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With the dangerous Zika virus outbreak underway in Florida, screened patios and pool enclosures take on a whole new level of importance... Not only can a screen enclosure protect friends and family enjoying the patio or pool... but the screens also serve as a primary barrier, to help keep the bugs from getting in your house and living spaces. But there's an important point most folks miss regarding screens, and it can have dire consequences: Not all screens will keep the bugs out. You see, screens have varying sizes of weave. Some screen weaves are "tighter" than others. That means there are more little rectangles per square inch of screen... and that makes each rectangle smaller. To keep mosquitoes out, pay close attention to the mesh weave of your screen. If you choose 17/20 mesh (17 rectangles wide by 20 rectangles tall per square inch of mesh) or 20/20 mesh (20 rectangles wide by 20 rectangles tall), your pool screens will be mosquito, gnat, and "no see um" free. (The Florida Department of Health has made an excellent, brief video (below) showcasing the various ways you can help protect you and your family from mosquitoes and Zika. Take 30 seconds and watch it!)
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People assume I must love hurricanes because I’m in the screen enclosure business. I get that all the time. I tell them two things…
First, they might look fragile, but when you build ‘em right, pool enclosures are tough. Pool enclosures are made of aluminum. Pound for pound, aluminum is one of the strongest materials on earth. They make airplanes out of it. And it’s flexible. Remove the screens from the enclosure -- as I eplain in this post -- and it’ll stand up in Category 3 storm. (Many of my customers survived two hurricanes in the same month of 2005 without any damage to their pool enclosures.) I have dozens of grateful customers. After hurricanes they write to me and tell me their house got damaged. But their pool enclosure was fine. Second, I hate hurricanes. They hurt people and turn folks’ lives upside down. Sure, they generate a ton of work for the industry. But that turns our industry upside down too. The insurance companies pay out too much money. Contractors come in from out of state. They don’t build to code. They don’t inform county inspectors. And then I have to clean up all the mess. I’ve seen it too many times. So hopefully... you'll never be calling me after a big storm. Because if you read--AND FOLLOW--the steps below, you never will. Here it is: 1. Go to a hardware store and buy an extension pole, a razor-knife, and some duct tape. 2. Tape the razor-knife to the end of the extension pole. 3. Cut away the screens from the aluminum cage. That's it. The screens act as a big sail in a hurricane. They're what will bring the whole structure down. So as much as we hate to cut out and replace the screens... it's much better than replacing the entire structure. Now for this reason, here's one last important point to remember. Wait on this step as late as you safely can. You don't want to cut out the screens unless you know you're likely in the direct path of the storm. Alright, that’s enough hurricanes for now. I need to get back to work… doing what I do best. Building pool enclosures. Give me a call if you’d like a free quote. My number is 941-621-6942. |
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