After Hurricane Katrina, the entire nation took notice of the need to protect their home from high winds and strong storms. With devastation like that, its easy to see why storm doors and windows can make all the difference in the world. Even if you dont live in an area that is affected by hurricanes, storm doors and windows are an option that many homeowners should consider. Use this guide to storm doors and windows, and then make the choice for yourself: are storm door sand windows right for me?

Protection

Its obvious that the main reason for installing a storm door or window is for the protection. But do they really protect your home from storm damages? Many storm doors and windows are designed to do just thatprotect your home from high winds, flying debris and heavy rains. But not all storm doors and windows are the same. When youre looking for a strong storm window or door, take a look at the glass and ask these questions: Are the glass panes recessed into the frame? Will the glass panes be double glazed? What type of glass will be used? Will there be a large thermal break between the panes? Be sure that no matter what type of storm window or door you install, ensure that the glass is strong and resilient. After all, a storm door or window is only as strong as the glass.

Strength

Even when the glass in your storm door or window is some of the toughest on the planet, you need a strong frame to keep the glass in place. There are a wide variety of storm door and storm window styles, but keep in mind, there are several features that set other frames apart from the rest. Keep a look out for liquid welds on the inside of the frame. This can ensure that a strong frame is in place. Also, a honeycomb-style aluminum frame is another storm window feature that can guarantee youre getting a top of the line storm window or door frame. Hurricane clips can be an additional feature for storm windows that help make certain that no matter how strong the winds blow, your windows are going to stay in place.

Safety

Storm doors and windows are great at keeping high winds at bay. But they also work fantastic for keeping out burglars. Many storm doors and windows can protect your home from intrusion just because of their strength. But not all storm doors or windows are designed to protect a homeowner from a would-be thief. Be sure that when you purchase your storm doors or windows, you look for a style that has high performance double deadbolts. Zinc is a superior metal to steel for window and door locks and should be applied to your new windows or doors for the ultimate in safety. Look for a positive lock that fits into the extruded frame for the safest style of storm doors or windows. Without a positive locking system in place, windows and doors might keep out the wind, but they wont keep out burglars.