Storm doors are designed to open outwards and so generally aren’t fitted to open inward.
There are a number of reasons for this, and indeed there are benefits to each of them. We’ll be covering each of these elements within this guide.
The short answer is that storm doors can open inwards if your property allows it, and you’re willing to invest extra time and effort for fitting. We’ll cover all this and more in this guide.
What is a Storm Door?
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A storm door is best defined as a secondary door that fits outside your existing exterior doors. So storm doors are typically fitted over a front door or back door.
A storm door is essentially a tough door frame, into which different panels may be fitted, depending on their specific purpose.
For example, some storm doors are fitted with sturdy mesh or gauze, with the intention of keeping out insects in the summer while permitting ventilation to keep your home cool. The inner door (your existing front door) is left open, while the outer storm door remains shut (and locked) thus permitting a pleasant cool breeze into your home.
Another option is a storm door with glazed panels instead of the insect net. This helps to add additional insulation to your property, and reduces winter drafts. It has the added benefit of offering greater weatherproofing in storm-prone areas, and ensures your main front door looks better for longer.
In this way a storm door can also increase your home security – a potential criminal would need to get through both doors to gain access to your property. Seeing as so many criminals look for the easiest opportunities you can rest easy that you’ve made your home that much less appealing to them.
Lastly, be aware that some models even feature a “quick change system” that allows you to swap out the panels, going from glazed panels to insect gauze in a matter of minutes without having to remove the door itself from the hinges.
Why Do Storm Doors Open Outwards?
As should be obvious by now, when two doors are placed close together – often within just an inch or two between the two doors – they essentially need to open in opposite directions. If they opened in the same direction they’d get wedged against one another, potentially causing damage and making entering or exiting your home more troublesome.
As front doors traditionally open inwards, it follows that storm doors are typically designed to open outwards.
However there are other practical reasons why storm doors open outwards.
Less Chance of Insect Entry
Insects can be a major nuisance in warmer weather. Whether that’s mosquitoes or moths, it seems many insects are attracted to the light and warmth offered by our homes. On a balmy summer’s evening it’s common to find a considerable number of insects just resting on the insect mesh, hoping to get in.
A storm door that opened inwards would permit them instant access to your home as soon as you opened it. This is especially so when you consider that opening an inward-pointing storm door would likely also require your inner main door to be open too.
In contrast, a storm door that opens outward pushes the insects away from the entrance to your home, rather than swinging them into the property. As a result, your home remains insect-free for longer.
Better Weather Protection When Opening
It is a similar story when it comes to bad weather. The storm door can be opened slightly in heavy rain, allowing you to leave the property, but without the rain billowing into your home. The situation is even more obvious in snow, where the door opening outwards essentially sweeps the snow away from the threshold, rather than allowing it to blow or tumble into your home.
Greater Safety When Exiting Your Home
One final consideration is if you ever need to exit your property in a hurry. One such example might be in the case of a house fire, or spotting an intruder. In these cases you’ll want to be able to leave through the door as quickly and effortless as possible.
An outward-opening storm door permits this.
If your storm door opened inwards you’d need to step forward, turn the latch and then step backwards back into your home to create enough space for the door to open.
Why Fit an Inward-Opening Storm Door?
The only real reason why an inward-opening storm door might make sense is when you have a large amount of space between your main exterior door and the storm door.
One such example might be fitting a storm door to a covered porch, where the rest of the porch is already glazed or screened.
In such a situation there is plenty of space to push open the storm doors and walk through them before reaching your “proper” front door.
Even then, for the reasons outlined above, you might want to stick with a traditional outward-opening storm door.
Conclusion: Can Storm Doors Open Inwards?
The reality is that most storm doors open outwards, and for a variety of good reasons. Most store-bought storm door kits bear this in mind, and so equipment and fitting instructions all work on this preconception.
In truth, if you really want your storm door to open inwards despite these reasons, there are ways to make it happen. That said, as it is an unusual request you may have to do some hunting around to find suitable equipment, and you may have to put additional effort into the installation process.
It goes without saying that you’ll want the right hinges paired with the right frame. But one element often forgotten in such circumstances is the handle and locking mechanism. You’ll need to choose such a mechanism that allows the door to swing inwards without catching on the frame, while also locking securely when closed.
A small number of suppliers offer what are often known as “inswing” fittings for storm doors and these can be a good place to start.
Lastly you’ll likely want to either hire a professional or to be quite handy with tools, as some additional effort will be required with fitting. This is especially so if you’re attempting to replace an existing storm door, where the door frame is likely already in place, and positioned as such for an outward-opening storm door.