How to Install Anderson Storm Doors

Remove the glass from your Anderson storm door so that it does not break during installation. Turn the thumb screws counterclockwise so that the latches point down. Tip the glass forward and remove it from the door. Set the glass aside in a safe location.

Place the rain cap against the top door molding on the house. Center it over the door opening. Drill a pilot hole through the last hole, on the same side as the hinges. Use a 1/8-inch drill bit. Use a supplied screw to secure the rain cap to the top molding.

Place the storm door assembly into the door opening. Hold the assembly tight to the side of the opening where the hinges will be. Make sure the screws are on the right-hand side for right-hinged doors and on the left-hand side for left-hinged doors. Secure the hinge Z-bar to the storm door with the supplied screws.

Measure the door opening, from the rain cap to the bottom sill. Transfer this measurement to the hinge Z-bar. Cut the Z-bar to this length with a hacksaw.

Lift the Anderson storm door into the door opening. Make sure the hinge Z-bar is flush with the edge rain cap and is pressed tightly against the bottom of the rain cap. Drill a 1/8-inch pilot hole through the top hole on the hinge Z-bar, into the side molding. Secure the Z-bar in place with a supplied screw.

Place a level against the hinge Z-bar and adjust it so that it is sitting straight up and down. Drill 1/8-inch pilot holes through the rest of the screw holes in the Z-bar. Finish securing the Z-bar to the side jamb with the supplied screws.

Open the Anderson storm door. Drill 1/8-inch pilot holes through the screw holes on the inside side of the hinge Z-bar. Screw the supplied screws into these holes. Do not over-tighten these screws, as this could cause damage to the Z-bar.

Lift the window back into the storm door opening. Place the bottom edge of the window in first and then gently push the top of the window in place. Secure the window by turning the thumbscrews clockwise so that the latches point in towards the center of the storm door.

Position the rain cap at the top of the door so that the gap between the rain cap and the top door jamb maintains a consistently wide distance. Drill 1/8-inch pilot holes and secure the rain cap in place with the supplied screws.

Measure the door opening on the handle side, from the rain cap to the top sill. Transfer this measurement to the handle side Z-bar. Cut the bar to this length using a hacksaw.

Open the storm door. Hold the handle side Z-bar against the handle side door jamb. Make sure the weather stripping on the Z-bar is facing the way the door opens. Position the Z-bar so that it has a consistent 3/16-inch gap from it to the edge of the storm door, all the way down the handle side.

Drill a 1/8-inch pilot hole through the top hole in the handle side Z-bar. Secure it in place with a supplied screw. Recheck the 3/16-inch gap down the side. Drill pilot holes through the remaining screw holes and insert a supplied screw into each hole.

Slide the door sweep fin onto the fin track. Squeeze both ends of the fin track with a pliers, to hold the sweep fin in place. Place the fin track onto the bottom of the storm door. Close the door and position the track so that the fin just touches the bottom sill.

Mark the screw holes and remove the fin track from the door. Drill 1/8-inch pilot holes through the marks. Slide the track back on the door and position the screw holes over the pilot holes. Use the supplied screws to secure the fin track to the storm door.

Open the door. Measure 5/8 inch up from the top of the window. Draw a straight line from this mark, running from the door to the hinge side jamb. Place the center of the closer's jamb bracket on the mark on the jamb. Mark the screw holes in the bracket onto the jamb. Remove the bracket. Drill 5/32-inch pilot holes through these marks. Place the bracket back on the jamb and use the supplied screws to secure it.

Go inside the house and close the storm door. Center the closer's door bracket onto the line on the door. Mark the screw holes and lower the bracket. Drill 5/32-inch pilot holes through the marks and realign the bracket holes with the pilot holes. Secure the bracket to the door with the supplied screws.

Push the screw covers over all the screw heads to hide them.