7 Do’s & Don’ts For Taking Care of Your Home’s Security Doors

Security screen doors are great at protecting your Phoenix, AZ area home and family from criminals, while also keeping young children and pets from escaping when your main doors are open during the cooler months. This can make them seem indestructible.

Plus, if your screen doors are powder coated, you might really take their care for granted. And while powder coated surfaces are more durable than metal that’s just been painted with regular spray paint, they still need your attention from time to time to keep them looking great.

We’ve addressed aspects of this topic before on our Frequently Asked Questions page, but we thought it would help you to have a handy list of do’s and don’ts for keeping your steel security screen doors in peak condition for as long as possible.

 1. Do Powder Coat: Do invest in powder coating for your steel security doors if they weren’t already powder coated when you bought them. Powder coating your doors will protect them from environmental factors much longer than regular paint will and is also more resistant to rust. Your doors will also be scrape, scratch resistant. Powder coating doesn’t peel either.

2. Don’t Use High Pressure: It’s ok to use a very small amount of water on a cloth or soft brush to clean your screen doors, but high-pressure cleaning can actually damage your doors surface, even powder coated surfaces. High-pressure cleaning can actually dislodge your door’s screens. Plus the high volume of water can mean even powder coated doors will suffer from rust.

3. Do Clean: It’s fine to clean your security screen doors. We will never tell you to leave dirt or other grime on your doors. You can clean steel doors with a mild cleanser like Windex and a damp cloth or soft brush. Don’t use a hose to rinse or spray your doors and filtered water is best.

4. Don’t Use Harsh Chemicals: Avoid harsh chemicals, abrasive materials and anything that could scratch or damage the paint or powder coating on your doors. If your doors have rust or something that you can’t remove with a gentle cleaning, then it’s time to have a professional repair your door.

5. Do Lubricate: We recommend you lubricate your door’s levers, locks, and hinges with WD40 or another lubricant. This will eliminate squeaks and ensure they work smoothly. Just wipe away any excess with a soft cloth.

6. Don’t Use Water: A little water is ok, just dry any water off. Also, avoid installing sprinklers to they hit the screen door directly. Yes, in a Phoenix area monsoon, your security door will get wet, but you don’t need to add more water from a sprinkler system or cleaning. We recommend drying your steel doors once the storm has passed with a soft towel.

7. Do Adjust: From time to time, the closer on your screen door will need to be adjusted to keep it closing correctly and to prevent it from slamming. We made this video to show you how to adjust your door closer yourself.

We’re confident these tips will help you keep your home’s steel security screen doors in great condition. If you have any tips of your own, please comment below. Also if you have any questions about maintaining your security doors, powder coating or other questions about security door and window products, contact us today.