French doors, common in Northwest homes, look great, let in loads of natural light and bring in cool breezes in summer.
But if you don’t have a screen for your French doors, or any of your other doors for that matter, you might also be letting in house flies, mosquitoes and other insects.
In the Northwest, where we often rely on windows and doors for air conditioning, that’s a problem.
Here’s a solution: Add a set of retractable screen doors.
A retractable screen door is similar to a conventional screen door except that it rolls off to the side into a slim housin
g mounted on the door frame, just like a roller shade turned on end.
Retractable screens are protected from dirt and the elements when they are not in use, which is most of the time around here.
They also can be used on single doors, including front doors and sliding doors, plus windows, garage doors and covered porches.
“People love them for French doors,” said Torre Dahl, co-owner of NorthWest Natural Lighting in Edmonds, which carries the Mirage line of retractable screen doors. “You just get a huge breeze from a 6-foot opening.”
On a French door opening, one retractable screen is installed on each side of the doors and the two meet in the middle. Usually one side can be locked into the closed position so you don’t have to open both screens to get in and out of the house.
There is one major downside: Most retractable screens doors won’t keep your pets contained indoors.
Though the mesh material is stretched tight enough to keep insects out, it is not attached to the tracks of the door, said Sam Pickering, owner of Chalet Screens of Woodinville, which carries the Phantom Screens line.
“If you have a cat that wants to get out, it could go underneath the screen,” he said. “They’re not pet-proof at all.”
Also, kids and pets, if they apply enough force, can cause screens to pop away from their magnets and snap loudly back into their housings.
Retractable screen doors are available in do-it-yourself models that sell for about $150 at most large hardware stores.
ODL-brand DIY screens, sold at Home Depot, are designed to easily mount to existing door frames, said Randy Brown, senior project manager for consumer projects at ODL.
Putting on a new retractable screen door shouldn’t take more than two hours for the average homeowner, Brown said. “We’ve worked very hard to make sure the instructions are simple to understand.”
Higher-end models must be installed professionally.
That includes Wizard screens sold at Home Depot for $399 (installation included) and Phantom Professional screens sold at Lowe’s for $399 (installation included). French sets cost about twice as much.
Most brands offer screen mesh that is enhanced to offer built-in solar protection to keep furniture and flooring from fading.
Some manufacturers also offer pet mesh to better resist damage caused by animals.
If money is no object, you might consider motorized retractable screens for the larger openings in your home.
If you wanted to cover a 16-by-8-foot garage door opening with one of Phantom’s motorized screens, for example, it would cost about $2,600 (installation included).
Sensors to detect sun and wind can be added to motorized screens, which can retract and lower according to your preferences.
Privacy mesh is also an option on Phantom’s motorized units for homeowners who want fresh air plus privacy and nearly 100 percent UV protection.
If you need a new traditional sliding door screen, you can replace your old one easily and less expensively.
Lowe’s carries basic slider screens for $44. Just be sure to measure correctly or bring your old model in for reference.
If you need a quick fix, Home Depot sells an instant screen door for $20. It hangs from a miniature curtain rod installed at the top of the door and is attached to the door jam with Velcro.
Online, the Magic Mesh Door Cover goes for $20, plus $8 shipping and handling.
It appears to open easily, and it closes with the help of “18 strategically placed magnets.” See www.buymagicmesh.com.
Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.
Resources
Mirage Retractable Screens: Northwest Natural Lighting, 7906 230th St. SW, Edmonds; 888-246-6006; www.miragescreensystems.com and www.nwnaturallighting.com. Prices, installation included, are $419 for a single screen door and $838 for a French set.
Phantom Screens: Professional model prices, installation included, start at $399 for a single door screen and $799 for a French door set. They’re available at Chalet Screens, 17325 139th Ave. NE, Woodinville; 425-823-5757; www.phantomscreens.com/chalet and at Lowe’s stores. Phantom’s DIY screens, also sold at Lowe’s, start at $138 and go up to $199.
Wizard, ODL and SeasonGuard retractable screens are sold at The Home Depot stores. Wizard screens, special ordered and installed by professionals, start at $399. ODL and SeasonGuard screens, both DIY products, cost $129 and $144 respectively.
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