Security Screen Door vs Regular Screen Door vs Storm Door: What Is the Difference?
A security screen door is built to stop forced entry: stainless steel mesh, a frame custom-made for the opening and a true 3-point locking system, while it still lets air and light in. A regular screen door only keeps insects out, and a storm door shields the entry from wind and rain. Boss Security Screens OC installs security screen doors from $2,500 installed across Orange County and nearby Long Beach, Cerritos, Lakewood, Whittier, Hacienda Heights, Downey and Norwalk, with a 15-year warranty on product and labor.
Updated September 2026 · Prices confirmed September 2026 · By Boss Security Screens OC
Key takeaways
A regular screen door keeps bugs out. It is not built to keep a person out.
A storm door protects the entry from weather. Its glass and simple latch are not a security barrier.
A security screen door keeps the breeze and the view and adds a real barrier with its own lock.
In the mild Southern California climate, fresh air usually matters more than weather sealing.
A camera records, an alarm alerts, a locked security screen keeps them out.
What is a security screen door?
A security screen door is a door that goes in front of your main entry door and does two jobs at once: it lets fresh air and light into the house, and it stops someone from getting in. Instead of the thin fiberglass of a bug screen, it uses woven stainless steel mesh in a strong frame that is fixed to the house and locked.
Every screen is custom-made with stainless steel 12x12 mesh of 0.035-inch wire and tamper-proof hidden screws, built to resist cutting, prying and kicking. Swing doors have a true 3-point locking system. You can leave the wood or glass door open behind it for the breeze and keep the security screen door locked. See security screen doors in Orange County and how our security screens are made and tested.
What is the difference between a screen door and a security door?
The difference is what each one is built to stop. A regular screen door is built to stop insects. It usually has a light frame, fiberglass or thin aluminum mesh, a spring hinge and a simple latch. That is enough for mosquitoes and flies, but a knife cuts the mesh, and a firm push or kick can bend the frame or pop the latch.
A security screen door is built to stop people. Its stainless steel 12x12 mesh of 0.035-inch wire resists cutting, prying and kicking, the frame is made for your exact opening, the screws are hidden and tamper-proof, and the lock holds the door at three points instead of one. From inside you still get excellent visibility out and fresh air in.
What is the difference between a storm door and a security door?
A storm door is a second door with glass, or glass and screen panels, that sits in front of the entry door to protect it from wind, rain and cold. Its main job is weather protection and a little extra insulation. When the glass panel is in, the breeze stops; the latch is made to keep the door closed, not to hold back a person, and glass can be broken.
A security door, and a security screen door in particular, is built as a barrier first. It keeps the opening secure while the air still moves through the mesh. Our security screen doors also protect against severe weather (up to Category 4 hurricanes), and the mesh has no rust and no corrosion.
You may also hear our security screen door called a “heavy duty storm door”. In this guide, “storm door” means the glass weather door described above.
Security screen door, screen door and storm door side by side
Main job. Security screen door: keep people out and let air in. Regular screen door: keep insects out. Storm door: keep weather out.
What fills the frame. Security screen door: stainless steel 12x12 mesh of 0.035-inch wire. Regular screen door: fiberglass or thin aluminum mesh. Storm door: glass, or interchangeable glass and screen panels.
Lock. Security screen door: a true 3-point locking system on swing doors. Regular screen door: a simple latch. Storm door: a latch, sometimes with a basic keyed lock.
Airflow and light. Security screen door: great fresh airflow, day and night, and plenty of natural light. Regular screen door: good airflow. Storm door: airflow only when a screen panel is in.
Privacy and looks. Security screen door: provides daytime privacy and comes in custom colors. Regular screen door: little privacy. Storm door: depends on the glass.
Do you need a storm door in Southern California?
Most Orange County homes do not need one. Winters are mild, and on most days people want the front door open for the breeze, not sealed against snow. A storm door makes sense where cold and driving rain are a real problem. Here, the more common need is to open the house up for air without leaving it open to anyone who walks up, and that is exactly what a security screen door does.
Which one do you need?
Choose a regular screen door if you only want to keep bugs out and security is not a concern for that opening.
Choose a storm door if your main problem is weather and you rarely open the door for air.
Choose a security screen door if you want the door open for fresh air and want the house to stay secure while it is open.
Boss Security Screens OC security screen doors start at $2,500 installed for a swing door, with a 15-year warranty on product and labor. French door screens start at $5,000 and sliding door screens at $4,500. See the full price list. At the free consultation we measure your opening and give you a fixed quote on the spot, and every door is backed by our No Break-In Guarantee.
What do our customers say?
“Very good product and esthetically pleasing. Looks like a regular screen door but much stronger. Noder and Eugene who installed my screens are extremely professional and meticulous. I am very pleased with the end result.” Gh W. · Google review
“Very professional and fantastic install. Looks great and I can now leave my door open feeling secure.” Joseph R., West Covina · Google review
What is the difference between a security screen door and a storm door?
A security screen door is built to keep people out while letting air in; a storm door is built to keep weather out. Boss Security Screens OC installs security screen doors in Orange County from $2,500 installed, with stainless steel mesh, a true 3-point locking system and a 15-year warranty on product and labor.
Is a security screen door the same as a security door?
A security screen door is one kind of security door: it uses stainless steel mesh instead of solid panels or bars, so you get security with airflow and visibility.
Can a regular screen door stop a break-in?
No. A regular screen door is made to stop insects. Its mesh can be cut and its latch forced in seconds.
Can I see out through a security screen door?
Yes. The mesh gives excellent visibility out and fresh air in, and it provides daytime privacy from the outside.
Will a security screen door let air into the house?
Yes. You can leave the entry door open behind it and get great fresh airflow, day and night, with the security screen door locked.
Does a security screen door rust?
Our security screen doors use stainless steel mesh: no rust, no corrosion.
Can a security screen door go in front of my existing front door?
Yes. It is custom-made for your opening and installed in front of your entry door. We measure it at the free consultation and give you a fixed quote on the spot.
What does a swing security screen door cost from us?
Boss Security Screens OC swing security screen doors start at $2,500 installed in Orange County, with a 15-year warranty on product and labor. See the full price list.