How to Protect Porch Screens

Porch screens help prevent insects from invading your home.

Porch screens are effective at providing ventilation while also keeping the window or door area partially sealed. While screen mesh is not that strong, it provides enough of a barrier to prevent animals and people from randomly walking into the house as they might do through a completely open space. Screens are useful barriers against insects as well. Protecting a porch screen from dirt or damage requires some diligence and regular maintenance.

Things You'll Need

• Windows
• Exterior lighting
• Wet rag
• Lattice work or security gate
• Patching kit

Instructions

1. Close your windows whenever there is a really strong breeze or other extreme weather condition. A window provides a barrier to prevent the screen from being damaged by stretching backward from the wind or tearing if an object hits it.

2. Keep your porch well-lit at night. This will help prevent raccoons and other nocturnal animals from approaching and scratching at your porch screens. The lighting also serves as a deterrent to vandals and thieves who could try to enter the home by breaking through a porch screen.

3. Wipe down your screens weekly with a warm, damp rag. Screens collect a lot of dust and dirt and can become clogged with debris. Regular washing helps them look their best. Screens that are very dirty can be removed and hosed down.

4. Take down removable screens for the winter if you live in an area that experiences freezing temperatures. The cold can cause the frames of the screens to warp. Store them in a warm, dry place and then put them back in the spring.

5. Place lattice-work or a safety gate at the bottoms of the screens if you have children or pets, to prevent the screens from being scratched at or pushed outward.

6. Inspect your screens regularly for signs of damage. A small tear can get worse quickly, so use a patching kit to close any small holes. A sizable rip will likely require a screen replacement.

References

• Home Wizard: Window Screen Maintenance
• Ask the Builder: Screen Porches
• Backyard America: Screen Systems