Can You Use Draught Dodgers with a Screen Door?

Can You Use Draught Dodgers with a Screen Door?

Yes, but only if there’s enough breathing room.

There is a very particular kind of home improvement heartbreak that happens when two perfectly good products refuse to play nicely together.

Individually, they are delightful.  Together, they become a domestic dispute.  This can happen when you have a door fitted with a screen door, and you would quite reasonably like to draught proof the main door with a set of Draught Dodgers.

A screen door is a wonderful thing. It lets in fresh air, keeps out flies, and gives you that satisfying little clack when it closes. A Draught Dodger is also a wonderful thing. It helps seal the variable gaps around your door so cold (or hot) air stops sneaking in like an uninvited relative. 

But before you introduce the two, you need to check whether there is enough space between them.  Because despite their many good qualities, screen doors and Draught Dodgers are not emotionally mature enough to share the same personal space.

The measurement you need is the distance between the face of your main door and the face of your screen door when both doors are closed.

That space needs to be at least 22mm of flat surface. 

Not roughly 22mm. Not “close enough if I push it a bit”.   Actually 22mm.

The reason is simple. The Draught Dodger moulding is 15mm wide, and the seal takes up another 7mm when it does its job. That gives us the magic number: 15mm + 7mm = 22mm of flat surface. 

If you have less than that, the screen door may will hit the Draught Dodger when it closes. And then instead of a beautifully sealed front door, you have created a small but irritating engineering incident at your entrance.

The screen door might not close properly. The seal might get squashed in the wrong way. The moulding might get knocked. Someone may say, “I thought you measured it.”  So yes, we are big fans of measuring first.

To check, close your main door and close your screen door. Then measure the gap between the two door faces (you know – the one you can’t actually access now because both doors are closed).  

So… let’s try that again.   Close your screen door and keep your front door open.  Then measure from the face of the screen door to where the front door jamb closes.  It is worth checking in a few spots – top, middle and bottom – because doors are often not as straight and sensible as they pretend to be.

Some doors are a little wonky. Some are very wonky. Some appear to have been installed during a disagreement.  The smallest measurement is the one that matters.  So if you have 25mm at the top, 24mm in the middle and 18mm near the bottom, sadly, the 18mm wins. It is not enough. 

This does not mean your door cannot be draught-proofed. It just means we need to choose the right solution for your particular door setup – have a look at the EMV Door Perimeter Seal. There may be another sealing option that suits your door better, or the screen door may need to be adjusted. But the important thing is not to order Draught Dodgers (or the External Door Kit, or the Front and Back Door Kit)  and then discover your screen door has decided to body-block it every time it closes.

Draught Dodgers are designed for real doors with real gaps – including the uneven gaps that make cheap sticky seals such a nuisance. They are a proper perimeter seal, fitted neatly to the door jamb, with a finish that looks good on the door instead of looking like a sad strip of sticky stuff or foam making one last attempt at dignity.

But even a very good door seal still has to obey the laws of physics.  And physics, regrettably, does not care how much you wanted this to be easier.

So before you buy, grab a tape measure and check the clearance between your main door and your screen door. You need at least 22mm of flat surface between the face of the door and the face of the screen door.

If you have it, excellent. Your screen door and Draught Dodgers can live together in peace and mutual respect.

If you do not have enough space, please do not force the issue. That way lies door rage, squashed seals, and the sort of language that does not belong in a DIY installation video.

When in doubt, take a photo, measure the space, and send it through to us. We would much rather help you work it out before you order than have you standing at the front door later, holding a screwdriver, wondering whether your screen door has always been this annoying.

A good draught proofing solution should make your home more comfortable.  It should not start a tiny hardware feud at the front entrance.

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What’s Next?

Before choosing a door seal, check your door clearances — especially if you have a screen door, security door or flyscreen door.

Next, explore Choose the Right Solution for Your Draughty Door to find the best sealing option for your home.

Because draught proofing should not turn your front door into a tiny domestic argument.  Make your home warmer in winter, cooler in summer and more comfortable all year – while lowering your energy bills – without the angst. 

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