Window screens are a part of your home that may go unnoticed and neglected for long periods of time. But if you live in a warmer climate where bugs abound in the warmer months, you know how convenient it is to have good screens in your windows. Unfortunately, there are a number of things that can damage your window screens or simply make them look worn and ugly. Luckily for you, they are one of the easiest items around the house to repair yourself. With just three items from the home improvement store, you can have brand new screens with minimal effort.

Window Screen Parts

All window screens are composed of three basic parts: a metal or wood frame, a rubber cord, and the screen material. The most common damage that occurs is tears in the screen or the screen pulling from the frame. In either case, the repair is simple: replace the screen.

If you remove the frame from your window and examine it, you will see there is a groove in the frame about an eighth of an inch from the inside rim. The screen is held in this groove by a thick rubber cord, usually called spline. If you pull one edge of the cord, the whole screen will come off the frame. Rolls of replacement screen are available at all home improvement stores, as are small rolls of the rubber cord. The item that you don't want to miss is the spline roller. This tool, which looks like a small pizza cutter, allows you to quickly press the spline tightly into the groove of the window frame so that you get a tight, well-fitted screen.

Basic Screen Repair

To replace the screen, simply cut a length of your screen roll big enough to fit the frame with about two inches of overlap, cut a length of spline that will go around the whole frame, and then use the spline roller to press the spline tightly into the groove. Run the roller along the spline and it will stretch just enough to pull things tight. This job can be done alone, but it is helpful to have a second set of hands to hold the loose screen in place so you don't get wrinkles.

Reinforce the Frame

Sometimes the issue with screens is that the frame becomes wobbly and loose, sometimes badly enough that the screen won't fit in the window anymore. This is another very simple repair. Replacement corner brackets can be purchased in addition to the screen and spline. These brackets snap onto the corners of the frame and reinforce the rectangular shape of the screen.

Why Bother?

So your window screen has a few holes in it. Why does it matter? Anyone who has tried to sleep with even a single mosquito in their room knows the answer to this. Opening windows at night is an excellent way to cool your house for less money in the summer, but it is unbearable to do so if it allows all the little insects of the world into your house to buzz around your head all night.

A second, less obvious answer is that window screens can act as an extra safety barrier with children around. While most window screens are not strong enough to hold a child's full weight, they can be enough barrier to keep a small child from tumbling out of a low window before someone has a chance to pull them back in. Contact a company like United Glass Service Inc for more information.

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