Which way should a screen door swing, in or out? If you haven’t installed a screen door before, you might think that all of them are installed the same way and it’s more of a personal preference. A screen door is considered additional security to your house so you need to know exactly how it would be installed.
Aside from the screen door, you need to consider your main door as well since it would be attached close to it. We listed down some of the common questions about screen door installation to help you decide.
Which Way Should a Screen Door Swing?
The way your screen door opens will always be your choice. You can choose to install an in-swing door where it swings towards the inside along with your exterior door or you can choose the traditional way of installation where the screen door swings toward the outside.
There are a few factors that can affect your decision when it comes to this:
1. Installation of a New Screen Door
When you’re installing a new screen door, it means that you have the freedom to choose where it would open. Since it’s a new door, you need to pay attention to how the main standard door opens.
Main doors usually swing toward the inside for safety reasons. This is a way for you to protect your property from thieves and burglars and to prevent bugs from entering your home.
By adding a new storm door, you also improve the protection of your property. However, you need to make sure that it will swing in the opposite direction of your main door to avoid a collision.
If an intruder decides to enter your house and both your main door and screen door open toward the inside, they can push through the entrance without a hitch.
You have to make sure that your screen door opens outwards because it would act as a barrier against intruders. It will also provide additional protection from different weather conditions.
2. Replacement of your Screen Door
If you are replacing an existing screen door, it means that the hinges are already attached to the door frame and you won’t have to remove them. You can just buy the door and install the new one the same way as the old screen door.
Doing this can help you save more time and money. However, it would still depend on the situation. If you plan to replace the screen door so you can change how it opens, then you will have to remove all the existing hardware from the old screen door.
3. Clear Path
Screen doors provide protection, but it also means that you have to open another door if you want to go out of your house. In case of fire or earthquake, if there is no clear doorway path and there is interference with the door opening, you will have a hard time going out of your home.
This is a huge risk, especially if you did not consider the repercussions of installing a screen door.
Since the goal of a screen door is to add protection, it is better if it opens outward. When you have a screen door, you do not usually close the entry doors. This way, you can see the outdoors while still protecting your indoors.
If the screen door swings outwards, you can easily get out of your home by pushing the door. In case of emergencies, going outside will not be a big problem. Screen doors that open toward the inside might even cause panic during emergency situations.
Where Should the Handle of the Screen Door be Placed?
This is another question that might be confusing a lot of people. The general rule for the door handle of the screen door is that it should be placed on opposite sides. If the handle of the main door is on the left side, the handle of the screen door should be on the right.
Also, the handle should be placed in the opposite direction of the hinges. If the hinges are on the left side, the handle should be on the right side.
The handle should be easily accessible and there should not be any kind of hindrance that would make it hard for you to open the screen door.
Can I Place my Screen Door on the Inside of my Main Door?
It’s not a bad thing to put your screen door inside, which would make your main door face the outside. However, doing this can pose a safety risk. Remember that a screen door is supposed to add a layer of protection to your home, but if you place it inside, it would also open inwards.
If the screen door opens inwards, it means that your main entry door will have to swing outwards. This would be very dangerous as it would prevent you and your family from safely exiting your home.
Since a screen door prevents bugs from the house and provides adequate airflow and ventilation inside your home, putting inside completely defeats its purpose.
Also, you need to keep in mind that when a door jamb is installed, the extra space for the screen door to be placed is on the outside. It means that if you want your screen door to be installed inside, you will have to build a customized door jamb.
You need to prioritize safety more than anything else so instead of putting it inside, place your screen door outside your main door.
Conclusion
As homeowners, we indeed have the freedom to choose which way our screen door wood swing opens, but if you look at several factors, it should always open towards the outside. Screen doors do not only improve your home’s curb appeal. Its main goal is to provide a layer of protection to your home.
As long as you know what you need for your home, you won’t make a mistake in installing your screen door.
If you need any advice on the installation of your screen door, feel free to comment down below and we will help you.
