NHIE exam practice question · Exterior
A storm door creates a small sealed air space in front of the entry door, and on a sun-exposed elevation that space behaves like a solar collector. Glass admits short-wave solar radiation, the dark entry door absorbs it and re-radiates as heat, and the trapped air has nowhere to go. Temperatures in that cavity can climb far above ambient. A solid-core door — particularly a dark-stained or dark-painted one — absorbs strongly and is dimensionally sensitive, so the consequences are finish blistering and peeling, veneer delamination, warping, and on doors with glazing, seal failure. Manufacturers commonly warn against full-view storm doors over dark, sun-exposed entry doors, and some void the warranty for it. The inspector notes the arrangement and the risk rather than waiting for damage to appear.
Glass in the storm door admits solar radiation that the entry door absorbs, and the sealed cavity between them prevents that heat escaping. Temperatures in the space can rise high enough to blister finishes, delaminate veneers and warp the door.
Solar heat gain in the cavity between a glazed storm door and an entry door can raise temperatures well above ambient, particularly on south and west elevations with dark door finishes. Manufacturers publish guidance and sometimes warranty exclusions covering this condition.
Two Doors Make an Oven. Glass lets the sun in, the dark door soaks it up, and the trapped air has nowhere to go.
Note the orientation and the door's colour in the report. South and west exposures with dark finishes are where this shows up, and vented or screened storm doors mitigate it.
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