On hot, humid days, getting proper ventilation becomes a mandatory thing. Storm doors can help you get that pretty easily. And added to the ventilation, you get the protection against bugs and flies as well.
Now, the real difficulty is choosing the best storm door for your home because a popular debate of Larson vs. Andersen storm doors is always there when it comes to the best storm doors.
Which one should you choose? Let’s find that out below.
An Overview Of Larson And Andersen Doors
To choose one of these options, I will take you through a little overview of both the doors. This will help you learn about them individually and know what these doors have to offer.
And then I will make a little comparison where you will know which one suits your needs better.
Let’s get started.
Overview of Larson Storm Doors
Larson Doors is a top name whenever someone considers buying storm doors. They have been doing this for a long time and have gained people’s trust through their quality.
Here are the qualities that make Larson storm doors stand among the crowd-
- Wide Variety of Choices
With Larson storm doors, you will never run out of choices. Once you start looking for storm doors, you may come across many different models from Larson doors alone.
Usually, all these models tend to be within the 4 core categories of doors they bring out.
They have storm doors with a retractable screen which is very convenient to have. Then there are seasonal ventilation doors where you can replace the screen with glass when you need it.
They also have special category doors and self-storing doors.
In short, you get a lot of choices when you go for Larson storm doors. So, they have got you covered with almost everything you may need.
- Build And Quality
Yes, there are some issues with storm doors but the reason many people rely on these doors is due to their build quality. Whether you get the aluminum doors or vinyl clad doors, or wooden doors, you get great quality out of them.
The materials are top-notch, and the durability is just as good.
Usually, all their doors have a weather-resistant technology called Duratech. This keeps the door safe from any rough weather conditions; it also helps the doors from aging.
So, you can relax about the durability of these doors as they are built to last for a long time. That’s how they have gained all the popularity of being one of the best storm doors manufacturers.
- Advanced Features
On the Larson storm doors, you get some attractive features that are hard to resist. Features like holding open doors help you greatly when you come from grocery shopping.
You can, of course, get a lot of different uses for this feature. I am just stating the obvious.
It also has a feature like 5 hinges that are great for doors that open and close constantly. It’s perfect for places that are busy, like shops or offices.
If you have to open your door quite a lot, it’s best to have this feature.
There are several other features that you can get from Larson doors based on specific models. No matter which one you choose, you always end up with something.
Overview of Andersen Storm Doors
Tough competition for all doors and window companies is Andersen. Their quality is hard to beat when it comes to making doors and windows for your home.
It’s a name you can rely on upon without thinking twice. Why do I say that? Let’s find out.
- Ease of Installation
Many of their storm door models come with the easy installation feature.
They also include instructions for the installation, which just makes it a child’s play.
Their most popular storm door lineup is the 3000 series storm doors.
This one is a pre-assembled storm door that will take about 45 minutes to install in your home.
And you can do the whole thing with the most basic tools too, no need to cut or measure anything either.
This is the case for most of their doors, making them a popular choice among households as people want to avoid as much trouble as possible with the installation.
- Customization Options
Whether it’s the colors or the hardware options, you get to do a lot of customization here.
Now, the best thing about Andersen is that you can head on to their website to design your door yourself. They have a design tool that lets you develop the design that you can get from them.
And when you add all the choices you get in hardware, colors, decorations; things just start looking so much better for you.
You will have a very satisfying experience with Andersen doors for sure.
- Quality And Features
With the Andersen doors, there is nothing to complain about the quality you get. They make sure to satisfy you with the things they put out.
So, durability will never be a question when you opt for Andersen doors.
Still, to give you more assurance, they provide a lifetime limited warranty on all their doors.
Whether your paint adhesion comes off or the frame faces an issue, you can get the value from the warranty. As for the other components, you still get 5 years of warranty on that as well.
Things get better when you take a look at the features of these doors. Most of the doors come with weather-stripping, so you get the best sealing possible.
And for smooth operation that lasts long, you get metal corner brackets as well.
Andersen Vs. Larson Storm Doors: Which One Should You Go For?
Well, choosing one of these doors will be a callous decision for you. Both of them are quite durable and come with several features.
Now, if you want freedom of customization and design, you can go for Andersen doors as it has the design option. But if you want to stay with the traditional classy, stylish storm doors, then Larson is a better way to go.
Also, Larson storm doors come in many varieties and styles, which you can’t find in Andersen storm doors. So, if you are looking for options, then Larson is a good choice.
The quickest way to choose one of them is probably based on the warranty. While Andersen has a lifetime warranty on all their doors, Larson only provides them for aluminum doors.
So, if you are going with a Larson door made of vinyl cladding or wood, you might not get the lifetime warranty feature.
As for the price, they both fall within the same category.
There is nothing much to differentiate there. And for other qualities like built quality, hardware quality, colors, door frames, you can hardly find a better choice among them.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
It should take less than one (1) hour to hang a Larson storm door unless you don’t have to remove your existing door.
They may charge you from $300 to $800 to hang a storm door.
Being weather-resistant, aluminum is the best material for a storm door.
Above average. Most reviewing sites gave it a 4.00 out of 5.00 rating.
Conclusion
To sum up, there is no clear winner for Larson vs. Andersen storm doors. When it comes to choosing one, you will have to rely on your personal preferences and the features each of them provides.
Other than that, there is no way to distinguish between these two doors as they are equally durable and full of features.
About Author
I read that a lot of people had problems with the 3000 series of Anderson retractable storm door
Screen coming out of roller
After a couple of times lowering the window to expose the screen
I recently purchased an Anderson 3000 storm door. The install went well enough until I had to install the retainers. The instructions on this step of the installation were of no help. After an hour of trying to figure it out I had to take a break and come back. Eventually after multiple subsequent tries I as able to get the retainer strips installed. As some one who designs and build products this was a truly awful design and implementation write up.
Just bought a Larson retractable screen storm door to replace an Andersen that was about 5 years old. Top plate on the interior side just fell off and the roller and screen fell out, tearing the screen. I might have bought another, except none of the big box stores had one in the right color. Forgot all about the warranty, but didn’t have time to fuss over it, I needed to replace the door immediately.
I’m much more impressed with the sturdiness of the Larson door, as well as the clear and concise installation instructions and well-marked bags of screws and hardware. All around I think Larson’s product is superior. I always found the big plastic release mechanism at the top of the screen on the Andersen door glitchy and difficult to engage. The Larson door has a smaller and simpler release mechanism in the middle of the door and a sturdy metal pull-down lip at the top it feels so much more substantial and smooth in its operation. I wholeheartedly recommend Larson over Andersen.
I purchase the Andersen 4000 series fullview that started cracking with 2 years but the warranty did not cover it. I’ve never seen a storm door crack before and don’t know why. I will purchase a Larson next.