View Full Version : Anderson storm doors, installed my first tonight
trlcavscout
11-27-2013, 20:54
Went to home depot to price a storm door and a whole house fan. They had a nice custom glass, hidden screen door on clearance someone special ordered for half price so I bought it. I had never installed one and was surprised how easy it was. Of course its missing the inside handle trim plate and screws and the screws for the pull down screen handle gosh dangit!! But I will call them Monday and get them replaced. But overall for just under $200 with tax and an hour of labor it is pretty dang nice, let's less air in then my front door, and will be nice to have the door open when its warm.
Next project will be the whole house fan in January. Then the natural gas grill in February.
Made in Minnesota/Wisconsin good stuff.
sent from a soup can and some string..
Colorado_Outback
11-27-2013, 22:45
I'm also interested in installing a whole house fan. Do you know if you can run it with all the doors and windows shut?
Great-Kazoo
11-27-2013, 23:05
I'm also interested in installing a whole house fan. Do you know if you can run it with all the doors and windows shut?
You use to need some air flow, for the air to circulate
Great-Kazoo
11-27-2013, 23:05
Went to home depot to price a storm door and a whole house fan. They had a nice custom glass, hidden screen door on clearance someone special ordered for half price so I bought it. I had never installed one and was surprised how easy it was. Of course its missing the inside handle trim plate and screws and the screws for the pull down screen handle gosh dangit!! But I will call them Monday and get them replaced. But overall for just under $200 with tax and an hour of labor it is pretty dang nice, let's less air in then my front door, and will be nice to have the door open when its warm.
Next project will be the whole house fan in January. Then the natural gas grill in February.
Why are you waiting till monday? They are open every day.
I'm also interested in installing a whole house fan. Do you know if you can run it with all the doors and windows shut?
Like Jim said you need a door window cracked to ensure fresh air flow. This also helps to keep from having the whose house exhaust fan from putting out the pilot light in your gas fired appliances.
Front door was one of the best things I installed on the house. Very simple too
Went to home depot to price a storm door and a whole house fan. They had a nice custom glass, hidden screen door on clearance someone special ordered for half price so I bought it. I had never installed one and was surprised how easy it was. Of course its missing the inside handle trim plate and screws and the screws for the pull down screen handle gosh dangit!! But I will call them Monday and get them replaced. But overall for just under $200 with tax and an hour of labor it is pretty dang nice, let's less air in then my front door, and will be nice to have the door open when its warm.
Next project will be the whole house fan in January. Then the natural gas grill in February.
I put one of those on our front door a few months ago. I think they were $299 regular price. Nice door, nice hardware for the price. I still need to cover the lower panel though or put limo tint on it. I don't necessarily want anyone at the front door to see below mid section if you know what I mean.
We looked at security doors, but nothing that isn't special order had an upper screen section and we like to let the fresh air in most times.
We have a whole house fan. Unless the house is super leaky, you do need to crack a window.
Love our whole house fan! But not only do you have to have at least one window open, you have to have enough vents in your attic. For whatever cfm the fan is rated to move, it has to be able to inhale that much, and exhaust that much, without struggling. Otherwise you're just pissing in the wind. Most likely, you'll have to install more vents, large ones. If the fan can't breathe well, you'll be lugging it down and it won't work well, or live very long.
You can "tune" the airflow too, depending on what windows & doors you have open. Like on a hot summer night, close everything up except the bedroom windows, and you'll have a great breeze. When the sun's shining on one side of the house and heating it up, close the windows there and open the ones on the shady side where it's cooler, and pull in cooler air rather than hotter. It works. But it'll pull in dust too, and that damn cottonwood fuzz will cover your screens, gotta brush 'em off occaisionally.
You'll want the large size, 2-speed with wall switch and timer, and belt drive is better than direct drive. Location in the house matters too, for both optimum airflow and noise.
I just hired Colorado Home Cooling to do it, Ryan does the whole thing, no muss no fuss. I just had to show him where the attic entrance was and write a check. WELL worth it! http://www.colohomecool.com/Main%20Pages/About.html
trlcavscout
11-28-2013, 09:17
I put one of those on our front door a few months ago. I think they were $299 regular price. Nice door, nice hardware for the price. I still need to cover the lower panel though or put limo tint on it. I don't necessarily want anyone at the front door to see below mid section if you know what I mean.
We looked at security doors, but nothing that isn't special order had an upper screen section and we like to let the fresh air in most times.
We have a whole house fan. Unless the house is super leaky, you do need to crack a window.
I was thinking about tinting the glass also. It is in the shade all day but just to keep the lookyloos from lookin in.
encorehunter
11-28-2013, 09:26
I have had a couple of the Anderson screen doors, and I think they hold up better than most. Where I live, we have really bad winds that catch the back screen door perfect to try and tear it off its hinges, or out of the frame. The wind has broken three doors so far. The first Anderson I had it bent after the first two weeks, but I was able to bend it back where it would close. I used it for two years until I saw them on sale about two months ago and bought another. Now I am waiting for another sale to get one for the front door.
I open a basement window for mine
I'm also interested in installing a whole house fan. Do you know if you can run it with all the doors and windows shut?
Love our whole house fan! But not only do you have to have at least one window open, you have to have enough vents in your attic. For whatever cfm the fan is rated to move, it has to be able to inhale that much, and exhaust that much, without struggling. Otherwise you're just pissing in the wind. Most likely, you'll have to install more vents, large ones. If the fan can't breathe well, you'll be lugging it down and it won't work well, or live very long.
You can "tune" the airflow too, depending on what windows & doors you have open. Like on a hot summer night, close everything up except the bedroom windows, and you'll have a great breeze. When the sun's shining on one side of the house and heating it up, close the windows there and open the ones on the shady side where it's cooler, and pull in cooler air rather than hotter. It works. But it'll pull in dust too, and that damn cottonwood fuzz will cover your screens, gotta brush 'em off occaisionally.
You'll want the large size, 2-speed with wall switch and timer, and belt drive is better than direct drive. Location in the house matters too, for both optimum airflow and noise.
I just hired Colorado Home Cooling to do it, Ryan does the whole thing, no muss no fuss. I just had to show him where the attic entrance was and write a check. WELL worth it! http://www.colohomecool.com/Main%20Pages/About.html
Variable speed control is the shiznit.
You can also make your whole house a swamp cooler of sorts with application of fan and strategically placed sprinklers.
I have had a couple of the Anderson screen doors, and I think they hold up better than most. Where I live, we have really bad winds that catch the back screen door perfect to try and tear it off its hinges, or out of the frame. The wind has broken three doors so far. The first Anderson I had it bent after the first two weeks, but I was able to bend it back where it would close. I used it for two years until I saw them on sale about two months ago and bought another. Now I am waiting for another sale to get one for the front door.
I like the bottom closer you can prop open with your foot, but don't like that it doesn't open past 85*. That's probably a good thing for a windy area, but our front door opens to a covered porch.
My bro installed my security door. It was the best addition to the house, even though I never leave the door open.
SideShow Bob
11-28-2013, 15:50
I'm also interested in installing a whole house fan. Do you know if you can run it with all the doors and windows shut?
Don't run a whole house fan with all the windows and doors closed and a wood stove burning, dumb EX turned on the whole house fan after something boiled over In the kitchen and burnt to the range top............[facepalm]
We put a Pella storm door at our main entrance, like it a lot. The top glass panel slides down and there's a rollup screen attached to it that comes down too. That's pretty handy.
encorehunter
11-28-2013, 22:18
I like the bottom closer you can prop open with your foot, but don't like that it doesn't open past 85*. That's probably a good thing for a windy area, but our front door opens to a covered porch.
The new door has the bottom closer. The last had the "middle" closer and the wind ripped out two of the screws and bent the closer. So far, this new door with the closer on the bottom and chain on the top is holding up great. I am hoping to enclose the back porch so I won't have to worry about it anymore.
trlcavscout
11-28-2013, 22:20
We put a Pella storm door at our main entrance, like it a lot. The top glass panel slides down and there's a rollup screen attached to it that comes down too. That's pretty handy.
My Anderson has that also, that was the selling point.
My Anderson has that also, that was the selling point.
I think these and the brand they sell at Lowes are all made by the same company...
Colorado_Outback
11-29-2013, 21:41
Thanks for the replys. I'm looking for a way to cool the house in the summer with out leaving any unlocked windows or doors. My house is all ground level.
trlcavscout
11-29-2013, 22:33
Thanks for the replys. I'm looking for a way to cool the house in the summer with out leaving any unlocked windows or doors. My house is all ground level.
I am planning on doing the big one from home depot, belt drive etc for like $350. I dont have to worry about open doors/windows but being able to pull cool air from the basement to the upstairs would be awesome. Only other option would be to sleep in the basement during the summer.
encorehunter
11-30-2013, 07:11
If you have to have a window open, just cut a drop bar for the channel to keep it from sliding more than two inches open. It allows airflow but can't be opened any further.
Colorado_Outback
11-30-2013, 20:57
If you have to have a window open, just cut a drop bar for the channel to keep it from sliding more than two inches open. It allows airflow but can't be opened any further.
Good call.
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