Life keeps us busy and before you know it, time can get away from you. A tiny tear in your pool screen can turn into a gaping hole if not repaired. Worse yet, if you don’t keep up with the salt deposits it’s going to eat away at your screen leaving it unrepairable.
Experts recommend washing salt accumulation off of screens, furniture, your house, and, virtually, everything else that you keep outdoors two or three times a year. It makes a huge difference in the lifespan of your possessions. And, that means you aren’t replacing them as often which, in turn, keeps money in your pocket!
All you have to do, for the most part, is break out the power washer and have at it! If you don’t have a power washer, renting one would be cheaper than hiring someone to do the job for you. Things go pretty quickly and you may be amazed what a difference a good washing makes in the aesthetics! If you don’t have access to a power washer, break out a scrub bucket and brushes and let the kids go at it!
However, if the pool screen is too far gone already, it might be time to repair—or replace it entirely.
Nothing is forever
In addition to battling salt deposits, which continually accumulate because it’s always in the air, the sun can be equally damaging over time. Even though we’ve come a long way in protecting our stuff from sun damage, ultraviolet (UV) rays eventually weaken the structural integrity. It can’t be avoided forever—yet. Until we come up with the solution, taking every precaution is your best bet.
Your pool or lanai screen provides added protection for your outdoor living space. Allowing it to deteriorate leaves you and your family as open targets for bugs and mosquitoes to attack. Don’t think they won’t take advantage of that!
In addition to small rips or tears that tend to show up over time—especially if you have children or pets—the spline that holds your screen in place starts to shrink over time. It can cause your screens to begin to sag. When that happens, or the screen itself is beginning to deteriorate, it’s time for screen replacement.
Whether you decide to replace just the screens that have issues or rescreen the entire enclosure is up to you. If you’re replacing the screens yourself, it would be less costly to break the job up and replace the screens a few at a time starting with those in the worst shape. However, if you’re having someone come in and do the work for you, get estimates on both partial replacement and overall replacement. A little math will tell you if it’s more economical to get the job done all at once.
Mold and mildew have to go
You live in Florida, so you’ve undoubtedly had to deal with mold and mildew trying to take hold somewhere. That’s because the high humidity levels here provide the optimum conditions for it to grow. It can, literally, take hold anywhere—even on your screens. If they’re framed in aluminum, it can grow on that too.
If you don’t keep mold and mildew under control, things can go from bad to worse pretty quickly. Mold, left unchecked, eventually causes health problems for most people. And, your pet’s health can be affected as well.
Living in an environment with mold present can eventually have long-term effects on health. Problems start out innocently enough. You or someone in your family may experience the following:
• Throat irritation
• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Nasal stuffiness
• Eye irritation
• Skin irritation
While the symptoms may appear minor, they will only grow worse over time. And, they will eventually create an allergic reaction that makes someone susceptible to experiencing reactions to mold in their surroundings for a lifetime. People with chronic lung illness or a compromised immune system can be affected by mold exposure more quickly.
A solution of water and bleach can quickly eradicate mold and mildew. Merely spray the spots where mold or mildew is discovered and wipe it away. We suggest you wear a mask because the force of the spray can send some of the spores airborne. If there is a large area to deal with, you may want to bring in a professional.
DIY or hire professionals?
Rescreening seems like an easy process, but it can become frustrating if you haven’t got any experience with it. Especially, if you’re working alone because at times throughout the process the screen must be kept taut. It can be slow going as well. Even a two-man team may not knock it out in a day or two. It depends on the size of your enclosure.
There could be other issues to consider when deciding whether to rescreen your pool enclosure on your own or hire a contractor to knock out the job. For instance, most pool enclosures connected to the edge of the house. The passing of time allows for moisture from drainage between the two surfaces to become a problem. You may discover water damage or mold growth along the fascia and soffit.
Once squirrels, birds, and other pests discover the water damage, they tend to want to move in. It’s amazing how destructive these small creatures can be! The area is damaged further and repairing them should be taken care of while repairing your enclosure because the problem will only grow worse. If you aren’t experienced at construction, calling someone in to do the job is your best bet.
Another reason you may choose a professional
Some pool screen companies offer their customers a customization feature that you may want to take advantage of. Using digital imagery, yours or one from a catalog provided by the company, these companies reproduce the image you choose directly onto the new screens.
The results are truly amazing! You can completely recreate your surroundings. Then, when you add your own finishing touches, you will truly feel as if you’re stepping into your own private retreat every time you step through the door.