Our homes are our sanctuaries, our refuge, and our protection from the harsh conditions of the environment where we live in. We use different measures to enhance the safety of our homes for our families.



Lately, more and more people are enhancing the level of protection of their respective homes by installing sophisticated screening materials that do not only keep insects out of the house, but drive away burglars as well. The protection that screening provides also helps extend the lifespan of our homes.

Screening is a process most of us use to enhance the level of protection of our homes from the harsh elements of the environment. Screening helps keep away harmful insects, protects us from burglars, and reduces ultraviolet radiation.

It also provides heat and insullation to houses which are situated in cooler areas. The purpose of screening our doors and windows is to really keep insects out, while allowing the breeze into our homes.

Today, there is a wide range of screening materials for consumers to choose from. Depending on our purposes, different materials can be used for screening our homes. There are various materials intended for doors, and screening materials specific for windows.

They come in different mesh types, shades of various colors, and thickness of the material used. The most commonly used screen is made of vinyl-coated fiberglass and aluminum. Aluminum screens are durable and they are less likely to sag and tear, but they easily dent and may also corrode through time.

Fiberglass, on the other hand, does not dent or corrode. These screening materials are also less expensive than aluminum, and are available in a variety of mesh types. Plastic screens are also available, but these are seldom used as screening materials for homes because they burn easily.

Installing these screening material usually require professional help. Doing this saves us time, money and effort. However, repairing these screen materials is so simple that anyone of us can easily mend a tear, rip, or hole in our window or door screens.

It is practical to repair small tears and holes in our screens before they whole screen gets torn down. To begin with, we will need basic tools and simple materials such as pliers, model cement, and screen (or screenwire) which can be bought from the local hardware shop. You can also use old or scrap screening materials.

To repair a small tear in your window or door screen, you can use pliers to hold the torn screen strands. Bend the strands to their original positions and apply model cement using a small brush. Before the model cement seals, open as many holes in the screen with the use of a toothpick.

If there is large tear in the screen, you will need a patch of screening material which is similar to the one that is currently installed. Cut a bigger patch than the tear to overlap with the damaged part.

Place the new patch over the hole and fit the strands onto the mesh of the damaged screen. You can either attach the new patch by sewing, or by using an adhesive specific to the material you are using. Use a toothpick or a similar tool to align the mesh and cut stray strands using small scissors.

When you need to replace the whole screen, remove the metal frame from its hinges and place flat on a surface. Use a flat tool to remove the screen from the frame groove.

Cut the replacement screen two to three inches bigger than the frame and stretch it evenly over the screen opening. Use tape to secure the screen in place. Begin pressing the screen into the frame groove using a flat tool such as a flat screwdriver.

Continue pressing the screen into place until it is securely installed in the frame groove. Trim the edges of the screen as needed reinstall the frame back to its place.