| Taking good care of window screens ought to be part of spring cleaning For many of us, spring cleaning includes washing winter dirt and debris off of windows and window screens. That way you will not blame washers for tears already there, and you can ask them to pay for any damages that occur during their work. REPAIRS FOR A REASON The point of having window screens is to let you open up your house to fresh air while keeping bugs and debris out. Rips and tears in the mesh, or bent screen frames, defeat that purpose. She and Walker both touted new fine-mesh screens that can block small bugs and improve your view. REPLACE AS NEEDED If a screen has large or multiple holes, or if its frame is bent or broken, then it's time for a whole new one. " The easiest way to start is by marking screens so you will remember which window they fit, says Colleen Maiura, a spokeswoman with Lowe's Home Improvement stores. You can use a marker or a small piece of tape that's strong enough not to be washed away by the garden hose. She suggests a cleaning solution of 1 cup ammonia, 3 cups of water and a squirt of dish detergent. Lay the screens on a flat surface, thoroughly wet them with a hose and use a squirt bottle to apply the cleaning mix. Leave it on for about 10 minutes, use a soft-bristled brush to remove stubborn grime, then rinse. Inexpensive patch kits available at home improvement stores include small pieces of mesh that grab around holes and close them up. Pieces of household tape can cover up tiny tears. Neither option is attractive, Walker adds, but they can serve as quick fixes in otherwise good screens. Pet screens can be mounted on sliding screen doors for easy accessibility for pets that enjoy the outdoors. For those who might have used an elbow to keep a swinging screen door from closing too rapidly, there's a better option that won't cost you a repair. Check the top of your door for a piston mechanism that you can turn and improve the pressure, to make the door close more slowly. The screens are made of super-fine strands so homeowners see less screen and more scenery. "It's almost like an invisible screen," Walker says of his company's BetterVue product. Other new products include strong pet screens that cats can climb without tearing and retractable screen doors that are mounted on door jams so they're hidden when homeowners don't need them. Don't scrub aluminum screens too hard; you could dent them. Maiura suggests shaking screens to remove excess water. If you have got fiberglass ones, you can gently snap them with a towelto send water drops flying and prevent hard water stains. , says entire patio enclosures are increasingly being built with retractable screens which are motorized for easy use. Homeowners will also start seeing strong, stainless steel screens on the market that supply some security. "You get the appearance of a screen door, but the key benefits of a security door," says Walker. "Our rule of thumb is that if the frame doesn't seal up against the window, then the bugs can come around there, so you'd need to replace it," Walker says. Fiberglass screens, which have a vinyl coating, will commence to show white strands, which means "there is virtually no integrity" left in the screen, he adds. NEW PRODUCTS Maiura says that if you're switching screens, consider a charcoal colour for better visibility. Spring cleaning is also the time to repaint wooden screen frames if needed. Consider using decorative stickers to remind them that a screen is there. If you pay someone to wash your windows, it's a good idea to inspect the screens beforehand. Taking good care of window screens ought to be part of spring cleaning |
Thursday 8 March 2012
Taking good care of window screens ought to be part of spring cleaning
