Which screen door should I buy?

Asked by JLeslie (65418) November 14th, 2016 from iPhone

I think I know what I’m going to do, but I thought I would throw it out to the collective for experience and opinions. I haven’t had a screen door on my front door since I was ten years old.

First, I live in a place where we open the windows about half the year and let the fresh air in. The best cross ventilation for my house is front (where the front door is) to back, which is also east and west. I do have sidelights next to my front door, so I do get some light in from there. I like having the light from the east come in the house.

The options are:

A fancy “screen door” that is glass, and the upper piece of glass can slide down like a window and reveals a screen. You can use it during hot and cold days with solid glass, or fresh air days with the screen. It has a lock in the door for some security.

The negative is having to open two doors every time you go in and out. It’s a little pricey. I think it will cost me $350 installed.

A tradition screen door with the simple lock like a screen door on a screened patio.

A retractable screen that retracts side to side. It doesn’t really lock, but you can have it completely open when not using the screen, so you don’t have to open two doors.

I tend to be a person who locks all my doors and windows, but realistically speaking when I have the sliders and windows open anyone can easily get in if they wanted too. The chances of violent crime here are quite low. Theft usually does not happen when the owner is home.

What do you think?