Storm doors · Kingston
Storm doors: new glass, new screens or a new door
On many older houses in Kingston, Ontario, the storm door is part of how the entrance works: glass in for winter, a screen for summer, and a buffer between the front door and the lake wind. When one fails, it's usually the glass, screen insert or closer, each fixable on its own. We connect you with an independent local pro who repairs and fits storm doors.
- Closer or glass before the door
- Safety glass, as the code requires
- Seasonal glass and screen swaps
Glass
Replacing storm door glass (safety glass required)
Glass in a storm door has to be safety glass, tempered or laminated, under Ontario's Building Code. The safety glazing section we've checked predates the 2024 edition, so the pro orders to the current code.
A cracked pane is replaced with a new tempered piece made to size, since tempered glass can't be cut afterward, and an old door with ordinary glass is brought up to safety glass. For glass in the front door itself, see door glass replacement.
Screens
Screen inserts and seasonal swaps
Interchangeable panels
Glass and screen swap in one frame each season. Torn screens are rescreened.
Ventilating sashes
Glass slides down over a fixed screen; a sticking sash is repairable.
Built-in roll screens
A roll-away screen whose cartridge can often be replaced alone.
Wind and closers
Closers, chains and latches
A gust off the lake catches the door, the closer can't hold it, and it slams against the siding until the bracket pulls out and the corners crack.
Closers
The cylinder that eases the door shut. A slamming or sticking door usually needs it adjusted or replaced, a standard part.
Wind chains
A chain or stop that limits how far the door swings keeps a gust from bending it. Many doors lost theirs years ago.
Latches and handles
Worn handle sets and latches can be swapped without touching the door, sometimes with a close substitute on an older one.
Styles
Full-view, mid-view and ventilating styles
Full-view
One large glass panel that swaps for a full screen. The most light and view.
Mid-view
Glass above a solid lower panel that takes knocks from boots and pets.
Ventilating
Glass slides open over a screen, so there's nothing to store.
What affects the quote
What a storm door repair or new door depends on
Storm door jobs range widely. The pro will ask about:
- Glass only, a screen insert, a closer or latch, or a whole door
- Full-view, mid-view or ventilating style
- A stock door or a custom one for an odd opening
- Aluminum, steel-clad or wood frame, and the finish
Photograph the storm door, its closer, and the glass panel up close. The pro takes the final measurements.
Older houses
Storm doors on older and heritage homes
An old wood storm door can be as much a part of a stone or brick entrance as the front door. On a designated property, or in the Barriefield, Market Square or Old Sydenham conservation districts, altering parts of an entrance can need a heritage permit. Check with Heritage Planning before swapping a wood storm door for a metal one.
Wood storm doors can usually be repaired: new glass, rescreened panels, reglued joints. If the house has storm windows as well, it makes sense to have both looked at together.
Repair or replace
Repair or replace?
Repair when the frame is square and solid. Replace when it has bent from being blown open, the corners have split, or the door won't close against its stop however it's adjusted.
Screen doors without glass are a separate job; see screen door repair. For the front door behind the storm door, see entry doors.
Questions
Storm door questions
Explore your options
Related door and window pages
Local pros repair and fit storm doors across Kingston and nearby, including Sydenham Ward, Portsmouth Village, Barriefield and Bath.
Photograph the storm door and its closer
Add a close-up of the glass panel or the broken part. We pass it to a local pro who repairs storm doors, and they'll say whether a part or a new door makes sense.