How to Install an Andersen Storm Door

Hold the Andersen storm door up to the door opening. Check that it fits in the opening and the handle does not interfere with the exterior door's handle. Place a small piece of painter's tape on the Andersen storm door's exterior hinge side for a reference. Set the door aside.

Center the supplied drip cap over the opening's top edge. The drip cap is the metal strip above the door. A fuzzy strip runs along the drip caps bottom edge. Use a pencil to mark the screw holes' locations and set the drip cap aside. Drill a 1/8-inch pilot hole through each pencil mark. Line up the drip cap's holes with the pilot holes. Place a Phillips-head drill bit in your drill and secure the drip cap in place with one supplied screw through the screw hole on the hinge side.

Lay the Andersen storm door on edge so the hinge edge is pointing up. Lay the hinge Z-bar on the door's hinge edge. The hinge Z-bar is a long metal strip with the hinges secured to it. Position the Z-bar so it extends 1/8 inch past the door's top edge. Use the supplied screws to secure the Z-bar's hinges to the storm door with the drill and Phillips-head drill bit.

Measure the opening on the hinge side from the sill up to the drip cap. Transfer this measurement to the hinge Z-bar. Use a hacksaw to cut the Z-bar to this length.

Lift the Andersen storm door into the opening. Push the hinge Z-bar tight against the drip cap's bottom edge and against the opening's side. Place a level on the Z-bar and position it so it is straight in the opening. Mark the Z-bar's screw holes with a pencil and set the door aside. Drill 1/8-inch pilot holes through each mark and realign the Z-bar's screw holes with the pilot holes.

Insert the top screw to hole the door in place. Hold a level against the Z-bar to ensure it is straight in the opening. Finish securing the hinge Z-bar in place with the provided screws.

Close the Andersen storm door tightly. Adjust the drip cap so that the gap between the drip cap's bottom edge and the storm door's top edge is even down the entire length. Secure the drip cap in place with the provided screws with the drill and Phillips-head drill bit.

Hold the handle-side Z-bar in the door opening so the fuzzy weather stripping is pointing out. Mark the Z-bar's top end with a piece of painter's tape. Do not make cuts on this end.

Measure the door opening's height on the handle side from the sill to the drip cap's bottom edge. Transfer this measurement to the handle-side Z-bar. Cut the handle-side Z-bar to the appropriate length, using a hacksaw.

Open the Andersen storm door and position the handle-side Z-bar tightly against the drip cap's bottom edge. Close the storm door and adjust the handle-side Z-bar so there is a 3/16-inch gap running down the door's length.

Drill 1/8-inch pilot holes through each of the handle-side Z-bar's screw holes. Secure the Z-bar in place, using the supplied screws and the drill with Phillips-head drill bit.

Slide the two supplied sweep fins into the door sweep's tracks. Pinch the track's ends closed with pliers to hold the two fins in place. Cut off any excess fin with scissors. Slide the sweep onto the door's bottom edge. Close the door and adjust the sweep so the fins just touch the sill. Drill 1/8-inch pilot holes into the sweep's screw holes. Keep the pilot holes approximately 1/2 inch deep so you do not drill all the way through the door. Secure the sweep in place with the supplied screws, using the drill and Phillips-head drill bit.

Set the Andersen door's edge seal against the door's handle side. Mark the top end with painter's tape so you do not cut it. Measure the door's height and transfer this measurement to the edge seal. Cut the edge seal to the proper length with a hacksaw.

Rub a metal file on the edge seal's bottom corners to dull them. Position the edge seal on the Andersen storm door and secure it in place with the supplied screws, using the drill and Phillips-head drill bit.

Lay the drip cap's screw hole cover on its top edge. Position the cover so it is bending out toward you. Run your fingers along the cover to push the bend away from you, snapping the cover in place. Repeat with the covers for the two Z-bars.