Keeping windows in your home clean, well-maintained and in good working order should be standard operating procedure for homeowners. Included in this regimen are the window screens.
These thin pieces of material, while often ignored or overlooked by homeowners, work around the clock as barriers against outside pests and other threats such as wood rot and harsh climate conditions.
Benefits of Clean Screens
The benefits of maintaining your window screens are many and include the following:
- If you are a homeowner who’s interested in increasing the curb appeal of your property, you have the opportunity to add value to your home by maintaining your screens. The view of your home will be more appealing to passersby, guests or potential buyers.
- Dirty screens don’t work at their maximum efficiency. This is especially true when windows are open to allow fresh air to circulate throughout your home. Think of a screen as a filter that works much like those on a HVAC system which traps dirt. Instead of a clean breeze entering the window, it will be filled with dirt particles. With poor air quality flowing through your home, it could cause sinus and allergy irritation. Trapped dirt can also lead to mold on screens, which is another reason to keep them clean.
- Clean screens not only allow for better air quality, they also promote improved airflow and ventilation.
- Saving money is always a bonus to homeowners. Screens that are well-maintained have a longer lifespan and don’t need replacing as often as screens that are allowed to deteriorate.
- Outside pests are always on the lookout for entryways in a home. With clean screens in good condition, bugs, lizards, mosquitoes and even small rodents can’t get in.
- During a storm, it’s not unusual for pieces of flying debris to strike windows. Properly aligned screen frames installed with sturdy material help reduce the possibility of windowpane breakage.
- Some window screen materials provide a modicum of shady protection from the intense rays of the sun. When screens are clean, this material can help reduce the effects of heat transfer and allow you to better maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. This type of material also works as a protector against fading of carpets, wall hangings and furniture.
- Clear windowpanes allow better visibility. If screens are left unkempt, as it rains, the water striking the dirty screen splatters against the panes, leaving film and residue on windowpanes.
- Without screens, rainwater would pour through the window and pool on the windowsill. Screens help reduce the accumulation of water on sills.
Common Types of Screen Damage
Screens can become damaged in many ways, including:
- Rips and holes from pets or inquisitive pests
- Dents in the material that may turn into tears
- Brittleness from extended exposure to extreme temperatures and sunlight
- Sagging due to age or because the screen hasn’t been properly fitted to the frame
- Warped frames that don’t fit the window opening or hold screen properly
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