Storm Doors in Windy Towns: Closers, Wind Chains & Choosing One

Winter guide

Why storm doors fail out here

A storm door is a lightweight door hung on the outside of your main entry. It adds a pocket of still air in front of the door, keeps snow off the threshold, and lets you open a screen in summer. In a sheltered neighborhood it can last decades. In a windy town it can be bent past its hinges in one afternoon.

Several parts of our service area are known for wind. Gusts funnel out of Echo Canyon and down the Weber valley through Henefer, Coalville, Hoytsville and Wanship. Oakley and Peoa sit in open fields along the Weber where nothing slows the wind coming off Weber Canyon. The Kamas Valley gets strong afternoon gusts across its hay fields, and the Heber Valley sees canyon winds out of Provo Canyon and Daniels Canyon and the wind off Deer Creek around Charleston. Storm fronts crossing the Wasatch in spring and fall can push gusts well past what a light aluminum door is built to handle.

Wind catches a storm door the moment it's open. A gust swings it out, the closer can't hold it, and the door slams to the end of its travel. That snaps the closer bracket out of the jamb, bends the hinge rail and stretches the frame. After that, the door never quite closes or seals again.

1. Check and adjust the closer

Most storm doors use one or two pneumatic closers: a cylinder with a rod that attaches to the door and a bracket on the jamb. The adjustment screw on the end of the cylinder sets the closing speed. Turn it in to slow the door down, out to speed it up. Set it so the door closes fully and latches without slamming, then test it again on a cold morning. Closers get stiff and slow in the cold, and many doors that close fine in October stop latching in January. A seasonal tweak is normal.

Two closers are better than one in windy spots. Many heavier doors come with a top and bottom closer. If yours has mounting holes for a second one, it's worth adding.
Upgrade to a heavy-duty closer if yours is the light, small-diameter kind that came with a budget door.
Look at the jamb bracket. If its screws have pulled loose or the jamb is split, the bracket needs longer screws into solid framing, or a new mounting spot.
Be careful with the hold-open washer. That little sliding washer on the rod is handy for carrying groceries, but a door held open in a gust is exactly how closers and hinges get destroyed.

2. Add or replace the wind chain

A wind chain, also called a safety chain, runs from the top of the door to the frame, usually with a spring in the middle. It stops the door from swinging past a set point, typically just under 90 degrees, so a gust stretches the spring instead of the hinges. A lot of storm doors were installed without one, or the chain broke years ago and was never replaced. In a windy town, this is the single most useful thing you can add. Set it so the door stops before it hits the siding, the railing or anything else.

3. Fix a door that's already been bent

If the wind has already caught your storm door, look closely before deciding it's ruined:

Closer torn out: often a new bracket and longer screws in a fresh spot on the jamb fix it.
Hinge rail (Z-bar) bent or pulled away from the house: sometimes it can be re-fastened and re-shimmed. If the aluminum is creased, the frame or the whole door usually needs replacing.
Door rubs or won't latch: adjust the latch strike, re-square the frame with shims and check that the hinge screws are tight.
Gap at the bottom: most storm doors have an adjustable expander or sweep at the bottom. Slide it down to meet the threshold and tighten it so snow and wind stay out.
Glass or screen panel loose: re-seat it and replace broken clips or retainers.

A storm door that's bent through the door itself, or one with a cracked frame, is usually cheaper and quicker to replace than to fight with.

4. Winter problems

Snow and ice cause their own storm door problems. Snow piled on the stoop can stop the door from opening or block the closer from finishing its swing, so clear a full swing path. Meltwater from the roof that drips onto the stoop refreezes into a ridge the door hits, which is a gutter or roof issue more than a door issue. Concrete stoops heave with frost and can push up against the bottom of the door, especially in Kamas, Oakley and Peoa, so adjust the expander up in winter and back down in spring. On vacation rentals, guests often prop storm doors open while unloading skis, so a good wind chain and a working closer matter even more there.

5. Choosing a storm door for a windy spot

If you're buying a new storm door, a few choices make a real difference in wind:

Heavier construction. Look for a thicker aluminum or steel frame and a full-length hinge rather than a few small butt hinges. Doors marketed as heavy-duty or for high-traffic use hold up much better.
Hinge side. Where the layout allows, hinge the door on the side that lets the prevailing wind push it closed rather than catch it open. Think about where you'll be standing with groceries and where a railing or wall sits too.
Two closers and a wind chain included, or room to add them.
Glass style. Full-view glass looks great but acts like a sail. Doors with a retractable screen or interchangeable panels are lighter in summer. In very windy spots, a door with a solid lower kick panel is more durable.
Sun and color. At this elevation, a dark storm door in front of a south- or west-facing entry can trap a lot of heat against the main door. Some entry door makers warn that this can damage the door or affect its warranty, so check your entry door's guidance, and consider a lighter color or a ventilating model.
Fit. Measure the opening at the top, middle and bottom. Older homes in Coalville and Heber often have openings that aren't square, which affects which door and frame will fit.

Doing it yourself or calling for help

Adjusting a closer, moving the hold-open washer and sliding the bottom expander are easy do-it-yourself fixes. Replacing closers, adding a wind chain, re-fastening a hinge rail and hanging a new storm door are a bit more involved, and that's where we come in. If your main entry door also leaks air, our guide to drafty doors and weatherstripping covers sweeps, thresholds and weatherstripping. For local door work, see door repair in Coalville, door repair in Kamas and door repair in Park City, or snow-season prep in Coalville and Oakley.

Storm door damaged in a big blow? Our after-the-windstorm checklist covers fences, gutters, siding trim and who fixes what.

When to call a pro

Door or window company: replacing a rotted or out-of-square main entry door or frame, and custom-size storm doors
Glass company: replacement tempered glass for some storm door models
Roofer or gutter company: roof drips that refreeze into an ice ridge on the stoop
Us: closer adjustment and replacement, wind chains, hinge rail and latch repairs, sweeps and expanders, hanging new storm doors you've picked out, and weatherstripping on the main door

Where we help

Call or text (435) 321-2591 Message us on Instagram

Storm door FAQ

Why does my storm door keep blowing open?

Usually the closer is weak, slowed by cold or set too slow, and there's no working wind chain. Adjusting or replacing the closer and adding a wind chain stops most wind damage.

How do I adjust a storm door closer?

Turn the screw on the end of the closer cylinder in to slow the door and out to speed it up. Set it so the door closes and latches without slamming, and check it again in cold weather, since closers stiffen in the cold.

Can a storm door bent by the wind be fixed?

Often. A torn-out closer bracket, loose hinge rail or latch problem can usually be repaired. If the door itself or its frame is creased or cracked, replacing it is usually the better choice.

What kind of storm door is best for a windy town?

A heavier door with a full-length hinge, two closers and a wind chain, hinged so the prevailing wind pushes it closed where possible. A solid lower panel holds up better than full-view glass in very windy spots.

Can you fix or install a storm door for me?

Yes. We replace closers and wind chains, re-fasten hinge rails, adjust sweeps and hang new storm doors. Call or text (435) 321-2591, or message @kamasvalleyhandyman on Instagram, with your town and photos of the door.

We focus on general handyman work and are not a licensed electrical, plumbing or general contracting company. For jobs that need a licensed trade, we'll tell you upfront and point you in the right direction.

Storm doors in windy towns