Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Emco Storm Door - YOU SUCK!!!

Those of you who have been following this blog are -of course- familiar with the storm door saga.

But wait - there's new news:

This Emco 400 Traditional Self-Storing Storm Door , for which I waited forty days, is in fact A COMPLETE PIECE OF GARBAGE.

First of all, it's made of fucking tin foil. The thing was dented inside the box. Later, I think I sneezed, and it dented again... badly.

Second of all, if you look at the product description, there's a line that reads as follows:

Security
  • Deadbolt with keyed lock is built into the door frame.
WTF, you sneaky bastards! It is NOT built in!

How is this, you ask? I'll tell you how: The door comes flat, with no hardware on it. Not only is there no hardware on it, but you have to actually drill your own holes in the tin foil in order to install THE HANDLE and LOCK.

Hello??? Gimme a hole, at least? Please? A drawn-on guide? Something????

Third, due to the aforementioned tin foil quality, my door was totally warped. That is to say, when in a closed and locked position, one could still slip a UPS parcel into my porch via the ridiculous gap at the top of this craptastic door's frame.

I tried to bend it back, and almost broke the glass insert. Evidently the components are secured with bubble gum and tape.

Oh, and this door retails for $360 at Home Depot, in case you were wondering.

*spit*

132 comments:

Nate and Jen said...

Go buy the $100 one at HD. I've put 2 of them in and they sound like they're of better quality.

Josh said...

Just think of the grief you're saving the rest of us, Ranty. You're our storm door Jesus.

Anonymous said...

I feel your pain. I ordered a new entertainment center a couple months back. It finally showed up this week -- dented and gouged. You'd think you'd get something decent when you pay something more than Ikea prices...

Ranty said...

Unfortunately I cannot just go and buy any sort of door. The reason is that my opening is 84" in length, and nobody seems to carry anything past 80". Whatever I get has to be ordered, and I also needed something with a lock since this is the only door between the porch and the world.

Josh - That's what I love about the internet! I hope that the next person who googles "emco door" finds this post!

Sorry about your entertainment center, Rich. Can you disguise the blemishes with a strategically placed philodendron or something?

Reetsyburger said...

ranty - that is THE sukk!

Can you lie it flat with something over the top of it to try and press it flat?

Also, gerg wants to know where this house is that you're working on.

StuccoHouse said...

That is one big storm door. Mine was 80x36 and I thought I was going to develop a hernia lifting it.

Check out ReUse Center. You could probably find something nice for $30 ;-) Of course, you may need to strip it & paint it.

Do you need a storm? You can get some nice wood frame screen doors at Menards.

Muskego Jeff said...

I'm not clear on this... You're saying you don't like the door? Why'd you wait for it then?

(I'll duck & cover now)

Ranty said...

I looked at the ReUse Center, but the thing is that my opening is actually 37x84. That's a tough one. I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to get 36x84 and augment with a 1" strip of wood, but I still couldn't find anything in that size at the RUC. I wish I had... I reeeeeeally would have loved a classic wood door.

And Jeff: yeah, I know. But I thought it would be okay! I really couldn't tell from the pictures and in-store samples that it was so crappy. I mean, they all showed a handle and stuff... and they weren't all bent up.

P.S. ReetsyB - that's a pretty good idea about laying something on it - I may well have to try that. And I commented on your blog about where my house is. Listing link coming soon here too!

Honduras Sprout said...

Those bastards!

I don't know where the re-use center is that others are talking about...but I spent some time looking at many doors at that absolutely dreamy architectural antique store off of Central and Broadway. Behind the wood place...I'm drawing a blank on that wood place's name now...but they sell really awesome wood...anyway. The architectural store is a good resource for non-standard doors.

I love that place.

Your house looks great btw. Regardless of the door.

Anonymous said...

No, no strategically placed flora or fauna. The company trades on it high quality reputation, so I'm getting them to pick the damn thing up and get me a new one. Sans damage.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ranty;

Too bad you are having such problems with storm doors.

The big box stores are not the only places you can get storm doors. Theres bound to be a small outfit in Minneapolis or nearby that builds their own storm doors to order.

37 x 84 is not a strange size. A lot of apartments and condos have door openings that high. The outfit I deal with in Toronto, Canada builds doors any size you want. In three different thicknesses, and they put the lock holes where you tell them to.

There have got to plenty of similiar places in the USA that sell storm doors this way too. They are just not as well advertised as the Home Depot and Lowes.

Hope you find a door builder that gives a damn about what he builds.

Adrian D

http://www.all-about-screen-doors.com

Anonymous said...

I bought one of there " Forever Doors " 3 years later of course it is falling apart ! A lifetime warrenty ? When I CALLED THEY SAID I NEVER REGISTER THE DOOR SO THE WARRENT IS VOIDED. " What a rip off I paide all that money because of the lifetime warrenty just find out Just a gimc ? People need to just buy the cheap storm doors I think they last longer

Anonymous said...

Anonymous and I have a similar problem. I ordered replacement handles for my "Forever" door. First, they are $50 each--that's $200 for both doors. They call them "sets," but it's only one handle per order. Second, they sent me the wrong hardware. When I called, they suggested I drill my door out to see if the wrong handles would fit. They have outsourced their call center and I had a really difficult time making myself understood. I wanted a refund and they wanted a 20% restocking fee. They have now promised a refund in 4 to 6 weeks.
I'll never buy Emco/Anderson procucts again.

Anonymous said...

If you buy a piece of crap from The Home Depot, you get a piece of crap. What do you expect for $94.00?
With the money you saved on that cheap door, buy yourself a drill to make some holes.
Mr. Fix-it

Ranty said...

Well Mr. Fixit, I must say that I have come to basically the same conclusion about Home Depot, and haven't bought a door there since. However, you must have missed the part where I indicated that the door actually cost $360, not $94.

I realize now that I should have sought out another source for that storm door, but seriously - that money tree I planted in the back yard has yet to blossom, so I do the best I can with what I have.

Anonymous said...

Whatever you do, do not go to Dubois Design for a storm/screen door. I was suckered into buying a $700 (!) door, which took 7 months to be delivered and installed. Flimsy, dented, chipped. What a rip off.

Anonymous said...

Have a problem with the storm doors?? see http://homefixfree.com/index.html
they were the big help.

Anonymous said...

Have a problem of the storm doors, see http://homefixfree.com/index.html
they were the big help.

Anonymous said...

At H.D. last year I bought ($185) the EMCO 400 (just "self-storing," not the Traditional or Colonial), modified it (had to cut height to 77" vs 80", it would have cost nearly $400 to have them do it) and installed it myself. OF COURSE the hardware is not mounted and holes not already drilled -- it is a "reversible" door (ie, either left- or right-hand install), and there IS a hole-drilling template with the instructions. Very happy with mine (NO "gaps, but I was REALLY careful with the install) and am going to buy same thing for the other two doors now that I know the 400 works so well (even though price is now up to $214 each). Right, it is not armor-plated, but it is not "tin" either. I found it a darn good value for the price. If I see follow up to this post, I'll sign up as "MountainBase" to reply later.

Anonymous said...

Ok I have the same door ...yes its a pain to install because its "reversable" as mentioned earlier..IE drilling holes etc...pain in the ass.

I am here because 1 week after install the I found the screen detached from the internal roller! WTF!! After disassembley found they attach the thing with tape!!! To make a long story short I have to buy a new screen because the one they attached with tape is likley 2 inches to short...when fully drawn down it rely`s on the tape on the roller to hold it from detaching! obviously it did not. If the screen was 2 inches longer it would have at least had a couple of turns on the roller before relying on the tape at the last turn.
I am going to try to contact Emco and see what they will do for me.
I paid 300 at Home Depot for mine.
Rob.é

Anonymous said...

My handle broke on my 200 series. I called in w/ the serial # and they shipped me the wrong parts plus they sent and charged me for a closer which I didn't need. Now I'm on phone with these assholes and they say the serial # is for a different color and style door.

1 hour on the phone with them and they admit they shipped the wrong parts. They are re-shipping and I found out that they only sell a kit with the closer. Not just the handle set.

What a rip-off.

EMCO - get your shit together.

Anonymous said...

I have had a EMCO forever door since the early 90s. The lockset handle broke because a relative tried to lift themselves up from the porch with it. I called EMCO, and the replacement parts where sent out fedex and door was back in service in less than a week. You know what sucks Ranty? Snively pieces of shit like you. You whine about how its made after you looked at it and ordered it. Then you blog and try to cuss and act like you know what your talking about when in fact your a boob. When I read you where a realtor and landlord the first thought was it figures. I would have guessed a lawyer. Stay in your own world with your head up your ass.

Ranty said...

Well I did consider law school at one time... :-)

Glad to hear your Emco door has served you well, dude. If you read through the comments above you'll see that you are in the minority with that experience though.

BTW I can't believe this post lasted so long, and that people are still commenting on it. That is awesome! I feel like I have learned SO MUCH about storm doors in the time that has elapsed since I wrote the initial post... thanks to all of you guys who have commented with helpful thoughts and suggestions. :-)

Anonymous said...

Just found your website.....bought a Forever storm door which expands and contracts and is warped in the summer. The handle broke off last year and they sent me a replacement free...well two days ago the handle broke again and of course they won't send me another one..so I went to HD where I purchased the door and they don't stock replacement handles and neither does Lowe's...so, I'm stuck without a handle on my door until I can find a place to buy one.

The handle is poor quality and I'm sure another one will break too...I would never purchase another EMCO/Anderson product after having problems with this one....my son is a roofer and does siding too and could not believe how cheaply this door is constructed...

Anonymous said...

I have an Emco "Forever" self storing door for approximately 10 years. It's brown & has faded terribly. Also has many marks that will not wash off. Have always had problems changing from class to screen. Handle broke a few years ago & we had to wait a long time to get a replacement. From the looks of this door after 10 years, it sure isn't going to last forever. My cheaper front screen doors looks 100% better.

Anonymous said...

I hear your crys! I got the same Emco piece of shit! never again will I buy this EMCO garbage. Waited door dented waited for 2nd one and the pannel was built out of square and bulging. Then as smart as I was I bought it oof the floor. 6 mos later bowed away from frame and screen would not come down and broke! Also rain blows in around the glass.

Anonymous said...

Somehow hit on your site Randy, kinda funny. Have two Home Cheapo Traditional storm doors, luckily no buckling. But one lock broke, and told by Home Cheapo to call Emco.....of course a Mujibar answered. After a half hour I hope the right handle will be sent....had him describe it twice!!! Yup 50 bucks, with s&h 63.00 and I yelled I paid 129.00 for the door 7 years ago, he gave me a 20% discount. WOO HOO.wish me luck.....Chris A. Manchester NJ

Anonymous said...

I had an Emco forever security door and never had a problem with it the sever years I lived in the house. I just now bought an Anderson 300 fullview made by Emco that has the two cylinders and no saftey chain. No matter how I set the cylinder with the locking button the door snaps back at a high rate of speed and bangs you in the head or ankles. I just read a post where a lady is sueing them because her dogs tail got cut off becuase it snapped back so hard. I erote them asking if the redesigned the locking cylinder so that the pull back action is a a much smoother motion from the start to the finish and they said no and that it is designed to snap back util 6-8 inches of closing and then bounce back and close smoothly. I can't believe they can't develope a better design. I am taking mine down and taking it back to HD.

stormdoorinstaller.com said...

Steve at stormdoorinstaller.com. I provide professionally installed Andersen storm doors with no appointment required. I agree almost every door the Andersen makes with a three digit number is a terrible door. I only supply the 4000 full view and the 3000 self-storing. Please check out my web page www.stormdoorinstaller.com .

Anonymous said...

After scanning this, I was very surprised and delighted to have a great experience when I called emco customer service to get a handle set for the full-view brass-handled door that I bought from Home Depot. The spring in the handle broke, and after 10 years the brass is badly tarnished. Though my printed warranty implies that parts like this are only covered for one year, I was told it is still covered and I will have a free replacement (including S&H) in 10 days. I can't ask for more than that.

Doug

Anonymous said...

I purchased 4 forever(forever crap)for my rentals thinking they will last. The hardware breaks, they charge alot to replace and send the wrong parts. Two of the doors are so distorted they look like a banana. When I called about the warranty I got bull from someone who could not speak english. Richard

Anonymous said...

I just don't agree. I have the same storm door you are speaking of and i purchased it at the home depot. The door is aluminum clad and is very sturdy. The reason the lockset is not installed is because you determine if your door will open left or right so you have the option. It is actually mortised for the locket, you just set drill a couple holes to finish the installation of the lockset. You mentioned a gap that can fit a package? That simply means the you absolutly did not install correctly. You opening maybe much wider than the door you purchased(check your sizes). Emco storm doors has an excellent warranty service. My 400 series door is doing just fine. I've had it for over 9years.

Unknown said...

I also have the EMCO Forever Storm door. I agree...you could pass a UPS Parcel through the top of my door when shut and locked also. WARPED doesnt even cover it!!! I have one of my back door and one on my front door. My back door is the warped door. My front door is not warped but I my inside handle broke and finding a replacement has been proven to be next to impossible. I would not recommend this door to anyone. I agree...it has fully proven to be a piece of crap!!!!

Anonymous said...

I have a forever door. It is on the house I bought, so I'm not sure how old it is. The door it's self seems ok, but the lock is broken, and I can't seem to find a replacement. Does anybody know where to a replacement? Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I figured I'd throw my $.02 into the mix.

First off, the doors come with no holes drilled because they can be mounted left or right swing. This is not a bad thing. It also says right on the box that you WILL NEED A DRILL AND SPECIFIC DRILL BITS to install this door. This should be a clue that it might be over the head of Joe Homeowner to pop in. Folks should do their homework before they slap down a few hundred clams. Sorry but I don't consider that part of your rant to hold any value whatsoever. Know what you are getting into before you jump in with both feet.

HOWEVER, I do agree that the quality of these doors is piss poor. I have installed dozens at the request of customers and at least 50% of them have caused me grief. I won't even touch one now but I am stuck helping those who demanded them against my advice. If a customer wants a forever door they can install it themselves. The aggravation ain't worth the $150 I charge. The fiberglass versions expand, contract and warp. The aluminum ones are paper thin. The locksets are complete garbage and just TRY and get a replacement part (which is what I was doing when I ran across your blog here). Home Depot can't get anything past a couple of years old for me and it'll cost you $50 or better for the same crap you are trying to replace.

I'll put up a $10 wood and screen door before I'll ever mess with their garbage again.

Unknown said...

OK - my 2 cents too

I am an employee of Andersen windows who owns EMCO doors. That sale was made back in 2000 I think. We make both the Andersen (top of the line) and EMCO lines (more of your standard storm doors) with the EMCO mostly being the wood core door. Are they "piss poor" doors? No. We have a lifetime warranty on the door slab and adjust out very few doors. The door slab is the main part of the door with the rest of the door except for the windows and screens having a one year warranty. We are more liberal on our warranty than any other manufacturer for the sole reason that our doors are good. A company does not offer that kind of warranty on a "piss poor" door. Occassionally since these doors are made by people, mistakes happen and are not caught by quality control. The doors are made in Iowa.

Another question concerned an odd size door. The standard door height is 80" and the widths are usually 32, 34 or 36 wide. We make custom doors to the exact specs given to us by the store (usually Home Depot) and can only use those specs. Those doors usually take more than a month to get since they are completly hand made.

The one owner who said the warranty was void because he didn't register his door was talking to an badly informed representative. The residental customer service moved overseas from Iowa in 2007 and has been interesting to say the least. We ask customers to register their door but don't require it. We do require the serial number which is on each door and a proof of purchase which I believe is very fair.

Any shippable parts can be ordered through customer service and many are shipped free of charge if the customer has the serial number and is within one year of purchase. Understand again that this is handled through an overseas office but the parts are shipped from Iowa.

Our storm doors are made to exact standards and priced reasonably. They are sold as a do it yourself project but I have talked to many people that have had problems since they were way over their head and blamed the door. We will stand by our product but be sensible.

If you want the top of the line, no questions asked, full warranty, best of the best, talk to the Sears Home Improvement office. They have similar doors to ours, but start at $1,200.

Anonymous said...

i have 2 forever doors and your right theyt are the biggest peices of shit i have ever gotten handles are broken dorrrs are wraped in the summer you can close them iam gonna replace them and put them right where they belong in the trash theres got to be a much better door for the money

Anonymous said...

To Anonymous: It is obvious that you have one of our poly doors. These doors will last a lifetime but do take a bit of babysitting. Polypropene will last much longer than any other material but is affected by heat and cold. In your instructions, you are shown how to install the door gap between the door and the handle side z-bar. Also, per the instructions, it is recommended that you back off the assembly screws on the handle side of the door to allow each side the door to expand and contract independently. If those screws are too tight, when the ouside half of the door heats up but the inside dosen't, warpage will occur. This is not a fault of the door - it is just plain physics. Don't blame the door when it is mother nature and not reading the instructions.

Anonymous said...

To Anonymous: It is obvious that you have one of our poly doors. These doors will last a lifetime but do take a bit of babysitting. Polypropene will last much longer than any other material but is affected by heat and cold. In your instructions, you are shown how to install the door gap between the door and the handle side z-bar. Also, per the instructions, it is recommended that you back off the assembly screws on the handle side of the door to allow each side the door to expand and contract independently. If those screws are too tight, when the ouside half of the door heats up but the inside dosen't, warpage will occur. This is not a fault of the door - it is just plain physics. Don't blame the door when it is mother nature and not reading the instructions

Anonymous said...

To Anonymous: It is obvious that you have one of our poly doors. These doors will last a lifetime but do take a bit of babysitting. Polypropene will last much longer than any other material but is affected by heat and cold. In your instructions, you are shown how to install the door gap between the door and the handle side z-bar. Also, per the instructions, it is recommended that you back off the assembly screws on the handle side of the door to allow each side the door to expand and contract independently. If those screws are too tight, when the ouside half of the door heats up but the inside dosen't, warpage will occur. This is not a fault of the door - it is just plain physics. Don't blame the door when it is mother nature and not reading the instructions

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful read, I found this after researching the install instructions. It has changed my direction in buying the two doors I need to replace.
I am thinking along the lines of you get what you pay for, so no cheapo doors here. Goodbye Emco, this rant cost you the sale of 2 doors.

Anonymous said...

I have two doors. Work great never had a problem until the handle broke. Now I am pulling teeth to find and to get a new handle set for my "forever" door.

Unknown said...

Concerning the handle question, as shown on your instructions, all shippable parts can be ordered through our customer service line 800-933-3626. There is never a shipping charge and fed ex ground should deliver to most places within 5 working days. Handles on our doors are warrented one year from date of purchace but any door purchased after January 2000 has a lifetime warrenty on the handle finish. If you are the original owner, have the serial number off the door or the receipt, call the number above and a new handle set will be sent to you. Remember you must have the serial number or receipt so we can correctly identify your door and it also acts like a proof of purchase which is only fair.

Anonymous said...

Gary --

First, I am a homeowner with what I would consider well above average "handyman" skills, not a professional installer. Second, I am a Quality Assurance Manager for a large manufacturer in the Chicago suburbs, so I certainly understand Complaint Resolution except that fortunately I generally deal with issues on a commercial level, not consumer.

Probably about six years ago I successfully replaced a tattered and wind damaged solid wood core storm door (make unknown) with a 1-1/2" aluminum frame full-view (not Anderson or Emco) that I was extremely happy with. Unfortunately, my Homeowner Association did not like my choice, and after a brief futile fight, I was forced to replace my beloved door with a Crossbuck style of my choice.

My research revealed that I had a choice of 7 models by two manufacturers; Larson and Emco. We eventually special ordered the Forever Crossbuck Store-in-Door.

I carefully followed the instructions and the install was relatively painless and successful. Until about 3 days ago the door looked and operated reasonably well. Any problems (below) were more generally annoyances rather than failures, until now.

You are correct that Polypropylene is a durable material, however, thermal expansion in a slab of PP this size is astronomical. The overall width of the door changes almost 1/2" between the seasons. Obviously this tremendous expansion/contraction has been accommodated in the frame and latch set. The actual latch rod extends into the door opening by at least an inch, which in and of itself is not a major issue, unless you're trying to get a 35-1/2" wide sofa through the 36" wide door opening (not exact figures, but you get the point). This factor just makes me wonder if PP is really a good material for an outdoor (northern Midwest) application.

The lock mechanism on the lower (where I mounted it) closer does not "unlatch" properly, and always requires that it be "fiddled" with to get the door to close after use. Now I use Vice Grips on the closer shaft to hold it open if I need to... it's just easier.

Now the best. The other night my girlfriend simply pulled on the inside latch handle to close the door the last inch to latch. Not hard, just to latch, and the inside handle broke in her hand. I wouldn't have thought twice if it had happened during the the three weeks of sub-zero temperatures in January, but no, it was mid 40's. This is definitely a failure. Further examination shows that the base mount casting (zinc I expect by weight) failed at the through hole which the pivot pin goes through. The broken section looks to be only about 6 square mm, which to me seems to be an awfully small area for what I would consider a high stress area. A two-piece base design that would capture the pivot pin in a counterbore instead of being swaged into a through hole would be a far more robust design, and probably would not fail. I believe the failure is due to poor design, rather than abuse or wear.

Now the dilema. The door is only about 3 years old. Yes I can order replacement parts. Unfortunately, I have to buy the entire latch kit for around $60, when I only need one assembly, or one component of the kit. The latch is only warrantied for a year, so there's no point in subjecting myself to a customer service rep that is most likely more interested in getting me off of the phone, than truly helping me, especially if they're overseas.

I understand your points, but you also have to understand mine. Overall the product functions as expected, but has failed in an unreasonable period of time under "normal" use, from what I believe to be a design flaw. So I spent upwards of $300 to purchase your "Best", and now have to fork over more to maintain it. In my case, I don't have any choices, and Emco won't stand behind their product.

That's my 2 cents. Thanks for "listening".

Unknown said...

Anonymous -

Even though you have had some problems with the door, thanks for the response. Too many of they are just ranting and raving without any specifice.

It is good to hear you have skills. Too many people get way over their head on installing a door which can be a frustrating job but needs to be done by the numbers.

I have spoken to many customers that were stuck with a decision by a homeowner association that was seemingly made without any consideration of what they were doing. I personally think the crossbuck was a poor choice to force on everyone. It is just too touchy both with the installation and the ongoing maintenance. People want a door that may need a new window or screen occassionally and replace it 20 years later.

The poly door was and still is torture tested in our labs with extreme heat and cold that match the lousy weather in Iowa and Illinois. This may or may not accurately reflect real world conditions however.

I have worked with customers that have had the poly door since the '70's and '80 and are now just looking for a new handle. Conversly, I have talked with customer that have had their door for a week and have handle problems. Most of it is traced to abuse of the handle with a small percentage of them being truly manufacturing defects. A true defect seems to be your case.

Try one more thing if you have the patience. Call the customer service line and tell them you want to set up a warrenty replacement. It is a tedious procedure that requires photos of the door, serial number and ideally a proof of purchase. Baring a proof of purchase, we can work with a proof of residency that shows you were in the home when the door was built. The service rep overseas may give you a hard time but insist on doing it. They only gather the information. The actual warranty adjustment comes out of Iowa.

I dont know if this will work since warrenty has the final say but you might give it a try.

Sorry you have had this trouble. We wouldn't be in business if our doors were bad but some small percentage of questionable product is bound to escape detection during the process. It is regretable you were there to "catch" the exception. Good and happy input is always welcome but sometimes bad input helps a company grow and improve.

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a line of posts.

The past couple of days I have been researching doors, with the mistaken belief that they would qualify for a the energy credit -- I live in MN and I know I loose a lot of heat out of my current door. I was somewhat stunned to learn that storm doors do not qualify.

Nevertheless I spent some time looking at doors. I need a 1/2 view with some type of sliding screen. And I perfer it in black or at least dark. I could only find such doors from Larson, EMCO and ProVia. I would like to hear if there is anything else out there

I looked at the Larson door first. It seems well constructed. But it has a cheap latch mechanism, but it seems solid. ProVia Spectrum was perfect. Very solid, good latch, comes in every color. But it is over 700. Then I went to HD and saw the EMCO 400. Looking at the door from the distance, it looked perfect and quite nice. But I noticed the latch handle was jiggly. I thought it was just a bad set up job by HD. And I thought it was kind of thin. So I googled it and hit Ranty post. So now I would like to thank everyone for giving me and everyone else a heads up on EMCO.

I am hoping that the tax credit eventually includes storm doors as it totally insane for these doors to be excluded. Then I will likely go for the ProVia.

Ranty said...

Hey folks,

Man, this post really picked up and took on a life of its own!

I cannot believe it's been nearly two years since I embarked upon my storm door saga.

I just want to thank everyone again for commenting. This has been a fantastic learning experience for me. (And of course, KEEP commenting, because all of these experiences are great to share.)

As it happens, I recently purchased the house next door to the one in which I put the now-infamous Emco storm door.

And guess what? The new house needs a screen/storm door too!

(It's a beat-up foreclosure, and I just met the city inspector today as he was writing an order on my current (screenless, crappy) porch door.

So, the saga begins again. Sort of like seasons, and nature in general...

Stay tuned for installment #2 of door-fun - I'll definitely be referring to this comment-thread for references as I embark upon the new effort.

Anonymous said...

I just got off the phone with EMCO and tried to get a small replacement part for the latch on my Forever View and was told I had to buy the enitre assembly for $72 After I explained that the set screw wasn't holding the inner handle on the shaft even though the set screw was not striped and would torque down nicely, I was told to spray it with WD-40! Yea, that's gonna help it stay on. I wouldn't say they're terrible, just not "forever"... so why pay extra for one?

LeRoge said...

....lets cut the crap! I own THREE of the shit 'forever' doors. I have three 'inner latches' that need to be replaced - all three of those very small coil spring have either fallen out or broken or the latch itself has broken. So now I have to purchase THREE ( count 'em ) THREE entire door handle assemblies since EMCO doesn't sell just the inside door latch. $153!!!! My ass I'll spend $153 for crap I don't need!!! This is bullshit - having to buy the entire door handle assembly when all I need is the inside latch.

What do you say to that EMCO Gary!

For The Birds said...

Hey Ranty... Great Blog!

I hope Gary comes back. You see, I have this problem. I have an HD Emco storm door on my greenhouse. This morning I had it propped open with a cinder-block and a friggin' bird flew into it. ( a good sized bird at that!) I kid you not. My model is a basic with the fixed screen on the lower half and a raisable/latchable tempered glass pane. The bird nailed that one and I need to replace it. It's easily removable and since there is no longer any glass in it, I already have. I don't need a handle... I need some glass in that hole!
What about it Gary? Anyone else?

Frank said...

This Emco stuff is scaring me. I have a Forever View with brass bars inside. It was nice for a while, but now the seams have let go and the glass is foggy. That sucks for a $400 door. I'm about to call Emco and see what they say. Wish me luck, yikes...

frank said...

Well folks, your rants about Emco just came true. Just got off the phone with their Customer non-Service who were so gracious and polite while telling me I had no recourse past the rediculous 1 year warranty on my $400 door. Meanwhile, the awesome folks at Charbroil just replaced about $100 worth of parts on my 8yr old grill for free. They stand behind their product.
Oh well, live and learn I guess.

Anonymous said...

add another one to the list -just had the exterior handle on my quality EMCO stormdoor come off in my hand. Went to Home Depot for help - don't bother - no help available. They told me to call EMCO direct - real excited to go through that experience. The main problem is that their posts are so far apart - have to buy specific assemblies rather than generic assemblies. How utterly dissapointing. By the way - no longer shopping at HD, customer service is non-existent. I will give all of my business to our local lumber yard here in Ettrick, WI. THey spent an hour trying to locate a handle, and I did not even purchase the door there. Feel pretty guilty about that now.

tom said...

So, Emco is off the list! What brand of door should I buy? The $92 nameless model at Menards?

Thanks for everyone who posted. One company that stinks more than Emco? Progressive Insurance. They are so miserable to deal with, unfair, unreasonable, dishonest and please never buy from Progressive Auto Insurance!

Anonymous said...

fwiw....i just installed one i had sitting around. good times....not everyday you get to put 6 13/16 holes in a door.

the install went ok but they either sent me the wrong closer or this door wasnt meant to open 90's. model 2000. thoughts?

Anonymous said...

Yes the door handles are a piece of SHIT. I got a free replacement a few years back, but now that one broke and they won't stand behind it and replacement. Sounds more like a FACTORY DEFECT to me. I took both handles apart and they broke the tabs off in the same spot. Trying to find cheaper replacements. Any ideas ?

Foxy said...

EMCO SUKS, DOUBLE TIME.

My door is 2 years old....the screen broke and now I can't get anyone to fix it and they wouldn't even give me a name to find someone. It is the built in roll-up screen. No-one wants to be bothered with 1 screen.

The door handle broke last month and I had to order it thru EMCO for $60.00 because the stores don't sell them. They never told me there was a 20% re-stocking fee when I ordered it if it needed to be returned. Well, they sent the wrong handle and I had to return it. Not only did I have to pay $10.50 for shipping but also the 20% restocking fee even thou it was their fault.

DO NOT BUY AN EMCO SCREEN DOOR.

My last screen door lasted over 20 years with no problems.

I simply can't believe a big company like theirs would not waive the 20% restocking fee.

Anonymous said...

You've got to be a moron. In installed the door last evening in its entirety and was impressed with its quality. The aluminum skin is typical of any storm door. The door can be fitted wither right or left hinge, which is why they dont pre-drill holes. Is it too difficult for you to drill a few holes or something?

Anonymous said...

I have 2 emco storm doors and both inside handles are broken. The screw heads pulled right through the 2 mounting holes. Cheap thin casting. Shitty design. I guess I will call them for a laugh. See what happens.

Anonymous said...

This door does SUCK i have one it is warped also and the screen will not hook to the window it just flies back up
i called the company and they acted like i was stupid told me to hook it like i already have a hundred times before

Anonymous said...

Wow I have to say that after reading a few of your comments I will think twice about buying a Emco door. I thought twice, My first thought is that most, not all but most of you have no buisness installing a turd into the toilet let alone a storm door. If you are bitching about drilling holes in the door i'm talking to you! Most storm doors are right or left handed. That would require drilling for the side you need due to the fact that the manufacturer doesnt know what you need. That info is disclosed on the package if you open your eyes it states right or left swing.
Second you guys talk like you are the majority of the consumers that buy these doors.How many people have responded to this blog 50 maybe 100 if your lucky. Home Depot alone as a company must sell thousands of these doors every day. 50 of you are dumb enough to think that everything mass produced in a factory is flawless. You dipshits are a tiny little percent of people that have issues with your doors. Most of you just suck for thinking your smart enough to man up to installing one. With that said if you are here bitching about your purchase you should feel stupid for not returning the door as soon as you opened it and realized it was made of tin foil numb nuts. You bitch about how bad the quality was but still tried to install it you worthless piece of shit. If you were smart enough to get the door installed the quality probably would have been fine I take it. Or was it that your too stupid to realize it wasnt what you wanted and you should just bring the fucker back.
I hate people like you that is what is wrong with the world today people like most of you bad mouthing a company that has a few mistakes slip threw the cracks. I think Emco is smart for suckering you in and taking your money they didnt ask you to buy the door. They didnt ask you to keep it after you opened it and realized it was crap. You are a piece of work I can't wait to see your reply. Just so you know I drilled my holes and installed my 4000 seried door with no problem in a hour. I'm glad I stumbled on to this now I will make you look stupid every day.

Unknown said...

My EMCO storm door latch broke last summer and I had to get the new one through EMCO for $48. Now that one just broke. EMCO=JUNK
keep away.

Anonymous said...

Just got off the phone with EMCO. The spring in the latch sheared one of the tabs. There's two to keep it in the horizontal position and allows you to lift up or push down on the handle to unlatch. With that broken tab, it's permanently down. The spring steel used looks too weak or possibly the tab was bent too sharply causing a fracture. Enough of the analysis, the bottom line is this part should cost no more than .75 including shipping. Like others have stated, the spring not available as a seperate component and wouldn't you guess, the replacement latch assembly is 63 bucks. The closure mechanism and door has been through two hurricanes albeit not in a direct path of the winds. I would have expected the closure mechanism to be the first thing to wear out, but no, instead its a cheap spring which now doesn't look so cheap at 63 bucks. So help me I'll find a replacement spring for less than two bucks and pay as much as 5 bucks for shipping or as soon as the burn ban is lifted I'll spray paint EMCO in large letters across it and smoke it right in the middle of the Home Depot parking lot. Being made of polypropylene it ought to bring quite a bit of attention from our green friends as and probably the eye in the sky. This stuff should really smoke when it burns.

Anonymous said...

63 bucks for a .................. 30 cent spring because you have to buy the whole latch mechanism. The spring broke on the tab at the apex of the bend. That's a quality issue unworthy of 63 dollars. I can't wait for the burn ban to be lifted, I'll paint EMCO as large as it will fit and torch this sucker in the Home Depot parking lot. PP should put off a pretty good black smoke for the marketing group.

Anonymous said...

I have an Anderson Full View with EMCO lock that's about four years old. Lock broke with the bolt in place and I have to go out my back door pending a replacement. My spouse used to take care of these issues but his sudden death recently left me widowed with a young child to raise. Now I also have this stinking door problem. From the other posts I've read here- I don't have much hope for the replacement handleset This thread was helpful-thanks everyone.

Anonymous said...

I also have had a bad experience with the Home Depot EMCO Forever door. My latch broke too. Any recommendations for a better door by another vendor that has the self storage feature?

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I am currently looking for a storm door 36x84 and was glad I found this site. Here is my take on the whole situation. I would try to find a spring on line, If that failed I would go down to HD buy another door get the serial number and call Emco and order the free replacement handle. After receiving the hadle return the door to HD. Shame on them for not selling the spring separately. This is just poor customer service.

Anonymous said...

OMG! I am trying to decide on a screen door for a 105 year old heritage house. I am glad I read your post and those of the people who previously replied to you.....I haven't had so much entertainment in a long time.

I am going to go with a retractable door and forget about what looks nice.

Thanks everybody.
Odile

Anonymous said...

We also have an EMCO storm door. Was put on about 3 years ago by previous owner. No problems at all and very happy with it. Will be buying another one next week for our other door. FWIW, I have installed a lot of storm doors for people, mostly the Larson brand, and their brass hand sets are also crap and I don't think you can by individual replacement parts for them either. I prefer the inexpensive opener on the Larson because if a part breaks, you can get the small parts at your local hardware store.

Anonymous said...

Contact the office of the President/CEO ( James Humphry ) of Andersen Windows and explain your concern over the lack of individual Forever door handle mechanisms. You can reach his office at 877-229-2677. I did so and spoke with a Sally who took the time to listen to my complaint ( i.e. I don't need nor want to spend $60 to purchase an entire door handle assembly when I simply need to replace the latch mechanism ). This issue of individual parts availability ( or lack thereof ) apparently is well known among Andersen execs. However, it appears they continue to sit on their hands and will not provide individual parts. In the end I was offered a 40% discount ( rather than the 'traditional' 20% ). However, why would I want to pay $36 ( $60 - 40% ) for an entire assembly when all I need is the latch that likely shouldn't be more that $5 - $10? I have three EMCO unworkable doors because the latches ( specifically, the 'flap' ) have broken. Goodbye EMCO/Andersen.

LeRoge said...

Contact the office of the President/CEO ( James Humphry ) of Andersen Windows and explain your concern over the lack of individual Forever door handle mechanisms. You can reach his office at 877-229-2677. I did so and spoke with a Sally who took the time to listen to my complaint ( i.e. I don't need nor want to spend $60 to purchase an entire door handle assembly when I simply need to replace the latch mechanism ). This issue of individual parts availability ( or lack thereof ) apparently is well known among Andersen execs. However, it appears they continue to sit on their hands and will not provide individual parts. In the end I was offered a 40% discount ( rather than the 'traditional' 20% ). However, why would I want to pay $36 ( $60 - 40% ) for an entire assembly when all I need is the latch that likely shouldn't be more that $5 - $10? I have three EMCO unworkable doors because the latches ( specifically, the 'flap' ) have broken. Goodbye EMCO/Andersen.

Robert said...

CHEAP SOLUTION FOR EMCO DOOR HANDLES

My Emco door model 21104 which I paid $300 for had the failed door handle with the broken pin that the spring pivots on. I phoned Emco and they said it would be $44 including shipping, 1 year warranty on your forever door, they said. I told them to forget it.

I went to Home depot in Canada and bought a replacement handle from idealinc.com (model SKCSW) for $15 and replaced it myself in minutes. Make sure you buy a handle with the same spacing for the two top holes (mine was 1 3/4"). I put a white plastic furniture cap (15 cents also from HD) to cover up the third lower lower hole as the replacement handle doesn't require it.

The only modification I had to make was a small piece of stiff plastic with a small hole drilled into the center was added to the outside of the door before I installed the handle. The original center hole on my EMCO door was too big and the spring from the new handle was going through it.

The door works better than before. The new handle works by pulling instead of twisting which is a lot more convenient. Why reward EMCO with extra profits for their defective handles. I know I never will and neither should you.

Frank said...

I am a home remodeler. My first experience with Emco was in my own home. I bought the 400 Series, with the hideaway screen. It installed easily and customer service on a lock issue was also excellent. Since then I have installed that same door on three customers' homes with no problems. A successful install may be beyond some do-it-yourselfers. It is essential that the directions be followed carefully and the hinge-side frame must be installed "plumb" or the rest will not go well. However, all the doors I've installed continue to work fine. I would recommend them to anyone with the tools & skills to install them correctly.

Ranty said...

Hey Anon7:17PM, I post everything that's relevant to the subject matter here.

The reason it took me (a mere) 9 hours to post your comment is that I happened to be on a boat tooling around an island in a remote, third-world country with limited internet access.

So forward away, my friend. This old post has become a veritable forum for commentary on this product, and I'm pleased to continue posting comments for the greater good.

Anonymous said...

Ranty,
I installed the same door from Home Depot. I installed the hardware. The door is great, works as designed when installed properly. I don't know you but from your posts you are vulgar, incompetent, and most likely did not follow instructions and blame the product for lack of ability to understand and follow instructions.

Maxie Higens said...

Who cares? No one needs a storm door anyway! What's the big deal?

I just have the regular door-- great craftsmanship-- house was built in the mid 30s and still has the original doors and locks!

jonisonobuoni said...

Had my "Forever" door for a little more than a year and my door handle failed. Googled emco store in door hoping to find an easy way to obtain a new handle and found your site. Yikes! So many comments - and I read every one of them. To a few of you I say there's no excuse to express such vulgar insults to fellow bloggers. Anyway, it has been enlightening. Thank you.

Unknown said...

I bought a 'Forever' door in July 2008. It didn't get installed until October 17, 2008. Two days ago, I was closing the door from the inside and the inside handle broke off in my hand. It fractured around the two hols when the pivot pins go through.

Now since I'm just barely out of the 12-month warranty, I have to get another handle that will probably break again. WTF do they call it a '
Forever' door for if the warranty is only 12 months .. that's just utter BS ... Change the frickin name of it then!!!

But I didn't have to pay $60 like others were saying. They told me they now offer the inside handle separately for $18.01, taxed & shipped to my door. You mean to tell me that the cheesy outside doorknob costs $42?

SHIRO said...

Andersen stormdoors are being sold mostly at Home Depot and they stopped offering installations services to these doors. These doors are being sold as a do-it-yourself project meaning that you dont need to be a 'professional installer' to install the door. These doors come with a detailed users guide on how to 'proper;y' install the doors. EMCO offers a hotline where you can call in your concerns regarding the stormdoor. -- SHIRO

SHIRO said...

The LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY is well mentioned at the very part of the Installation Guides. It shows all the warranty regarding every parts of the door. EMCO only warranty manufacturing defects. Acts of God or Physical Damage is never been a part of any warranty. Read the paperworks first before you complain.

Anonymous said...

Hey Ranty,
Sorry you've had such a bad experience with your Forever Door. I know nothing lasts forever, but if the quality has gone down that dramatically, that's a shame. I have 2 "store in door" stormers which were installed in 1998 (in a rental property, no less). They have operated excellently, except for the broken hardware. I'm researching the replacement of that right now. Someoe had mentioned (on another site) that HD told them the hardware had a lifetime warranty. I have the serial number and will be contacting the company directly to see if I can finagle that. Thanks for sharing.....annie

Ranty said...

@Anon700

Agreed.

I learned quite a bit from this experience, but one of the things was that I should have just gone to a salvage place and gotten a nice wooden door for a third of the price.

I did that on my next house, don't worry.

Unknown said...

ranty - I also feel your pain - my front door is 40"X84" and trying to buy off the shelf was pointless. quotes to have a wood door built from vintagedoors.com were rediculous - in the $1,200 range. so what did i do? I holed up in my garage and built my own. Mortis/tenon joints and the whole nine yards - probably cost the same as ordering a custom built one. Never did I think to go to a salvage yard. I have a HD andersen 3000 on my back door and while its OK - my daughter threw a baseball bat through the glass insert and the idiots at HD tell me if I want a new glass insert - I need to be a whole new door - what the hell? HD sucks...

Anonymous said...

I too have that crappy EMCO storm door.. ya know the one with the big gaping space so UPS can slip the parcels through! I have been getting a lot of exercise lately picking the handle up off the floor each time I attempt to open the door.God forbid there is a fire and I need to escape quickly.. forgetit, i'll burn to death trying to pry open the lock, once open, the handle flies across the room and sometimes even makes it out the door.! Ahh yes the possibilities are endless!!! This door has many many talents!

Anonymous said...

Great topic!
I'm currently looking to replace our storm door with another half-light (1/2 door, 1/2 glass/screen) model. i went to look at the Emco "Forever" model AGAIN at a different Home Depot, and was shocked at the difference between their display and the one I looked at earlier this week. It looked like a very shoddy copy of the one I had seen. The one I saw before appeared to be made of a solid rigid "composite" material that resembled wood in appearance. But the one I saw last night looked like it was made of very cheap-looking, hollow, thin and flexible plastic, and when I pulled up the glass pane, the frame broke right off in my hand! How could the same model be so entirely different? Actually all the display models were of such inferior quality, misaligned, and damaged that I don't see how anyone would want to buy a door from them.

That said, I don't know how anyone can be guaranteed that the model they pick will be the same as the one they saw.

Needless to say, I no longer am interested in the Home Depot door.

After seeing Lowes' Model 346-83 again, and since it came recommended by the installer, I've decided to go with that one.

Anonymous said...

regarding my previous post, I meant to say LARSON model 346-83 sold at Lowes. I'll have to remember to post here again after it's been installed.

Anonymous said...

I have an inexpensive Home Depot Door with a self storing glass panel. The left-hand slide bolt (sometimes called latch) sheared off, so there is no stability to the window being partially open --I must either shut it (no air) or remove it (half-door air). The model is discontinued. I've had no luck at local stores/repair places. Does anyone have a solution? It's riveted in a track.

Anonymous said...

We been having problems with our door since I moved into this home. The home was brand new. It never really want to latch, I have a small dog that could push the door open, I had to always keep the door locked. Now our door handle and lock needs replaced, we are just gona get a different door..

Unknown said...

For anyone still looking for replacement door handles for their EMCO Forever Door, I purchased one online from:
http://www.homeproductsnmore.com/Inside_Handle_p/ir-ih-1.htm

This one looked identical to mine and it was only $21.99 and free shipping.

Unknown said...

Thanks for all those who posted comments. I was looking for info on the storm doors before I decided on which of the Andersons strom doors to buy.

Thank you so much. So many people cant possibly be wrong. I will look elsewhere and as the person from anderson suggested I will look over at sears. The headache that most users have with the doors is not work the risk just to save a few dollars.

Paul said...

I have a EMCO self storing door also - installed by the "professional" at HD about 7 years ago. Had to fight with HD since the pro broke the window on the storm door, took almost 3 months of screwing around to get a new window pane from HD.
Then about 2 years later the plastic lock kit broke on the door - had to buy the entire latching handle asy from HD for about $60.
Had to replace the screening material that same year - took almost 2 months (summer time too) to get one from HD. Learned about 2 years later that the local hardware store would fix the screen for me for about $20 when it tore again.
Now, having the door for about 7 years, I need to change the roller asy in the door and the handle asy again.
THe door has lasted pretty good being on the main enterance of the house, but I am going to replace it this summer but I will not buy from HD (because of the installed and other reasons) I will find a good local guy to buy from and install it myself.
Thankfully I stumbled on this blog and found out about the problems people are having with the EMCO/Andersen doors - actually I did not know andersen owns EMCO - explains alot - had to replace all the Andersen windows in the house in less that 10 years of having them due to the seal on the glass giving out and Andersen not wanted to know anything about it

Loupo said...

Bought a HD200 Tradional from Home Depot in 2001, 4 yrs later the outside of the door started to warp and the metal began to corrode from the inside. That side of the house is exposed to the sun. They told me to send them a picture and copy of the receipt. I got a new door.Now 5 yrs later the same problem, I'm about to contact them again.

Anonymous said...

Well you all got me motivated to get this 5yr old corroded door replaced. Called EmCo, got a reference number. About to email required exterior + damage photos, proof of residence at purchase date. Model 200 has a 12 yr warrenty.

Everyone: Light candles and chant that I get this door replaced.

Anonymous said...

Just got off the phone with emco. I have the 4000 door needed new handle set and the hinge side of the door.
Door is about 5 years old. This blog armed me with great info so I could deal with them. They are sending both parts free of charge. Handle broke they would not replace but when asking about the warranty he told me it was for the finish only. Of course my finish is bad and they replaced it under warranty. Thanks for all your posts it help out a lot

Anonymous said...

I ran across this while searching for parts for our Emco storm door, because we need to replace the latch that broke today. I haven't read all 91 comments (yet), but just want to say that my husband and I laughed so hard at Ranty's original post that we nearly hurt ourselves. Sorry for all your pain, Ranty, but that was priceless. Don't know what you do for a living, but you might want to seriously consider comedy!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for all the posts. I was searching for a replacement handle and found this blog. I just called EMCO and told them I needed a replacement handle assembly because the inside is broken and the outside is tarnished. The customer rep said they would ship one to me free since its covered by warranty. My door is about 9 years old. Hopefully they ship the correct replacement.
Dennis

Johnny D said...

Just bought what I thought was an Anderson 2000
self storing storm door for $479 plus installation at my local HD. While using the retractable screen we find it does not stay in it's track, therefore offering no screen protection. called Anderson & was quickly brushed off to EMCO. The very polite Houdini EMCO customer service rep with the charming Russian accent. informed me that, they were purposely designed this way so that the screen would not rip. HUHHHHHH! So let me get this straight you designed it...NOT to offer screen protection BUT for the screen to avoid encountering any undo stress from it's normal function?
EMCO(Emco Makes Crappy Openings)

Anonymous said...

I agree these doors are junk. I purchased three of the doors and had them installed by a very lazy home depot specialist. The locking function would be nice by he didn't cut the whole in the door frame so the lock only goes into the frame (less than a 1/16 of an inch. This of course makes the keys useless and a good wind will more than likely blow the door open. I have not rolled the screen down more than 5 times and two of the screen roller functions have already broken. Intersting they didn't break while them were being moved, but the roller tension just gives out while the window is down. First call to Emco
was pleasant enough, only took a few minutes and they agreed to send a replacement. The second screen roller broke two days after I received the first replacement screen. The second call to EMCO was awful. I couldn't understand the person I spoke with very well because of her heavy accent. She kept saying "so you broke it because you operated it incorrectly?" I kept explaining that it gave way without anyone touching it. She kept putting me on hold for "two minutes" even coming back on the line to tell me she was putting me on hold for "two minutes while she check something". After being held in suspense and treated like I was lying or broke it on purpose, I was told that they would send a replacement at no cost. I have no confidence in this product and dread the time the other one breaks or one of the replacement give out again. I'm also not happy that the product warranty runs out when purchased (Sept) not when it was delivered and installed
(Nov). Won't buy this product again and I'm sure I'll be replacing them soon after the warranty runs out and the screens rollers break again. Would never use the Home Depot installation person again.

Anonymous said...

EMCO doors suck. HD bamboozles you into the 12 year warranty (EMCO 300 series), then after two years when the door handle breaks, EMCO says the hardware has only a one year warranty. (I'm sure it was in the fine print. Some scam, huh?) What else is left, the plywood and aluminum? Now they (EMCO) wants $50 for a replacement handle. I've learned my lesson. No more EMCO!

HLong said...

Installed Emco/Anderson full view insulated stormdoor about 3 years ago. Just Love it, looks sharp and lets in so much light.

Robin H. said...

I loved Ranty's comment. I went online to try and find a replacement handle for my Emco storm door...which by the way I cannot seem to find, so I considered buying another door until I ready Ranty's comment. Now I am NOT going to get an Emco door. By the way, every replacement handle they sell in Home Depot and Lowe's does not fit this Emco door...just an FYI. Thank you Ranty.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Emco does sucks so do most of the metal doors, I have had two and they didn't last long. I instead of replacing with another Emco I found some wood doors. These Emco's were professionally installed too and not cheap. I think the doors were not moisture proof and water made the insides swell and the door broke apart. I opted not to use their hardware which was I see was lucky and recommended by my installer. I found one wood door at Sywek's a custom order reject reasonably priced and a good condition used door at Bauer's Salvage. These metal doors just don't hold up over-time. They for the most part can't be painted and scratch easily. The wood doors I have had lasted for years with a coat of paint every 10 years or so. Color selection is a heck of lot better too.

Anonymous said...

Must be the same thing, The Forever Storm Door Handle Lock Set, 1-1/2" Thick Doors really blows. The cheap, shitty latch keeps breaking and there are black streaks (like on an RV) that win't come off. The door has warped and looks like crap. Oh yeah, it's only 2 years old. never again.

Anonymous said...

stop freaking out!!! its a simple fix...all emco storm doors carry a 90 day warranty on the glass. i know they all have a warranty on any blemishes or oops that happen at time of install,i believe its also 90 days. if it dents or has any blemishes happen in first 90 days, just blame it on install. the handle, opener, and any other mechanisms that have mechanical working parts-have a 2yr warranty. they ship parts directly to customers house for free with in 10 buisness days of placing the claim. its easy to make the claim just call 1-800-933-3626, all ya need is the serial # off the side of door, and somesort of proof of purchase. if bought at h.d., and installed, or a special order, this info is kept in the h.d. system and can be retrieved and most often faxed over for u by the h.d. just by calling the store u bought it at. if not an install or s/o, certain associates can retrieve ur receipt if purchased on a major c.c.

renea said...

problems with emco storm door?? see prev comment. u can do it, we can help!!

Shonn said...

I would like to add something about EMCO ! I have had my door for about 23 years ! the knob broke back in 1998, and they promptly sent me the parts to fix it at no charge ! then today 3/16/11 I called them because my knob is broke again ! now they tell me my forever door only has a limited one year warranty !! and its going to cost me about 45 bucks for the new knob, but they will throw in the shipping ! they even have the record of replacing the knob in 98 ! but still tell me its a one year warranty ! when I bought this damn door it had a lifetime warranty ! that has now turned into a limted one year warranty !

@ anonymous ! have you tried to get them to stand behind the lifetime warranty sense the 90's maybe you should get updated info before you call people pieces of shit !! at least be brave enough to not be an anonymous piece of shit yourself !!!

Anonymous said...

Got a EMCO 300 series with a broken interior latch ?

Check this out: http://www.swisco.com/Inside-Handle/pd/Replacement-Storm-Door-Handles_Locks/40-150

Looks like a direct replacement.

I've ordered one and will let you all know how it fits...

Anonymous said...

My 88 yr. old dad had an 2 Emco doors installed. He has since died and we are attempting to sell his house.It was professionally installed. Everything to the tune of $1600!
Here in New England we had a brutal wind storm in the early winter. I didn't know that someone had not pushed the door closed.
(We have to push them if the inner door is closed as the pressure bar is not strong enough to close the door by itself. This was checked by the installer after he was called shortly after installation.
He turned the screw they show you in the video.
We now have a door that can not be closed,is bent to the point of no repair and to top everything off they never gave my dad all the papers with the model number. The door has a self contained screen.
They are coming again and I better get a new door.I checked Home Depot and they said he should have had a chain on it as it comes with it.I can not find the info on the web but after seeing all these postings I think they took advantage of a very old and trusting man.

Anonymous said...

Grrrrrrrrrrr---I spent the day hunting for a new effing handle for my cheapster $100 EMCO screen door. The customer service person (who I wanted to later strangle) at Home Depot said, they don't sell them (WHY??????) but she could order me one for $29.99. A new effing door with a handle is $92! The same handles are being sold on the new doors, I could admire them, touch them, and oooooooo at them but I COULDN'T BUY ONE.

Anonymous said...

This is an update to my previous post about ordering a replacement latch from swisco.com......

I just received my two replacement handles from swisco.com (I have two EMCO 300 doors, one with a broken interior latch, the other not YET) and they work perfectly.

There are three things you need to do to get it to work.

1) loosen the set screw on the new latch and remove the reducer bushing. (I used a set of needle nose pliers).

2) Cut the square aluminum shaft off the old latch. (where the shaft meets the handle).

3) Insert the cut end of the square shaft into the new latch, making sure 1 1/4" protrudes (from the base of the latch to the end of the shaft) and tighten the set screw.

Reinstall in the EMCO door. No adjustments were required when I put it back on my door. Spacing between the latch and latch catch were the same as the original part.

I hope this post helps some fustrated folks out there. I know I sure was. BTW, It sure felt good to take a hacksaw to that old EMCO latch!

swisco.com part #40-150 @ $9.85 ea plus S&H.

Anonymous said...

Edit:

As i wrote it, step #2 is a little confusing. Let me try again.

2) Remove the handle from the old latch assembly by loosening the set screw located on the back side under the handle. The handle and square shaft should slide out of the latch base. Use a hacksaw to cut the square shaft at the point where the shaft enters the handle, next to the roll pin. You want to keep as mutch of the shaft as possible. (length DOES matter!).
I used a file to round off the corners of the cut end. I put the cut end into the new latch, leaving the nice factory beveled edges facing out like the original.

Anonymous said...

This is a great thread. Hilarious, entertaining AND educational. Thanks Ranty.

Now...will somebody please tell me how the heck to change the screen on these dang doors? It's on a rolling assembly, like a window shade, but how is it removed?

Thanks! Rich

Anonymous said...

ECMO Customer Service Response to My Complaint for 4 years After Purchase:

Thanks for your inquiry regarding your EMCO door, per EMCO specialist there is nothing we can do.

Me:
That's okay. I can see from reading poor reviews your company will lose more money by losing potential customers. I'm sure your sales are way down just by the power of the internet! Professionally speaking, we have warned every home buyer and seller we've dealt with to beware of all EMCO products, so with that being said, we have most likely prevented EMCO from making at least 200 sales over the past few years;-)

Your response makes my case even stronger and now that I have found so many websites that endorse my opinion and proof that your company is far less than adequate. I hope EMCO continues to frustrate so many people! It's wonderful to see EMCO digging their own grave... Keep up the good work! It's nice to see the customers not have to do anything but sit back and read more poor reviews;-)

bernice said...

Hi. I read nearly all the comments. I'm about to buy a door. I will have a friend who's a professional contractor install it. Having read (and got a nice bit of entertainment from) this thread, I think the difference rests mainly in the skill level of the person who installs the door and in secondary factors like the environment the door will be in, how it's used, etc. Funny read, thanks!

Anonymous said...

I am about to buy a door. It seems that the difference rests mainly on the skill level of the installer, and secondly, on the environment in which the door will be used and how the door will be used (treated). The comments made a good read (sorry, but quite entertaining). I'll try to comment after the fact; but then again, if the door works OK...

Anonymous said...

You can go to www.emcodoors.com and there's an 800 # you can call for Customer Service - however my experience was someone reading from a script ("oh, so sorry to hear you are having a problem ......), speaking broken English and they we essentially worthless in helping me in any way. The "script" must be written to make anyone calling in feel like it's their fault the door isn't perfoming/functioning as promised. SO.... after many MONTHS of trying to get something figured out.... here's contact info to solve all your problems with EMCO. The person you need to call is Linda Neft at EMCO in Des Moines, Iowa where the doors are made. Not sure if she is in QC, CS, or possibly the CEO, but she has apparently been with the company for like 45 years (maybe "forever" and they named the Forever Door after her???), she quite possibly invented the storm door & founded the company, and speaks "Iowegian English." (She speaks American English with an interesting twist that must be an Iowa thing) Fun to listen to (got to hear her life story) and gets the problem solved. Phone # 515-299-7129. The main # there is 515-263-8858. I am posting that # just in case the company finally figures out that someone is HELPING all of us who have bought the doors and decides to change her phone #. GOOD LUCK!!!

Anonymous said...

We have had an EMCO 400 series with self-storing screen for a few years now. Most of the difficulties I had on the installation were from the door frame, not the storm door. Have had no problems with it (knock on wood) other than the occasional bug getting squashed in the retractable screen. We're planning on getting one for the back door. The biggest problem was trying to order one at the area Home Depot. The window & door person was out sick and no one in the whole danged store knew how to custom order one (duh!). We knew which one, what size, which color but nobody knew how to access the department's computer! Amazing how you used to be able to order stuff on a pad of paper from a catalog before computers.

Anonymous said...

Buy a Larson door only way to go I have a Emco now but had a Larson on my other house much better quality.

James said...

I own a Forever Door, what a POS! I am on my third door handle at $60.00 each. You can't purchase just the broken part of the handle you must buy the entire thing! DO NOT BUY!!!

James said...

Follow up to my earlier post:
I just read many of the posts here and one thing is certain,I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER EMCO or ANDERSEN PRODUCT!!! Not purchasing a company's product and taking the time to post your experience with the company to a blog such as this are the best ways that we, as consumers, can show our displeasure!!! EMCO/ANDERSEN products are of low quality and their customer service is worse. These products are overpriced at any price! Thanks to all of you for your posts.

James said...

Just received my 3rd replacement handle for my POS Emco (now Andersen)storm door. I've had to replace it so many times now that it should have been a 10 minute job, but NOOOOOOO! The hole for the set screw on the interior handle had not been completely drilled and tapped so I got to do it myself. Luckily I just happened to have a 10-32 tap in the barn otherwise I would have made a trip to the factory to GO POSTAL!!! I will NEVER BUY an Andersen product again!!!

David said...

I purchased the retractable, self storing screen 400 series about 4 years ago and installed it myself (I'm not a carpenter; and found it challenging but not overcoming to do. My wife and I have been happy with the door until this year when we found that the particle board (I could not believe that any company would use particle board for any exterior item) began to swell from moisture and ruptured through the fine film of exterior surface.
I notified EMCO and went through a process of taking photos, showing proof of purchase, etc. and was told that they would look into it. I did not get a response within a reasonable time so I sent them another email with the claim number and they did respond almost immediately that my claim was valid.
They have sent a Return Merchandise Authorization Number so that I can get a replacement from HD. But my question is, is EMCO still using particle board for the core?
So, how do I get this question to EMCO in a manner where I will get a qualified response.
In all, as far as today, EMCO has responded in a satisfactory manner.
Also, thanks to the blog author for posting both con and pro comments.

Anonymous said...

I have replaced the handle three time in 4 years on the Andersen Store-in-Door. The door is good but the handle and locks are a piece of crap. Last purchased a handle in July 2010. It broke again. EMCO would not honor the warrantee because it was two week over the year. EMCO is also very nasty to deal with. Will never buy an Andersen door again.

Anonymous said...

I'm disappointed with the overall design. EMCO wants a 1/4" gap between the dripcap and the latch rail - that leaves only about 1/8" of the door to contact the weather strip (that fuzzy strip).

The door contancts the frame an 1/8". I gotta see how this door performs in a Minnesota winter.

I called EMCO - and they said this was correct - otherwise the door may not close (cause of the air pressure as the door closes). Due to the fact the the EMCO rails are so narrow - you can't move the latch rail much closer - cause the screw holes would be at the edge of the jam.

All my other storm doors contact the wearther strip gasket completely. This is a POS.

Also, EMCO spent too much on a useless mortised lock. What the hell good is a dead bolt on a storm door - a dead bolt and latch that just catch on to the latch rail.

Again - this door is a POS.

jdog said...

I actually like the Andersen doors that I have purchased. In all, I have installed 8 of these doors for my family and friends. I like the wood core door, 200 I think, though as someone noted it is made of particle board. All of the "wood core" doors I have seen are built this way. I have installed one as big as 42” by 80” for a handicapped friend of mine and it has lasted several years. I did add a kick plate to the door since he had torn through the skin of his metal entry door with his powered wheelchair. I was replacing both the entry door and the storm door at the time and put kick plates on both for him. He hasn’t had any issues with it other than the wind grabbing it a few times and the chain has saved it and that thing is a real beast. The other one is the one with the quick change glass, it has a handle that flips up and you can remove the glass or screen in less time than it takes to heat a cup of tea. I recommend this feature to everyone, it's easy to change, and the handleset is guaranteed not to tarnish. The product is made in the U.S. and they stand by the thing, including the install mistakes, I think they call this “oops proof” now. I had to use this when I cut the hinge side WAY to short once. I recommend the Andersen doors to everyone I know. While I realize it appears that I am in the minority on this site, these doors are stocked at every HD I have ever been in. My guess is that they sell thousands of these a year and if this is the most complaints they get I feel pretty good about the recommendation.

JerryC said...

EMCO customer service sucks!!!! Just pruchased door and needed shims for the strike plate. The customer rep on the phone told me that it would cost $10.85!. Its a plastic shim which cost no more then $.10 to fabricate from a plastic mold. Your kidding me right? DO NOT BUY THIS DOOR>>>>

Jim Conlon said...

I bought a front door and a screen(storm) door from HD. They came out and measured it first. Then when the installers came, the measurement were wrong. Whne they got it right, they gave me the wrong color on the storm door. The main door was fine, a nice job. The storm door was junk. It was never right. The meatl strips that hold the glass in place broke. I used screws to hold it up in the winter. Then its outer door handle fell off. The brass nut that holds it in place came off and could not be found. I went back to HD with the handle but they could not identify me or the handle. I can't get a nut or bolt to fit it.

ajkm said...

I agree with earlier posts - Emco Door and their owner, Andersen Window are quick to take you money and make warranty promises when you buy the door. However my Emco Door has had several problems and every time I call they find some way of wiggling out of responsibility.
I have my warranty book, recipe, serial number, everything. Now a supervisor has told me the warranty book which came WITH THE DOOR is no longer valid, even though the book says the part/problem should be covered for 12 years (door purchased less than 4 years ago). How can a company legally change their warranty AFTER the door has been purchased?
This problem is with the pins that hold the window into the door - not the glass, but the hardware that holds the window into the door. Their best solution was offering me 20% off a new window. However their total cost would be nearly 1/2 the cost of the original door price. Not at all what my warranty book lead me to expect.
I chose this door because Andersen is suppose to have a reputation for a quality product and that they stand behind what they sell. In this case they decided to change the warranty from my original written warranty (was told I had to follow the website warranty which has changed since I bought my door) and try to charge me an exorbitant price to fix what should have not broken in the first place.
Don't be fooled by promises and slick advertising touting a premium product. Emco Doors by Andersen are at the bottom of the barrel in quality and instead of standing behind their product, they run away from it. I'd suggest consumers run the other direction when buying a storm door. Better to buy a cheaper door and replace in in 3 years than buy an expensive door and still have to pay for it over and over.

Anonymous said...

I bought 4 of these doors at the same time. 2 for the house and 2 for the cottage. One on the house that is under the veranda is ok, but the other three are rotting or corroding whatever you call it. I think the aluminum is reacting with the glue in the wood filler when it gets wet. They only lasted about 4 yrs. paid 12200 for the 4 of them. Garbage

Anonymous said...

Anderson /emco refused to do anything 'cuz my door is over 7 yrs old......particle board core exploded.....door is junk......wont ever see another dime of my money.

Brian the handyman said...

Our Emco door is 4 years old, warped, and has developed 'rust' holes. It is a piece of garbage and will have to be replaced. The aluminum is is like tin foil and water has gotten behind it and rotted away the wood inside - it has warped and bulging holes have appeared. I will never ever buy another Emco product again!!

Anonymous said...

Anderson stated they will not sell the tiny spring that broke in their expensive brass storm door handle, but will sell the entire mechanism for the price of half the cost of the entire storm door! Unfortunately I bought their $290 storm door and their customer service is something that Anderson is not too good. I won't be buying Anderson (anything)again.