Maybe I should take a short break from the windows. How about doors instead? We still have to resolve the exterior door issue for the basement front and back.

Having secure doors that make a break-in difficult is important to us. My research earlier this year led me to a couple of commercial steel door products that would do the job and somewhat met our energy requirements. The problem was the price tag. Around $1,500 for a steel skin door with foam filled core and thermally broken steel door frame. Ouch!

We had the time to step back from the whole issue, rethink and wait for the lucky coincidence that may spark a new idea.

The new idea was triggered when we were looking at storm doors. We ran into a category called security storm doors.

Rather than spending $1,500 on a heavy duty commercial door that has no NFRC rating, we could spend up to $600 on a light duty residential steel door with a security storm door to the outside.

We have no illusion that the residential steel door, typically a gauge 22 or 24, would not offer the security of a commercial door, typically with a gauge 16 or 18. But that security deficit is bridged by the storm door, typically manufactured out of heavier duty steel.

We found an affordable product with a large laminated security glass pane and a three point lock system. I am sure someone could still break in, but only after having gotten the neighbors’ attention.

The security issue appears resolved, the price tag of $600 seems much more reasonable, but what about the energy side?

We had no problem finding an affordable, pre-hung, 22 gauge residential steel door with a foam core, a thermally broken aluminum threshold and U-value of 0.14 (R-value of about 7). The door has the ever-important NFRC rating and as such would qualify for the tax credit and comply with the Chicago Green Homes Program.

Now that we shifted the security performance onto the storm door, I also feel comfortable with the wooden door frame of the pre-hung steel door. That eliminates the worries about a thermally broken steel frame, satisfies our energy expectations and carries a much more reasonable price tag.

Furthermore, if we install the security door relatively airtight and with good weather stripping, we may be able to add another R-1+ to the whole assembly, which gives my energy-ego a big boost.