Help Settle a Disagreement

[kath16]

In the fall we had a brand new front door installed. It's beautiful and the only reason we were able to get it is because we know a guy. It looks similar to the picture below -- it's a solid door with fancy looking side lights. 

So, here is the disagreement:

Spouse A - Thinks we should get a fairly expensive screen door for the spring/summer/early fall months. We live in the mid-Atlantic and do not have central air in our old house. We have a toddler and another one coming in early May.

Spouse B - Does not want to cover this beautiful door with a screen/storm door. We have two giant windows that open onto our porch and can get a window a/c unit for the side window in our living room.





Thoughts?

[Ramz-ee]

I would not want to cover that door. No way. No how.

Although, there are screen doors now that "disappear" when you want them to. I think there was a post here about them awhile back and some of the screen doors didn't get great reviews. My neighbor has one and always says great things about it. Just something else to consider.

[momin2013]

No, I wouldn't. I really, really love the functionality of screen doors, but hate the look of them so much that I can't bring myself to add one (particularly over top of a nice-looking door). If you have nice big windows that you can open, you should be able to get a decent enough breeze in that way, I would think...

[mrs.jacinthe]

Screen door 200%. I'd get one that is a full panel, finished with a wood frame the same tone as your full door. Like this guy:

www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/collections/full-lite-fir-screen-door/products/5519760be694aab980001187

[treedimensional]

The windows provide enough air circulation. I would not leave my front door open. It is only a few feet away from the public sidewalk. I might leave the back door open, where at least there is a fenced yard and a locked gate providing another layer of security. If you don't have central air I assume you have window units and fans.
We used to have a screen door on the front, and when I painted I remember *thinking* it had to be replaced; but we removed it and we don't miss it.

[kath16]

Mar 20, 2017 10:05:44 GMT -5 treedimensional said:

The windows provide enough air circulation. I would not leave my front door open. It is only a few feet away from the public sidewalk. I might leave the back door open, where at least there is a fenced yard and a locked gate providing another layer of security. If you don't have central air I assume you have window units and fans.
We used to have a screen door on the front, and when I painted I remember *thinking* it had to be replaced; but we removed it and we don't miss it.

you can get screen doors that lock (yeah I know you can cut through them) but  we live on a quiet street and the steps up to our porch make it so you can't even see inside the house from the sidewalk/street level.

[CrazyLucky]

That door is gorgeous! I'm more into functionality and I wish we could get a screen door. The windows in my living room are on two adjacent walls, and so you can't get a cross breeze. Do you already have a ceiling fan? They help a lot.

[dottyblue]

I am team screen door. That is a huge opening to allow air flow, and it will make a big difference.

[Deleted]

People leave their doors open? With toddlers?

I'm on Team B. Beautiful door.

[InBetweenDays]

I'm Team B, but we leave our front door open without a screen all the time in the summer. We also live in the PNW where it isn't too hot and have virtually no bugs. Lots of older houses out here don't have screens on their windows either.

[lilac05]

That's a gorgeous door!

I love the functionality of screen doors. If I moved into a house without one, I would probably put one on almost immediately. I can have all of my windows open, but it just doesn't feel like Spring until the door is open, too. Bugs are bad in the summer, and I think a bunny or squirrel would just hop in the house if we just left the door open without it! I also love being able to have my main door open when we're expecting company...it just feels more inviting to me.

Our door is glass with a roll-up screen in it. That makes it even more functional, as I can leave it open in a wider range of temps and when it's raining. It just has a bar across the middle. Not ideal from a fashion sense, but the functionality is far more important to me.

[Susie]

Team B. I hate screen/storm doors with the passion of 1000 suns. I was so thrilled to rip ours off, after the 89,043rd time it swung shut and caught the back of my heel while I was carrying something into the house. Plus, your door is prettttttty.

[hbomdiggity]

I grew up in Maryland without a/c. I'm trying to remember if our front door had a screen door - the other 3 (door on every side of the house) definitely did.

but that door is too pretty for a screen door.

[Deleted]

What about a sliding/rolling screen so you can just pull it open when you need it. There will still be the frame but it shouldn't look too bad

[pumpkin]

Mar 20, 2017 15:57:24 GMT -5 InBetweenDays said:

I'm Team B, but we leave our front door open without a screen all the time in the summer. We also live in the PNW where it isn't too hot and have virtually no bugs. Lots of older houses out here don't have screens on their windows either.

This is pretty much what I was going to say. But Im in the PNW and growing up no one I know had screens on doors or windows and my parents still don't.

[andwhat]

I have never lived in a place without central air. I live in the Mid-Atlantic and I cannot imagine not having some kind of air conditioning and I don't see how windows or an open door would be good enough. So for that alone I agree with Spouse B (which we all know is you lol) and get a window unit.

[LoveTrains]

I would still do a screen door. I love having one. I have a wooden door like that in my home and have a storm door. I love opening the door.

[megstoo]

Team screen door here. I LOVE LOVE LOVE being able to have our front door open in the spring/summer when there's a nice breeze and getting fresh air in the house. We have a door similar and at first I didn't want a screen door but I'm glad we did get it.

[nicolewi]

Following this. We have a huge wooded front door with NO side lights (we didn't design this) and in fact, no windows on that side of our great room (door opens into the great room). Everyone loves the door, but I wish I could open it in good weather for light and fresh air. DH says no way would be spend a lot of money to get a custom screen door just to cover the fancy door...but functionally it would be great.

[sweetcheeks]

Team B. As long as you have windows that can be opened to get fresh air, I would not put a screen door up. I'm not a fan of the informality of them on a front door. That said, I just has a full glass storm door installed this past year, that can be changed to a full screen. It's not nearly as noticeable as the half screen doors. In my case, that part of the house gets little to no natural light and no air, so function far outweighed style.

[moolarkey]

We have a Phantom Screen door - the door that disappears. I LOVE it. It was a gift from our kids for my birthday, they didn't feel a regular screen door or a storm door w/ screen insert, would look right on our house but when the weather is nice, I love having the door open and letting the breeze through. Phantom is the most well-known manufacturer but there are several others in several price ranges.

[af1212]

I would for sure get a screen door. Open it so the kids can look out while you get a great breeze through the house!

I am also in the mid-Atlantic and can't imagine living without a screen door. We use ours so often.

[adhdfashion]

I must be a wuss but this PNW loves her AC. Granted, I only need it three months out of the year tops. I vote window unit. I rarely use my screen door. I usually leave it propped open. Mostly so people can see my cute door decor. LOL

[sju1982]

Team B. Your door is too pretty to hide.

We just repainted our storm door a bright red, and had a new full panel screen door installed a few weeks later. The red door looks so blah now from the street. I hate the screen door, and it's a pretty nice one in terms of quality.

[lala]

I can't imagine not having a screen door. We are mid-atlantic, old house w/ all window units. I don't turn the air on unless it's going to be above the low-mid 80s usually. Or extremely sticky/humid. So our windows & front door & back door are open all spring & fall and lots of the summer. We'd never get a good breeze otherwise. I'd find one as mentioned above that is just a frame so you can really see the door.

You can still have a window unit for the hottest days, I don't see why they're mutually exclusive.

[lala]

Also I avoid, if at all possible, any window unit in the front of my house b/c it looks horrible. I know occasionally it's unavoidable but I hate how it looks.

[badgergrl]

Option c install central air or other household cooling unit and in no way cover your door with a screen. The door is beautiful 😀

[pooh8402]

Do not cover that beautiful door! Especially with a toddler!

[kath16]

lol you can't just install central air into a 1920s house for anywhere close to what we could afford.

I am actually Spouse A and want a pretty screen door because I'm going to be home all summer with the kids. I much prefer fresh air to a/c until it gets super hot and humid, which is usually only for a few weeks out of the year. We have window units in the bedrooms but would have to buy a new one for our main living area to cover the square footage -- I would much rather spend that money on a nice screen door. I had NOT heard of the phantom screens, so thank you for that suggestion. We might try something like that. I want the kids to be able to see outside and get some air flow! I KNOW the door is beautiful, but we still live in the house, KWIM?