Vented sidelights: keep the door, skip the storm door, still get air
Most people who buy a nice front door end up hiding it behind a storm door, because that is the only way to get airflow at the entry. Therma-Tru makes a setup that fixes that. Here is how Brad explains it in the showroom.
"Therma-Tru makes this setup, which is really cool if you have a door and two sidelights. The sidelights actually open up. If you want no storm door on your entry door, you get a great door style on the outside, you're not covering it with a storm door, but you still want the ventilation. The vented sidelights give you that. Really cool styling, good seal. People who get these absolutely love them."
Brad Benigni, owner, Taylor Door Co.
What it is
A standard entry has a door in the middle and a fixed glass panel (a sidelight) on one or both sides. In this setup, the sidelight glass is hinged and opens, with a screen behind it. The door itself stays closed. You get air through the sidelights instead of through a storm door.
Why it matters in Michigan
Storm doors are a Michigan habit. They give you airflow in spring and fall, but they also cover the door you paid for. If you are spending money on a Therma-Tru fiberglass door with decorative glass, a storm door hides most of it from the street. Vented sidelights let the door show and still give you ventilation on the days you want it.
When it makes sense
- You are replacing a door that has sidelights, or adding them.
- You want to drop the storm door and show the door style.
- You still want to open the entry for air without opening the door.
When it does not: a single door with no room for sidelights, or a very exposed entry where you need the extra weather layer a storm door gives you. In that case we would talk about a full-view storm door instead.
What to ask about in the showroom
Glass style, seal and locking hardware on the vents, and screen type. These are the same questions you would ask about any operable window. We have the setup on the floor at 20525 E. 9 Mile Rd in St. Clair Shores, so you can open it yourself.
See the setup open and close
Brad walks through it on the Taylor Door Co. YouTube channel.
Common questions
Are vented sidelights secure when closed?
Closed, they lock and seal like a fixed sidelight. Ask us about the locking hardware on the model you are looking at.
Can I open just one side?
Yes. Each sidelight opens on its own.
Do they leak air when closed?
No. Closed, the seal is the same as a standard Therma-Tru sidelight.
Do they need maintenance?
Clean the glass and screen. That is it.