Living in Northwest Florida and Southeast Alabama means dealing with severe storm weather at least six months out of the year. Storms and hurricanes can cause major damage to our home exteriors, which is why it’s important for those living near the coast to hurricane-proof their homes as much as possible. 

Doors and windows can be particularly susceptible to damage from strong winds, water, flying debris, and other hurricane-related threats. At Hometown Contractors, Inc., we help Floridians and Alabaman homeowners to outfit their homes and protect their families with premium-quality hurricane shutters and storm doors. If you’ve wondered what the benefits of impact doors are for your home, take a look at this information on this important installation that will help your Emerald Coast home to weather any storm coming your way.

What Are Hurricane-Rated Storm Doors?

Hurricane-proof storm doors are doors that are engineered to withstand extremely high winds and strong impacts from flying debris in storms. Storm doors are usually made from wood, aluminum, or PVC and fiberglass materials, and can be customized in a number of styles. 

How to Choose the Right Custom Storm Door for Your Home

The three most common types of impact doors are full-view, retractable screen, and ventilating doors. Choosing the right storm door for your home can depend on your home’s climate, architectural style, and other factors. Poor choice and installation of a storm door can also severely affect its quality and functional value, which is why it’s important to seek the help of a trusted home contractor to assist with the process of installation.

Before visiting a home remodeling contractor to plan your storm door installation, consider these tips for choosing the right model for your home:

  • Full-View: Full-view storm doors are made of mostly glass panels are more expensive options, but provide better protection during hurricanes and bad storms and improved insulation factors due to the energy-efficient impact windows/glass area built right into the door. They also better protect coastal home doorways from salty air and corrosion. Full-view storm doors also offer enhanced visibility, making it easy to see outside.
  • Retractable Screen: This option is meant to protect the home during storms, but offer less protection to cover your door materials than full-view, glass impact doors. Retractable screens provide excellent ventilation during hot weather, keep mosquitoes and other pests out, and can be a great choice for households that lack or prefer not to use their cooling systems. 
  • Combination: If you prefer, you can have your home equipped with both a full-view storm door and a retractable screen door. This option costs more, but provides homeowners with the best of both worlds. It will also help them save money on cooling costs when it’s hot outside and heating costs in colder weather. 

What are the Benefits of Impact Doors for Coastal Homes?

In coastal areas, ocean air can be quite corrosive and cause damage to your home’s construction. Like with energy-efficient impact windows, storm doors (and especially full-view storm doors) offer an extra layer of protection over wood and aluminum doors that are highly sensitive to salty air and corrosion. 

Storm doors are made with glass and window screen panels and installed over an entry door to protect the home from harsh weather conditions. They serve an important purpose during hurricanes, protecting the door from impact damage. They also help to enhance the home’s energy-efficiency in good and bad weather and provide excellent insulation and security as another added layer, and protection from insects.

Emerald Coast’s Top-Rated Home Remodeling Team

Stand strong against the elements with the Emerald Coast’s top-rated home improvement contractors at Hometown Contractors, Inc. Our team is dedicated to reinforcing homes in the area with premium-quality products and durable installations that are as beautiful as they are strong and long-lasting. From hurricane-proof storm doors and energy-efficient impact windows and more, we’d love to give you the peace of mind that comes with having a virtually indestructible home in even the harshest of weather conditions.

For more information about improving your home with Hometown Contractors, Inc., give us a call to speak with an agent over the phone now. Or, if you’d like to set up a free, in-home consultation and pricing estimate, fill out our quick online form.