Whether you're nestled on your couch watching your favorite team dominate the competition or chopping fresh produce in the kitchen, safety and comfort top your priority charts when you're hunkered down at home. In fact, those two priorities are the two most essential according to Maslow's hierarchy of human needs. 

We all seek peace of mind when we're kicking back in our humble abodes but aren't necessarily looking for it in the right places (or the easiest places for that matter). 

That's right folks. There may be ways of protecting your loved ones, augmenting your levels of comfort, and shielding your home from the elements that you regularly overlook.

As you may have guessed by now (hint: the title of the post helps), outfitting your home with custom storm doors can help to satisfy many of your basic human needs with one, small investment. Not just any middle-of-the-mall, run-of-the-mill storm door. But a custom storm that fits your home -- and lifestyle -- flawlessly.

No, really, there are more benefits to custom storm doors than you may realize. And yes, there are lifestyle implications from something as inconspicuous as selecting the right storm door.

But that's another topic for another day.

Today we're concerning ourselves with a simple, two-step guide to selecting the pefect custom storm door. Two steps can't get you very far when you're walking, but two steps can help you select a custom storm door with relative ease.

Let's get started. The first step is a doozy, so don't be embarrassed if it takes a few seconds to wrap your head around the concept. Alright here it goes. The first step in this two-step guide is to:

SELECT THE RIGHT STORM DOOR

We told you, it's not for the faint of heart! 

In all seriousness though, selecting the right storm door requires some thought. 

Beyond the multitude of colors and glass panels to choose from, there are other practical attributes to take into consideration when piecing together the storm door of your dreams!

Quality storm doors are rugged, durable, and downright impenatrable from a security and weather protection standpoint. But, in order to install storm doors with enhanced fortification attributes, we need to emphasize selecting quality customer storm doors from a trusted source above all else. 

Once you've verified that you're purchasing from a trusted source, your storm doors should have features like these:

• Maintenance-free baked enamel finish won’t scratch, rust or chip and will last for decades.
• Heavy-duty closers.
• Storm chains.
• Soft nose, sure-locking latch systems.
• Constructed with strong 2 3/4″ extruded aluminum.

(If you want to delve into the nuances of these features, have a quick conversation with your neighborhood expert.)

But wait! There are additional options available for those of you intent on upgrading your lifestyles beyond preparing for inclement weather (something that hits especially close to home for us New Englanders). 

For instance, you can choose to have your storm door insulated which adds energy efficiency capabilities.

With an insulated storm door, you'll save a hefty sum on your monthly energy bill because of the increased thermal efficiency offered by the foam core and lining. An insulated door also reduces noise infilitration and reinforces an already sturdy custom storm door.

So if peace and quiet is your cup of tea, insulated storm doors are for you. Leave the commotion outside while you bask in your happy home. 

And the customization doesn't stop there. Glazing is another way to improve the quality of your custom storm door because it provides boons that're similar to an insulatated door. It concurrently bolsters your door's sturdiness, thanks to tempered safetly glass, and a low-E glass coating that reflects light (and heat).

Ok, that covers the types of storm doors, now it's time to move into the second step of our two-step guide. In three, two, one...

SELECT THE RIGHT HARDWARE

I'm not talking nuts and bolts here, I'm referring to handles and locks. This is when personal preference really comes into play. How do you like to open your doors and how much importance do you place on your home's security?

Typically, door handles fall into three buckets:

• Knobs
• Pull/Push Handles
• Levers

The easiest to use, and most accessible to all, are levers and pull handles as they allow you to open the door even if your hands are full or if you have certain dissabilities. Knobs tend to be more difficult to open for the above reasons.

And if security is your primary concern, you can add a keyed deadbolt lock to any handle model which places another layer of protection over your front door. So before you get too carried away digging that aligator moat around the perimeter of your home, consider adding the deadbolt lock to make your life that much easier.

Well, that just about covers our one-two step guide for how to select a custom storm door that will work for you both aesthetically and practically. Now it's time to put your new knowledge to the test. Start your browsing journey and see our large collection of custom storm doors for yourself!