Temporarily removing a storm door

[RyFitz13]

Hey folks... Long time since I've been around here, and I come again seeking advice.

SWMBO and I are looking to pick up a new fridge - the problem is getting said appliance into the house; the front door is big enough with room to spare, as is the door from the foyer to the dining room. However, the door from dining room to kitchen is just too snug. I could remove the casework around that door and probably make room, but the casework is old red oak original to the house - so it's going on 100 years old, and I'd be terrified to cause any kind of damage to it.

So the other alternative is the back door - which opens directly into the kitchen. Problem there is that a previous owner rebuild the back porch, and repitched the porch roof. The roof is pitched so severely that it hampers with the operation of the storm door - it'll only open about half way. I figure that if I can remove the storm door altogether, we can safely get the fridge in that way - I'm just not sure how to do so...

The door itself is attached to the storm door frame via 4 hinges - two up high, two down low - but it gives the appearance of one long pin running down the height of the door. I noticed that there are screws just above and just below each hinge - is it likely that removing those screws would allow me to remove the door?

I'd really like to be able to do this without damaging the door itself, leading me to have to purchase a new door, simply to allow me to purchase a new fridge! The fridge is expensive enough as it is!

Thanks in advance!

[leehljp]

I think it is kinda common to take a door of some kind off to get a fridge into the kitchen. For me over the years, in both Japan and in the US, it has been the norm. IN some cases, it requires taking a room/screen door AND the fridge door off. I would be extremely hesitant to take the door off of the electronic fridges though!

[cabinetman]

There are many types of storm door hinges. Removing either the ones screwed to the frame, or the ones screwed to the door should do it. It could be that the hinges are spring loaded, and the pair at the the top and the bottom share the action by one to the door and the other to the frame.

If you could post a picture it would help.

.

[eezlock]

temporarily removing a storm door

Here is another idea, that I did not see from the other posters. It would be a
lot simpler,easier, and lighter in weight to remove the fridge door(s). If you look
at the top hinge on modern fridges, it is covered with a small metal or plastic
decorative cover. Pop that cover up to expose the screws, lift of the door
and set it aside and bring the fridge into the house and replace the door.
It may sound difficult...but it isn't, only takes a few minutes and you are done.

[RyFitz13]

Thanks for the feedback thus far...

I'll try to get a couple snapshots tonight to post up, to show what I'm talking about.

And I fully expect to have to remove both the screen door and the fridge doors for delivery. As I kind of alluded to above, the previous owners definitely could have planned the re-pitch of the porch roof better. Believe it or not (I'll get a pic of this too) they actually cut an "alcove" into the "ceiling" of the porch to allow the door to open as widely as it does, and it definitely doesn't open more than 45 degrees... A pretty obvious case of the builder realizing what s/he had done after the fact and improvising a work-around...

[parnelli]

Here is another idea, that I did not see from the other posters. It would be a
lot simpler,easier, and lighter in weight to remove the fridge door(s). If you look
at the top hinge on modern fridges, it is covered with a small metal or plastic
decorative cover. Pop that cover up to expose the screws, lift of the door
and set it aside and bring the fridge into the house and replace the door.
It may sound difficult...but it isn't, only takes a few minutes and you are done.

Agreed. The instructions for your fridge likely even discuss this- the last three I've seen all did- and all had their doors removed to get in the house.

Like eezlock said- On a side by side two plastic decorative covers, three screws each side, and then if there's water, there is a quick disconnect by the bottom hinge, as well as a plug to undo the electric.

Less than 5 minutes off, another 5 on.

If you don't have the fridge yet- you could google the manual to help get the jist of it.

[parnelli]

Thanks for the feedback thus far...

I'll try to get a couple snapshots tonight to post up, to show what I'm talking about.

And I fully expect to have to remove both the screen door and the fridge doors for delivery. As I kind of alluded to above, the previous owners definitely could have planned the re-pitch of the porch roof better. Believe it or not (I'll get a pic of this too) they actually cut an "alcove" into the "ceiling" of the porch to allow the door to open as widely as it does, and it definitely doesn't open more than 45 degrees... A pretty obvious case of the builder realizing what s/he had done after the fact and improvising a work-around...

Apparently I type very slowly.....

As far as the door- it'd seem easier to me to remove the frame assy- as that's how they go in (or at least the one I did this summer). Underneath decorative snap in covers on each side, there were something like 5 screws a side and it came right out.

[Daryl]

The storm doors I am familiar with have a flange all around it that is screwed from the outside. Yours probably are covered with paint or maybe have molding applied over it. The screws you are refering to reinforce the hinge area to keep it from flexing and cracking the aluminum frame.

[RyFitz13]

OK, here's a shot at a couple pictures.

First off - this is a shot of the screws above and below the top hinge on the door. Looking at them again, I suspect Daryl is spot on about their purpose:


Here's a shot of the screws on the "flange" from the outside of the door. It almost looks like the flange is 4 pieces; left, right (attached to the door itself via hinges), top, and bottom. Maybe I'll get lucky and just have to remove the right side?


I'm guessing at this point that I'll need to remove all the screws on the outside of flange and those inside along the hinges too. Sound about right?

[Mr__Bill]

The last one that looked like that, that I took off had the hinge screwed to the door. If that is the case you could leave the part on the house and just take the door off of the hinge.

Bill

[vaking]

in the past few months I replaced 2 screen doors at my house, so am familiar with screen door installation. Screen door flange is attached with several screws on the front and few on the side with hinges. Flange is easy to remove. You can also try to remove storm door off hinges without removing the flange. Check if your screen door has spring-loaded hinges. Hint - if it has external springs or closures - hinges are probably not spring loaded.

[iceman61]

Simple solution....If it will truely be a new fridge, let the delivery guys worry about getting it in the house. They will more than likely remove the fridge door. These days fridge doors can be made to open either way & are easy to remove, even if you have to do it yourself. I install several storm doors a year. No big problem there either, as per most instruction by previous members. A problem area nobody has brought up yet is that door that only opens halfway due to the roof pitch. It might give you heck even if you take the storm door off due to height clearance. Be prepared to take that fridge in at a 45 degree angle. Good luck! I hate moving refridgerators, washers & dryers.