Whether it’s your pool, lanai, or even your gazebo, winter might be the perfect time to install your outdoor screen enclosure. Construction tends to slow down a bit during January—perhaps it’s because we tend to go crazy shopping during the holiday season. Whatever the reason behind it, your wait time may be measurably shorter if you schedule the job right after the holidays.
Are you still wrestling with whether you want to go with glass or screen though? If that’s all that holds you back, we’re throwing our hat in the ring for an outdoor screen enclosure.
Here’s why.
Enhanced sense of privacy
Creating a private outdoor area is the number one reason that homeowners give for deciding to enclose their pool or lanai area. Screen enclosures provide a measure of privacy which can be enhanced even more if you decide to work with a company that offers a customization feature.
You can choose from a selection of catalog images or provide one of your own. The images are printed directly onto your screens using the most advanced inks and dyes. They’re specially treated to stand up to the harsh Florida sunshine and are guaranteed to remain vibrant for years to come.
Glass enclosures can’t even come close to comparing in this category.
No bugs, but you catch every breeze
Living in a subtropical paradise has far more benefits than not, but you have to admit that the bug situation can get overwhelming at times—and we do mean that literally. Imagine being outdoors with family and friends and not spending a goodly amount of your time swatting and smacking at bugs and mosquitoes.
Of course, either a glass or mesh screen enclosure holds bugs at bay, but installing an outdoor screen enclosure offers added benefits. First and foremost, screen enclosures allow air to flow freely in and out of the area. Even if you don’t detect a breeze, the natural airflow is working to dry out every nook and cranny of your enclosure.
That’s huge because damp areas coupled with our humid climate promote mold and mildew growth. Once it takes hold, it spreads. Left unchecked, it leads to health problems for both humans and pets. They grow worse over time and in some cases, health issues attributed to mold have become very serious.
Symptoms of toxic mold are:
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Stuffed-up nose
Continued exposure can lead to:
• Asthma attacks that continue to grow worse
•Hypersensitivity pneumonitis—a lung disease similar to bacterial pneumonia)
•Pulmonary hemorrhage—acute bleeding from the lung
• Allergic reactions similar to hay fever or other environmental allergies
Glass enclosures contribute to mold growth because few homeowners install a proper ventilation system when installing glass enclosures due to the expense. The lack of airflow contributes to feelings of claustrophobia as well. This explains why some people experience the sensation of being “closed in” after a short period of time.
A degree of UV protection
Of course, if you’re installing an outdoor screen enclosure, you don’t expect for it to provide you with a huge amount of ultraviolet (UV) protection. Still, every little bit adds up here and the screens do provide a measure of protection. That means you won’t have to reapply sunscreen as often.
Glass enclosures can provide UV protection as well—however, you’ll pay extra for it.
An element of safety
If you have pets or small children, it can be a challenge keeping them away from the pool. They are like giant magnets for some children no matter how often they are told to stay away from the edge. The same goes for pets, right? We’ve all seen the viral videos of the headlong, no holds barred race to leap into the water—sometimes repeatedly!
An outdoor screen enclosure comes complete with a door—that can lock.
If you’re enclosing your lanai area, that lock works to keep little ones and beloved pets inside while still allowing them to play—or nap perhaps—in the fresh air. You could run indoors to grab drinks or a book and not worry about them wandering off in the short time you’d be gone.
Less debris to deal with
We’ve mentioned kids and pets, both known for dragging dirt and debris along with them no matter where they go. Even if that’s the case at your house, enclosing your outdoor living space cuts down on the amount of time spent cleaning. Especially, after a storm blows through! Imagine looking outdoors after a stormy night and everything looks as you left it, with the exception of being a bit wet maybe.
No worries there though—the sun can take care of that pronto!
Made up your mind?
We hope running these benefits by you has helped you make your choice. An outdoor screen enclosure provides you with several benefits that a glass enclosure can’t.
Privacy isn’t an option with glass enclosures unless, of course, you pay handsomely for special glass inserts. The same theory applies to UV protection as well. Mesh screen enclosures naturally provide a degree of privacy and protection from the sun.
Mold and mildew problems are far less likely to arise when installing a mesh screen enclosure as well. The free airflow continuously works against it having the proper environment for growth. Free airflow allows you to catch every whisper of a breeze as it passes by as well. That’s nothing to take for granted either!
Overall, we believe that you will be happier with a mesh screen enclosure due to the added benefits they provide. And, this is where we grab the hat out of the ring and mosey off into the sunset.
Adios, amigo.