Winter Screens

November's Tip - Window and Door Screens.

This Months Tip of the Month comes from Bill Wolfington of Artec Interiors. Bill Wolfington has outlined what should be done each year with your window and door screens. If you have any more questions for Bill about the Lincoln Window line or any other products.....you can reach him at billw@freeway.net

Bill writes.........

As winter fast approaches, and the leaves fill your yard with weekend work there is one more thing that you should add to your "Honey-Do" list: Window and door screens.

Sometimes these are the most overlooked items when it comes to the preparations for a long cold winter. The importance of screens in the summer here in northern Michigan can't be forgotten just because it looks like the snow will be flying soon and those pesky mosquitoes aren't annoying you during your game of horseshoes. Screens are important, and it's the perfect time to get them ready for next Spring. So what should you do?

First, remove them all! Why look through screens all winter when you are not using them. There light, easy to store, plus this gives you a chance to clean the glass behind them. There is nothing finer than the glare from a fresh fallen snow on Christmas morning through your beautifully clean windows. I know, you will still have to clean them again next spring after all that nasty white stuff is gone, but twice a year isn't that big of a deal.

Second, check for any damage or tears. Most screens today are made of fiberglass mesh and are easily repairable. Usually where you purchased your windows they can replace the screen mesh for you as well. This is a good time to have them ready for Spring. You never know how soon it will come and why have to worry about repairing it then. Besides, everybody else is trying to get theirs done in the Spring as well, be bold, beat the rush!!

Third, remove the sliding or swinging patio door screens. This can be accomplished by lowering the adjustment wheels on nearly every screen in the industry. Check it for any tears or bent frames. Remember when Uncle Louie forgot that he closed the screen then turned and tried pushing right back through it with the drink in his hands? Yep, he stretched it, good reason to have new mesh installed.

The other important reason for taking the screen doors off is because of ice and snow build up around your decks. If you have sliding screens the snow will build up against them and they won't work anyway, also the weight of the snow or ice can stretch the mesh leaving it sagging like grandma Betty's arms in a t-shirt. Your better off just removing them for the duration. While your at it, a little lubricant to the wheels won't hurt. A smooth rolling door in the Spring is a great sound that can kick off your summer on the right note.

Storing your screens always seems like a daunting task, where do you put them so the kids toys don't bang into them or get kicked around. What I have done is fairly simple and only takes a few minutes.

I hang mine over head in the garage or basement. I purchased some prepunched angle iron and attached it to my trusses hanging four piece's down about 18" , six feet apart in length, and approximately 38" apart in width. I then spanned across them with a piece of angle iron and screwed them together. What you should have now are two U-shaped contraptions hanging from your ceiling about six feet apart. Now the easy part, lay your biggest screens in first building up to your smallest ones. Try and make sure that you overlap your screens so that the frame work rests on the frame work of the previous screen.

Adjust your hanger sizes based on your largest and longest screen. This has been a great way to keep the screens ready for use and out of the way. Of course if you have a storage barn that to will work. Also, if children aren't a problem, you probably don't have to worry about inadvertent damage that can't be traced.

So remember, take care of your screens now and be ready for summer. If you have any other ideas that you have used that will help, please let us know. Take care and have a great winter!