repairs
Three DIY Repairs You Can Do for Your Window Screens or Enclosure
Your screen enclosure can last from 5 to 20 years. But, there will always be incidents that will need immediate repairs. Bird waste, molds, and salty air can corrode the screen and structure of your enclosure. Rodents will gnaw through wood, fiberglass, plastic, and lower-gauge aluminum in your enclosure. And, it is inevitable to have the elements damage your enclosure or window screen. When these happen, you have no choice but to have your enclosure repaired. Fortunately, not all issues need the help of a professional and you can do some of these repairs yourself.
Whether it’s for all-year-round swimming, cooking outdoors, or relaxing on your patio, we can design an outdoor screen enclosure that suits your specific lifestyle and needs. Contact us now for a free consultation with our designers to see how an outdoor screen enclosure will look for your home.
DIY Screen Repairs for Your Windows and Enclosure
Cleaning
Cleaning might seem a minor thing to do for your windows or enclosure. But, letting your window and enclosure screens sit with algae and grime will result in corrosion. If left alone, these will cause your screens to become brittle and prone to breaking.
You can use one of the following solutions for cleaning your window or enclosure screens:
- One part vinegar to one part water
- One part bleach to 40 parts of water
- 2 oz. of dish soap per gallon of water
These are gentle enough that you won’t risk damaging the paint and material of the mesh screen.
As for the method of cleaning, the best way is to use a soft-bristled brush soaked in the solution. Use this to gently scrub off any dirt or algae. Then, rinse the solution with water using a garden hose before allowing it to air dry. If there are any stubborn spots, use the bleach solution and let it sit for no more than 10 minutes before scrubbing it off.
Using a pressure washer is not recommended since the strong force of the water can damage the screen. And, if you’re going to use the bleach solution, always use protective gloves and goggles to prevent serious injury to your skin and eyes.
Patch Repair
Patching small tears or holes is an easy DIY job for your pool enclosure or window screen. Repairs will need to last until you decide to have the screen completely replaced. Because of this, the best approach is to repair any damage with a patch of mesh screen. You can use a repair hack like a silicon adhesive or a nail polish. But, these will only last for a while before you have to repair it again.
Here are the steps to patch repair the screen of your window or enclosure:
Metal screens
- Trim any edges on the screen that are unraveling with small scissors.
- Cut the screen patch from a piece of scrap screen or the screen patch from a metal screen repair kit so it is at least an inch bigger than the tear or hole in all directions.
- Carefully unravel the edges of the screen patch on the edges.
- With a thread needle, use it to weave each strand to attach the patch to the screen of your windows or enclosure.
- Close the strands by bending these over so the patch is secured to your screen.
Fiberglass screens
- Cut a fiberglass screen patch from a repair kit or from scrap to size. It should at least be an inch bigger than the tear or hole in all directions.
- Use transparent silicone to glue the patch onto the damaged area of the enclosure or window screen.
Rescreening
When your screen gets ripped out due to an accident, you will have to rescreen it. You can DIY this with a new sheet of mesh screen and the tools listed below. And, with our instructions, you will have no problems having a new screen for your window or enclosure.
What you need
- Mesh screen replacement
- Screen installer clips
- Screen roller tool
- The appropriate spline for your window or enclosure
- Utility knife
How to replace your window or enclosure screen
- Remove the screen and its spline from your window or enclosure.
- Use the screen installer clips to secure the screen before installation. You will place these where you will put the spline when it’s time to permanently secure the screen.
- You will want to secure the top first before pulling the screen tight then securing it at the bottom. Make sure to pull the screen down as you are securing it to the window or the enclosure.
- Once you’re done placing the clips at the bottom, it’s time to clip the sides. This time you will pull the screen outwards.
- After you clip the screen, you can go back to tighten and re-clip some areas one at a time. Make sure that it is how you want it to look before you add the spline that will secure the screen.
- Using a roller tool, permanently secure the screen to your enclosure or window with the spline. Start with the top section first and remove the clips one at a time as you are securing it.
- Once you’re done with the top, secure the bottom of your screen next before doing the sides. Don’t forget to pull the screen down or outwards to avoid any sagging once you’re finished.
- With a utility knife, trim off any excess screening. And, you’re done!
Save Yourself the Time and Let the Professionals Do the Work
As you can see, replacing a single screen panel for an enclosure or a window screen takes a lot of work. If you’re thinking of rescreening your whole enclosure or all the windows in your home, it is best to have the professionals do it for you. You can save a lot of time and we can do it faster without sacrificing the quality of our work. And, we can perform all kinds of repairs for your screen room, pool enclosure, and outdoor screen enclosure. So, contact us today to get a quote for the repair work for your home.
