Articles | How to Repair Window Screens

After years of weathering, many people often need to change or repair their home window screens. These areas include coastal areas and areas that have high wind or storms, like the mid-east of the United States. There may be holes or tears in the screen allowing flies and other pests to enter your home. Or maybe your screen has fallen out and you need to repair it. Whatever the reason you have trouble with your screens, this article can help.

If a screen is heavily damaged, it will most likely need to be completely replaced. Any hole, small or large is usually not worth the time to try and repair. Repair steps also depend on what the screen is made out of. Fiberglass screens, as well as metal screens can be repaired easily if there is only a small tear. Silicone is often the recommended method of repairing these types of screens. Simply dab a little silicone onto the tear in your screen and stand back while it dries. Sometimes, it will take several coats to repair properly and seal the hole correctly. There are other ways you can repair your screen.

If you have a metal screen, it can also be repaired in other ways. The screen can be "darned" by using pieces of scrap screening that you may have lying around. First, take a strand of an old metal screen and unravel it. Then, using a needle appropriate for sewing, you will weave the strand of screen to close the gap in your existing screen. Another option if the hole is large is to make a patch out of old screening. In order to do this you will cut a piece out of the old screen that is larger than the hole to be used as a patch. You will need to unravel strands in this case as well, using them to sew the patch onto the area that is torn. You can also mend fiberglass screens with old patches of screen. Once again, cut a piece out to fit over the tear. However, the next step it to use clear silicone glue to place the patch on the window. Allow the glue to dry properly for several hours. With today's technology, there are more and more ways of being able to repair screens and other home window or door issues.

This is a very easy project that anyone can handle. Repairing your own screens, rather than replacing them, is the perfect way to save money. However, if you prefer a new screen or windows, you should call a professional to assist you with that. Trying to repair something yourself, especially without knowing the proper way, could be costing you more money that it would if you had called a professional to begin with.