Window Screens How-To Guide

Window Screens

Overview
Maintenance
Questions/Answers
Articles

To maintain the effectiveness and useful life of your window screens, it is important that your home maintenance program include the proper care for your window screens.

Window screens helps keep insects out while allowing cool breezes to come in through open windows. See also: Weatherstipping & Caulking, Storm Windows, and Windows.

Shown in the "Maintenance" tab above are the recommended routine maintenance tasks for your window screens. The "Questions / Answers" tab above shows our answers to related questions. And the "Articles" tab above provides links to related informational articles and sources.

Get tips for saving money on energy, improving safety and more with our free Newsletter, or sign-up for our free Personalized Reminders.


		Maintenance Task #1: Inspect, clean and install screens

		How do you inspect, clean and install window screens?
		Inspect each window screen. Holes should either be repaired with a screen patch, or replaced. To clean the screens, lay them flat on a picnic table, driveway, or saw horse, and scrub them with a soft bristle brush and a mild detergent. Put a cloth underneath the screen to help keep the screen from being scratched. Rinse with a garden hose, and allow to dry thoroughly. When installing the screens be sure that there are no gaps between the screen frame and the window frame, where insects can pass through. Apply weather stripping if needed.

		Why is it important to inspect, clean and install window screens?
		Screens allow cool breezes to come through, that can help you save energy on your air conditioning bills. Cleaning and maintaining the screens will help extend their useful lives.

		How often should you inspect, clean and install window screens?
		Clean and install screens annually in April before the summer.

		How does Home-Wizard rate the costs and benefits for this task?
		The cost of this task is relatively high from an investment of time standpoint, depending on how many window screens you have and how difficult they are to install.

		The benefits of this task are improving the effectiveness of your window screens, and enables you to use natural breezes to cool your home which can reduce your air conditioning energy bill.

		Overall Home-Wizard benefit-versus-cost rating (one 'hat' = low and four 'hats' = high):


		Maintenance Task #2: Remove and store screens

		How do you remove and store window screens?
		Carefully remove screens from the window frame. The screens should be stored vertically and square so as not to promote warpage, in a clean storage place.

		Why is it important to remove and store window screens?
		Removing screens for the winter helps to extend their useful life. It also allows more light to enter during the winter, which can help reduce heating costs. And it allows clearer views out of the window.

		How often should you remove and store window screens?
		Screens should be removed annually in October before the winter.

		How does Home-Wizard rate the costs and benefits for this task?
		The cost of this task is relatively low, depending on how many window screens your have and how difficult it is to remove and store them. No specialized tools are required.

		The benefits of this task are that you can extend the useful life of your screens, and it allows you to enjoy clearer views through your windows in the winter (which also allow more sunlight in, that saves energy during the cold months).

		Overall Home-Wizard benefit-versus-cost rating (one 'hat' = low and four 'hats' = high):

No Ask-a-Wizard questions have been submitted yet.

Sponsor Message

Home-Wizard is brought to you by our network of sponsors as part of a commitment to making it easier for you to manage your home.

Each feature of Home-Wizard is designed to motivate, inform, encourage and support you to do the tasks that are important for saving energy and reducing your carbon footprint, improving the safety of your home, and maintaining the value of your home and major appliances.