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. . . Expert Advice from an Expert Installer |
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Fixing Problems with Your Storm Door
Are you having problems with your storm door? Problems with storm doors can be very frustrating. Usually they are not one particular large problem, but a combination of many smaller problems. Below is a comprehensive list of problems you may be encountering and typical, easy solutions.
Problem Topics
Operation |
Performance |
Handles and Locks
Screens |
Glass |
Condensation |
Tips and Tricks
Storm Door Operation
PROBLEM: My door doesn't close properly.
1) Storm door closer speed may be improperly adjusted. To adjust the closing speed, turn the adjusting screw on the end of the closer. Turn the screw counter-clockwise to increase speed, clockwise for a slower speed.
2) Still not closing properly? If your door has two closers, unhook one closer,
adjusting one at a time. Leaving one closer attached to the door, remove the
closer adjusting screw. Hold onto the door and open and
close it about a dozen times. (Door will close rapidly).
Replace the adjustment screw, turning it one to two times. Adjust the closer shaft. For optimal performance, only
the painted surface should show. Up to a 1/4" of unpainted
surface is acceptable. Move the jamb bracket if necessary. Adjust the closer, turning the adjustment screw 1/4 to
1/2 turn at a time, until you've achieved your desired
closing speed. Turn the screw counter-clockwise to increase
speed, clockwise for a slower speed. If your door has two closers, unhook this closer and
rehook the other. Repeat steps.
3) There may be air pressure between the prime and storm
door. If both the prime entry door and storm door seal tightly,
they may not be allowing air to escape, creating a
pressurized pocket. To create an escape route for the air,
you may raise the storm door expander slightly or leave the
storm door window open.
4) The storm door's bottom expander may be dragging on the
threshold. Loosen expander screws and raise the expander so that the
rubber sweep only touches the top of the threshold.
Retighten screws.
5) The hinge rail screws may be too tight. Loosen the hinge rail screws a 1/4 turn to relax the
tension.
6) The hinge rail may be bent or a hinge may be broken.If the hinge rail is bent or a hinge is broken, the hinge
rail should be replaced.
7) The storm door closer hits my
entry door. Move the closer jamb bracket closer to the storm door. If
they still hit each other, you will need to shim the storm
door out from the primary door.
PROBLEM: My door squeaks when it opens and closes.
1) The inside hinge rail screws could be too tight. Loosen the hinge rail screws a 1/4 turn to relax the
tension. If your door is new, the hinges could be tight until they
receive some use. Lubricate the hinges with silicone spray lubricant,
3-in-1 oil, or cooking oil.
2) The door opening may be out of square. If the storm door was installed in an opening that is not square or if home settling has caused it to go out of square, you will need to adjust the opening and align it properly for the storm door can perform as designed.
Storm Door Performance
PROBLEM: I believe my door is leaking
1) Drainage holes. Many Doors have drainage holes, also known as weep holes,
that could be blocked. Inspect and clean the drainage holes, which are located
on the outside of door, just below the window area. If you have a multi-vent door (a full, stationary storm,
and both glass panels move), the glass panels are likely
reversed. The narrower of the two inserts needs to be at the top,
and the wider one at the bottom. If reversed, remove each
glass panel and reinsert in correct position.
2) Water could be coming in behind the storm door.
Caulk behind the top drip cap. Also verify that there is
caulk behind the house brickmould or trim, and recaulk if
necessary.
PROBLEM: There is a heat build up between the storm door and prime door.
1) If the door receives direct sunlight most of the day,
heat build up between the two can occur due to a lack of
ventilation. To create an escape route for the air, you may raise the
storm door expander slightly or leave the storm door window
open. If your door is a Full View, use the storm insert
during the affected months.
PROBLEM: I see condensation on the inside of my storm door.
1) Warm, moist air is being trapped between storm door and
primary door.
2) There may be a leak around the prime door. Check prime
door seals and weatherstripping. Replace the
weatherstripping if necessary.
3) You may see condensation form after leaving your primary
door open, as the warm, humid air from the interior of your
home meets the cooler storm door glass. Keeping the humidity
in your home low will help alleviate this situation, as will
keeping your prime door closed.
4) My prime door is closed and seals well. What else can I
do? To create an escape route for the moisture, you may raise
the storm door expander slightly or leave the storm door
window open.
5) Visit our Condensation section.
Handles and Locks
PROBLEM: My deadbolt is stuck.
1) The storm door and latch side rail are likely misaligned.
To unjam, remove the latch side rail installation screws.
This will loosen the door enough to allow you to open it. If the hardware and lock move freely when the door is
open, there is likely an alignment issue. Refer to solutions
under "My deadbolt won't work." Once door is open, test the lock and hardware. If the
hardware is not operating or locking properly when the door
is open, the hardware needs to be replaced.
PROBLEM: My deadbolt won't work.
1) The deadbolt may be hitting the edge of latch rail.
Adjust the strike plate to allow the deadbolt to move
freely.
2) The deadbolt could be binding against the brick mold frame. For doors with mortise hardware, verify the mortise hole is 3/4" deep and adjust strike plate location if needed.
PROBLEM: I have to lift up on the handle to open my door.
SOLUTIONS:
1) The hardware is installed upside down. Refer to the hardware installation instructions to reinstall the hardware. During this reinstallation, you may need to reverse the latch nose.
PROBLEM: My handle came off the door.
SOLUTIONS:
1) Many handles are held in place by a set screw. The set screw likely came loose. Reattach the handle, and firmly tighten the set screw. If the set screw is stripped and cannot be tightened, the handle will need to be replaced.
PROBLEM: My brass hardware is tarnishing.
SOLUTIONS:
1) Solid brass hardware has a clear coat finish to protect the brass. Over time, the clear coat finish can wear through or be compromised by nicks from rings and keys, exposing the solid brass to the elements. Unprotected brass will tarnish under this exposure. Polish the brass using a brass cleaning product.
PROBLEM: I have a push button handle and the button sticks.
SOLUTIONS:
1) There may be too much tension in the handle screws.
Try loosening the handle screws.
2) The spring may be reversed. If the narrow end is against the door, the spring may slip in the door's hardware hole and not function properly. Verify the spring behind the push button has the wide end against the door. Reverse if needed.
Screens
PROBLEM: The storm will not retract.
SOLUTIONS:
1) The storm rolling mechanism may need to be reset.
Lower the glass insert approximately half way. Open the
door, and place a hand on each side of the storm material
(one inside and one outside the door). Pull down on the
storm about six inches and then release it. The storm
should snap up, resetting the tension of the rolling
mechanism.
2) The storm roll may have come out of its brackets. Remove the storm assembly cover and make sure storm is seated properly.
PROBLEM: The storm is blowing out or pushing out.
SOLUTIONS:
1) The storm is designed to blow out in heavy winds or extreme pressure. This design prevents damage to the storm. Make sure the storm is inserted into the weather-stripping track along the sides of the window opening. To realign in track, close the window completely and reopen.
PROBLEM: Storm fray is caught in the storm roll.
SOLUTIONS:
1) The edge of the storm may fray, and a loose strand could wrap around the end of the storm roll. Remove the storm assembly cover. Do not remove the storm roll, or the spring tension will be lost. Carefully cut the caught thread off of the storm roll. Replace the storm assembly cover.
PROBLEM: The glass sash will not stay up.
SOLUTIONS:
1) It is normal for the top glass to drop 1" - 3". If the sash is consistently dropping more than 3", there may be an issue with the storm tension.
2) The sash handle is not installed. For many ScreenAway models, the latching mechanism is built into the sash handle. Verify that the sash handle is installed.
Glass
PROBLEM: My retainers are not holding the glass or storm in the door.
SOLUTIONS:
1) Either the glass or the storm fits in the door at one
time, and not both. Choose the glass or the storm and reinstall the
retainers.
2) The retainers are not installed correctly. Make sure the glass or storm insert is centered into the
door. If it is off to one side that could interfere with the
retainer installation.
Try installing them with the door open. Sometimes getting
at them from a different angle makes a lot of difference. Only push or snap the strip in at 2" to 5" intervals. Spray glass cleaner or something similar on the retainer.
The light lubricant in it helps the retainers go in more
easily. When installing the retainer, hold the strip at about a
45 degree angle to the side of the glass, and then start the
end of the strip into the track in the middle of the door.
Slide the retainer up or down from there and every couple of
inches push the retainer in with your fingers. Make sure the
edge with the writing on it is facing you. The open side of
the retainer should be facing the insert. When you get to
the end, you will hear a "snap" as the last portion of the
retainer goes in.
PROBLEM: The glass insert will not fit in the door.
SOLUTIONS:
1) The metal trim on the glass insert may be coming off.
This can happen when the glass is handled by the metal trim
only and the full insert is not. Gently tap the metal trim on the glass panel with a
rubber mallet.
2) Still not fitting? The metal trim and rubber boot may have come off too far and will not tap back on. In this case, tap the edge piece off the unit first. There is a rubber boot between the glass and the metal trim. Reset this rubber boot on the glass edge and then tap the trim back on. At each corner of the inserts, there is a "L" shape bracket holding it together.
Condensation and Its Causes
Condensation is visible evidence of excessive
moisture in the air. It may appear as water, frost, or
ice on the surface of windows and doors. The warmer the
air, the more water the air can hold. This means that
the air in the center of any given room will hold more
water than the air adjacent to windows, doors, or
exterior walls, where the air is always cooler.
When the warm, moisture-laden air moves toward the
cooler window or door wall, it becomes cooler and cannot
hold the moisture it held at the warmer temperature. The
moisture is dropped from the air, and appears as water
on the cooler surfaces. This occurs more frequently
during the winter months because of the extreme
difference between the inside and outside temperatures.
If you wish to avoid condensation during the winter
months, maintaining a 25 – 35 percent indoor relative
humidity is advisable.
Ventilation is a very effective way to remove
excessive moisture from the air, which is why old,
poorly insulated single-glazed windows often do not have
condensation problems. New homes, which are constructed
to meet current insulation and energy conservation
requirements, as well as older homes which have new
attic and basement insulation, are often so air-tight
they present a new problem: excess moisture in the home.
All homes will, on occasion, have temporary
condensation, which is the result of one of three
occurrences:
- New Construction or Remodeling: building materials contain a great deal of moisture. As soon as the heat is turned on, this moisture will flow out into the air and settle on doors and windows. This moisture will usually disappear following the first heating season.
- Humid Summers: During humid summers, houses absorb moisture. This will be apparent during the first few weeks of heating, until the house dries out.
- Temperature Changes: Sharp and sudden drops in temperature, especially during the heating season, will creature temporary condensation.
If you have a high level of moisture in your home
resulting in condensation, it will not likely be
corrected simply by installing new windows. Remember
that storm windows and storm doors do not cause
condensation and, therefore, cannot cure condensation.
Tips and Tricks
Step 1: Check the automatic closure device, usually located at the top of the door. Sometimes the plate that attaches to the door comes loose. Look carefully for loose or missing screws. Also check the plate that attaches to the door jamb from the pneumatic cartridge.
Step 2: Check the hinges to see if they are all tightly attached to the door and door frame. If loose, tighten them. If the door is made of metal and the hinges are so loose that they have to be moved, be certain that when you drill new holes into the metal, the pilot holes are sufficiently smaller than the metal screw. If you have to move hinges, take the door down and place it on a pair of sawhorses.
Step 3: If the storm door comes in a pre-hung metal frame, check to see it this frame has not come loose. If it has, reattach it to the frame of the house. You will most likely need wood screws that are drilled through the metal frame of the door and into the wooden frame.
Step 4: Check the glass area for cracks. Many storm doors come with an air-sealed double-pane system for a window. If these glass units crack or break, take them to a hardware store or glass shop for repair. Several metal latches hold the glass and metal unit in place.
Step 5: Check the latching and locking system to ensure that the door remains closed after it has been shut. This is the last step in the overall process of examining your storm door.
Step 6: Make sure the weather stripping on the main door is intact and functional. There are many different types of weather stripping available. Replace defective areas with the same type.