More Tips on How to Make Your House Window and Door Screens Last Longer

As I said in "5 Ways to Make Your House Window and Door Screens Last Longer- Part 1", even though they just sit in their frames, screens get a lot of abuse. Weather, dirt and grime, wear and tear and abuse can make the window and door screens in your house need replacing long before their time. Read this informative article and find out 5 more ways to make your house window and door screens last longer!

6. Don't Lock Window and Door Screens As a Way to "Secure" Your House

This may sound like an odd bit of advice. But, think about it- if a thief wants to get into your house, s/he can easily cut- or even punch- through the screen in your house windows and doors. It's no deterrent at all. So you might as well leave them unlocked so you won't have to replace them if your house is ever robbed.

7. Immediately Repair Small Tears and Holes in Your Window and Door Screens

That way, they won't have a chance to spread and become so large that you need to replace the entire piece of screen. Small rips and holes can be fixed by using fingernail polish, a needle and thread, or by gluing a patch over the existing screen.

8. Switch the Screen and Glass Sections On Your House Doors

Why is it, when Kitty wants in, s/he climbs right up the window or door screen? A cat's claws (as well as a dog's) can easily poke holes in, and tear the screen material, as well as damage the frame. If the exterior doors in your house have interchangeable half screens like mine do, it's easy to remedy this problem. My doors had screens in the bottom and storm glass in the top sections. I simply switched the sections so the screens are on the top and the glass is on the bottom.

If switching the door screen and glass doesn't work for you, you can also install a piece of Plexiglass across the bottom of the screen. Or, screw on a piece of heavy metal grating.

9. Reinforce the Corners of Wood Window and Door Screens

Wear and tear, rough handling and warping can bend the window and door screens in your house out of shape. Wood frames can be reinforced to help prevent this problem. Just reinforce the corners of each frame by gluing in angled wood pieces. You can also use corrugated fasteners or wood screws to strengthen the joints.

10. Fix Screen Doors So They Can't Be Slammed Shut

Another way to make your house window and door screens last longer is to install or adjust door closers so they can't be slammed shut. Screens in doors that swing freely take a beating everytime the door is closed hard. That's why the doors need to be kept well maintained so they open and close smoothly. Periodically oil the hinges and latches on the doors too, to keep them working properly.

Resources
http://www.hometips.com/repair-fix/window-screens-maintenance.html
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D42NKM?smid=A3AZEU1266GEG2&tag=nextag-sports-mp-delta-20&linkCode=asn
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/screenclean