5 FAQs About Installing Window Screens

With the spring weather upon us, it’s time to open those windows. Here are 5 things you should know about the window’s wingman.

Brought to you by Andersen Windows

Window screens, the window’s “wingman,” bring in light and air while keeping out insects and small animals when you want a breath of fresh air. Here are the answers to 5 most commonly asked questions about window screens:

1. Why do I need window screens?
Window screens help let fresh air into a home without letting insects, small pests, or other unwanted visitors into the home at the same time. Not every country has window screens – they are most commonly found on homes in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

2. What do I need to consider when looking for new window screens? Frame? Hardware? Mesh material? Mesh size?
Most screens are made from either a wood or metal frame. They typically are made by window manufacturers and are designed to blend in with the overall look of your windows.

The most common materials used to make the screen mesh are aluminum and fiberglass, but bronze mesh is another premium option that is growing popular. Nylon and polyester screening is typically used on screen doors. At Andersen Windows, we offer TruScene, an insect screen made from micro-fine stainless steel mesh that’s one-third the diameter of conventional insect screen wire – it’s practically invisible.

3. How do I buy the right insect screen?
It varies from window to window, but there are some basic tips in the below video that cover much of what you need to know in order to ensure you find the right screen for your window.

4. How often do I need to replace window screens?
That depends on a number of variables – you might want to replace your screen if there was a recent severe weather event that left small dents in the screen mesh or you notice the mesh fraying near the spline. If you are replacing the window, it always makes sense to replace the screen at the same time.

5. Should I repair or replace?
The primary rule comes down to cost. For the materials and time required to repair the window screen, would it be more effective to order a replacement instead? If the price to repair is coming close to what a replacement would cost, then replace the old screen.

Victoria Keichinger

Victoria Keichinger is the Vice President, Brand Marketing for Coldwell Banker Real Estate. When she's not managing national media and advertising for the Coldwell Banker brand at work, she finds herself most at home in Jersey City, NJ with her pre-school crush turned spouse and son. A true Francophile, she loves to travel and will go anywhere there are ski slopes.