When did screen doors on homes go out of style?

When I grew up, our home always had a screen door on both the front & back of the house. That way, you could open the regular "storm" door and let the light and air into the house in the Spring and the Fall without letting bugs into the house. They also provided an extra layer of insulation against the elements.

However, it seems to have gone out of style at least this decade and I was wondering why? We live in a large subdivision with a ton of children (built between 2003-2007) and it seems like a screen door on the front would be a great way to let air into the house, and also keep an eye on your kids when they're playing outside... however, the homes were not built with screen doors and only a handful of people (out of 150 or so homes) have put them in.

While I'm sure the new storm doors are better insulated than ones from homes built 30-40-50 years ago, they're also not perfect and a screen door is a good way to add that extra layer of insulation to the front door.

Just curious as to why and when?

The only bugs one has to worry about getting in the house are the Palmetto bugs and you can see them coming in because they are rather large.

Or else the judicious application of a baseball bat...

Yes!

:rofl:

My house is about 80 years old, but the screen door is around seven.

That's why. Newer homes don't have 'em, 'cause the newer homes are made to be self-contained and temperature regulated.

Outdoors? Eh, who needs it. That's where bears live.

Screen doors (especially the aluminum ones that convert to storms) are considered tacky. Style over substance, naturally. There is a newish product called something like 'invisible screen door' because it retracts completely when not in use. This gives the advantages of a screen door without the perceived detrimental look.

There's also the bottom line issue: if the builders can convince buyers that the doors look better without a screen door then they save a little money in the construction.

Some houses don't even have screens on the windows.

If it's hot, turn on the air. If it's cold, turn on the heat. Not made to ventilate and pull air through the house in the spring or fall, when it might be enjoyable to do so.

Bah. Stupid.

We bought our present house about two and a half years ago. It's about 140 years old and had been "modernized" (read: decimated) over the past couple of decades. The front door had been scaled down, and a modern metal door put in (ick ick ick ick!) Although we're stuck with the metal door for now (as a true antique door costs beaucoup bux), I went right out and found an old screen door at an antique co-op for $30 because I couldn't stand how dark and stifling the front hallway was. We bought a $2.99 spring as a closer, and now it makes a nicely satisfying WHAP! everytime it slams shut.

It takes a solid door, locked at all times, to keep the axe murderers out, ya know.

and I don't worry about crime.

up here in NH because of the black flies. I have a neat one on my French Doors that go out to the deck...they roll up when you aren't using them into a cylinder attached to each end of the door frame.

Installing a sound proof box, constructed of heavy duty materials, in the lower depths of any home (What used to be the basement but now is the crawl space.)

I can remember how peaceful my life was until the "element" figured out, at the age of 2 and a half, how to escape from the enclosure. <sigh>

dough and don't mind running the AC whenever...and hate the smell of fresh air...
Our state bird is officially the Common Loon, but is unofficially the mosquito - we breed 'em like MIGs 'round here...

I love the old-fashion "gingerbread-y" cottage-type screen door, with all the wooden detailing.

My son lives in subdivision of homes built in the last 5 yrs. I've only noticed one of his neighbors with a screen door on the front of the house. I've mentioned it to him and his neighbors, wondering why there are no storm doors and they told me it's all about looks.

I live in an old home(1880's) When we bought a new front entry door and didn't want to cover it up, we found a full view storm door. It came with an interchangeable full screen, but we just leave the storm window in it year round. (kitty would make hay of the screen) The other 3 doors all have extra heavy screen doors with the storm window/screen that slide up and down. I like being able to open my doors and have the air flow through the screens. Storm doors also keep me at ease if someone knocks at weird hours or it's someone I don't know. I can open the interior door and not have the person in my face.

There's also this, storm doors and a new entrance door don't always mix. One of our southern facing doors has a tremendous heat build up in between the doors and it is on a covered porch. It took some time, a year or so after the warranty on the interior door expired, but there is sticky goop that runs from the paned window area on the exterior of the door whenever it gets really hot.

No longer built to be cooled by the outside air.

Also, in addition to no screen doors, many are not built with usable front porches, or with large usable windows, or anything that would promote cooling the house with outside air in the spring or fall.

:D

have those invisible/retractable screen doors.


Tikki

including central air...