though it was peeling. As time went on, larger portions of the metal bottom half of the door just started coming apart. Then I noticed that the inside part of the door had some type of filling, almost like some type of insulation, like a thick, ground up felt/sandy type of substance. I tried to patch everything up, but that did not work. I was not in a financial position to get a new door, went through some tough times. I eventually just took shiny white duct tape and covered up the whole mess. I also removed the thing that was supposed to control the opening and closing because it came detached. Now I have a door that looks like it is made of duct take and swings in the wind when anyone comes to the door and does not bother to fully close it. I hate this. Have a mess at the front door takes from the pride I have in my home. Have a door that swings in the wind, makes spooky sounds and makes me think someone is at my door often and is just annoying.
I am now able to look at purchasing a new door. I don’t have money to waste though. I am wondering what would have caused this to happen to my door. I don’t want to repeat this. I have been avoiding buying a new door, because I am worried that I will just buy another piece of junk. The other door, was not the cheapest one in the store and I hired professionals to do the installation so it would be done well. I still ended up with a mess. Does anyone have any ideas and/or suggestions.
Thanks.
Cheap or defective door and/or not installed properly. Because the doors are made of light flexible material you can get the hinges misaligned and it will still swing, but it’s bending and flexing each time and eventually can come apart at the seams. The frame where it attaches may not be straight either.
I don’t know what kind of professional installers you used or where you got that door, but get a better door, and better installers this time.
For a storm door, get one with two closers; one at the top and one near the bottom. Before the installers leave, make sure it opens and closes to your satisfaction. If you ever have to open the door beyond the limits of the closer/chain stop, make sure you pull the pins out of the closer attachment. Otherwise, you’ll stress or damage the door’s thin aluminum casing. Make sure the installers are using long enough screws to support the door’s weight and that the screws are actually being driven into good wood. For some reason, many manufacturers skimp on mounting hardware, regardless of what you buy.
Is your door set for the prevailing winds? They can be purchased for swinging what ever way you need.
To bend the closer rod I would suspect the door was left propped open with the sliding stop or it was pushed closed with a huge gust of wind at some time.
And like Chefguy states about the chain stop and make sure the chain stop is stopping the door at the extreme and not the closer.