Storm doors are constantly opened, therefore they are not as effective as storm windows in reducing heat loss. From an energy-conservation point of view, however, they are very effective.
When conducting a home inspection, look for storm windows. If you do not find any or if the inspection is conducted during the warmer weather, when storm sashes are normally not in place, ask the homeowner whether the house has storm sashes for all the fixed and movable windows. If there are few storm windows or none at all, record it on your worksheet. Installing a complete set of storm windows can be rather expensive.
Check all storm windows for cracked, broken and missing panes. When the storm sash is wood, look for cracked, broken and rotting sections. If they are combination units, look particularly at the corner joints – they should be tight so that no cold air leaks into the unit. Then, check the overall condition of the frames, looking for any loose, broken, rusted or corroded sections.
Check whether any of the panes are loose in sash, and look for torn sections and holes. In metal- and plastic-rimmed screens, the screening is normally held in position by a spline that has been forced into a groove around the frame. Sometimes, splines are hanging loose within the frame of the combination unit. If you find a loose spline, it indicated that the joints in the associated screens must be re-secured.
During a storm doors inspection, check for ease of operation and overall condition. Look for any cracked, broken, loose, rotted or corroded sections, and check whether the glass panel is loose, cracked, broken or missing. Any problems with the storm windows, screens or storm doors should be recorded on your worksheet for later correction.