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How do I make a storm door close when the window (not screen) is on it?

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How do I make a storm door close when the window (not screen) is on it? trader-of-some-jacks 03-11-2008
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Posted by trader-of-some-jacks on March 11, 2008, 7:06 pm
My front storm door is mounted so that the hinges are on the east,
meaning that the open part of the door is exposed to the breezes much
of the time, and this winter, we've had some very windy days (40-70
mph).

The wind can damage the door if it flings it open too violently, and
this of course scares and concerns me.

But when my main front door is shut, and the storm door has the
windows (not screens) in, the door won't shut all the way until it
clicks firmly closed and latched. The air resistance as it closes,
especially the final couple inches into the doorframe, slows the door
enough that it won't shut.

I don't have a problem in the summer - with the screens in, the door
closes and latches, even with the main front door closed.

I don't have a problem in the winter when the door closes and the main
front door is open (such as when I'm entering the house).

The only problem is in the common scenario where people are leaving
the house through the front door. They pull the main door shut, then
the storm door won't close to latching.

I've played with the resistance/closing speed settings in the storm
door, and even when I can make it slam hard with the main front door
open, it won't close to latching with the main front door closed.

So what am I supposed to do, without just leaving the screens in even
during the winter, if I want the door to properly close in the winter?

Posted by Oren on March 11, 2008, 7:30 pm
On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:06:07 -0400, trader-of-some-jacks

>My front storm door is mounted so that the hinges are on the east,
>meaning that the open part of the door is exposed to the breezes much
>of the time, and this winter, we've had some very windy days (40-70
>mph).
>
>The wind can damage the door if it flings it open too violently, and
>this of course scares and concerns me.
>
>But when my main front door is shut, and the storm door has the
>windows (not screens) in, the door won't shut all the way until it
>clicks firmly closed and latched. The air resistance as it closes,
>especially the final couple inches into the doorframe, slows the door
>enough that it won't shut.
>
>I don't have a problem in the summer - with the screens in, the door
>closes and latches, even with the main front door closed.
>
>I don't have a problem in the winter when the door closes and the main
>front door is open (such as when I'm entering the house).
>
>The only problem is in the common scenario where people are leaving
>the house through the front door. They pull the main door shut, then
>the storm door won't close to latching.
>
>I've played with the resistance/closing speed settings in the storm
>door, and even when I can make it slam hard with the main front door
>open, it won't close to latching with the main front door closed.
>
>So what am I supposed to do, without just leaving the screens in even
>during the winter, if I want the door to properly close in the winter?

Do you have a door closure device? (looks like a shock absorber)

Might need adjustment or replacement.

Posted by trader-of-some-jacks on March 11, 2008, 8:09 pm

>Do you have a door closure device? (looks like a shock absorber)
>
>Might need adjustment or replacement.

Yes, I've played with that using each possible permutation:

- a "winter" and "summer" setting for how the shaft mounts to the door
(two holes for mounting, one for with screen, one for with storm
window)

- a screw-adjusted tension setting

On the most tension setting, the door will just slam when there's no
air resistance (like when the front door is open). But with the front
door closed, the storm door will come flying closed, then slow down
and stop short of latching into the door frame.

Since I can set the closure device to essentially slam the door with
no shock absorbed "bounces" back, I assume that the door is closing
pretty hard. Just not hard enough to latch.

Of course if I expose some screens on the door (the storm windows
retract into the door frame), that cuts the insulating ability of the
door. Same if I remove weather stripping or the door sweep.

Posted by Oren on March 11, 2008, 9:35 pm
On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:09:25 -0400, trader-of-some-jacks

>
>>Do you have a door closure device? (looks like a shock absorber)
>>
>>Might need adjustment or replacement.
>
>Yes, I've played with that using each possible permutation:
>
>- a "winter" and "summer" setting for how the shaft mounts to the door
>(two holes for mounting, one for with screen, one for with storm
>window)
>
>- a screw-adjusted tension setting
>
>On the most tension setting, the door will just slam when there's no
>air resistance (like when the front door is open). But with the front
>door closed, the storm door will come flying closed, then slow down
>and stop short of latching into the door frame.
>
>Since I can set the closure device to essentially slam the door with
>no shock absorbed "bounces" back, I assume that the door is closing
>pretty hard. Just not hard enough to latch.
>
>Of course if I expose some screens on the door (the storm windows
>retract into the door frame), that cuts the insulating ability of the
>door. Same if I remove weather stripping or the door sweep.

With a hydraulic cylinder; it should close and then snug the door to
the latch. (no portion of the door dragging on the sill?) Hinges are
tight, etc....?

I can only suggest the cylinder is leaking ...replace..


Posted by Nate Nagel on March 11, 2008, 9:39 pm
Oren wrote:
> On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:09:25 -0400, trader-of-some-jacks
>
>
>>
>>
>>>Do you have a door closure device? (looks like a shock absorber)
>>>
>>>Might need adjustment or replacement.
>>
>>Yes, I've played with that using each possible permutation:
>>
>>- a "winter" and "summer" setting for how the shaft mounts to the door
>>(two holes for mounting, one for with screen, one for with storm
>>window)
>>
>>- a screw-adjusted tension setting
>>
>>On the most tension setting, the door will just slam when there's no
>>air resistance (like when the front door is open). But with the front
>>door closed, the storm door will come flying closed, then slow down
>>and stop short of latching into the door frame.
>>
>>Since I can set the closure device to essentially slam the door with
>>no shock absorbed "bounces" back, I assume that the door is closing
>>pretty hard. Just not hard enough to latch.
>>
>>Of course if I expose some screens on the door (the storm windows
>>retract into the door frame), that cuts the insulating ability of the
>>door. Same if I remove weather stripping or the door sweep.
>
>
> With a hydraulic cylinder; it should close and then snug the door to
> the latch. (no portion of the door dragging on the sill?) Hinges are
> tight, etc....?
>
> I can only suggest the cylinder is leaking ...replace..
>

I've been doing the same dance; I've come to the conclusion that it's
simply not possible to have the storm door latch itself with the inside
door closed. I have not found a closer with enough grunt to pull it
shut, it's due to the air building up between the doors - it slams
nicely with the inside door open.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

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