Window & Door Screens
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2008 - 2013 Recommendations
Know anyone who can hang window screens?
May 2012We are moving to a new apartment on the third floor. The windows open all the way up and they are 2 feet off the ground. We want to put up screens to keep out the bugs and to prevent our rumbunctious toddler from plummeting to her death. The landlord says we can put them in if we want but won't pay for them herself (kind of stingy but oh well). Does anyone know anyone who is cheep who can put up about 15 screens in the piedmont area?? Thank you! keep the toddler inside and buggies outside!
We used screen mobile, but they were not 3 stories up. Fyi. - a while back there was an article in consumer reports or another publication about how people depend on window screens as child barriers, but they do not work when kids push on them . It went on to say that kids injure themselves severely and die every year from falling out windows that are screened. It is a false sense of security. http://kidsafe.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/window-falls-prompts-cpsc-to-issue-warning/ I recommend that you also install child proof bsrs or nother barrier that is made to keep kids from falling. I beleieve there are some groups that wll install them for you. There is probably a Requrement for your landlord to allow it, if not pay for it. Call your city rent board and ask. Mom
Please be aware that the screens typically used to keep insects out will not prevent a toddler from falling out. You actually need two separate things: Insect screens and then something sturdy enough to prevent a toddler from falling out or a means to allow the window to open by only a couple of inches. safety first mom
Where to buy a wood screen door
May 2009We are looking to buy a wood screen door for the back of our 1930s bungalow. I see a lot of houses in the Berkeley area with nice vintage-looking ones, and I wonder where they got them (I realize that some may be originals, but many look new). I would love to know of an actual retail store where we can go and look at them. Otherwise, does anyone have any experience with the various wood screen door companies online? Thanks so much! GV
As crazy as it sounds I have a wooden screen door from Home Depot. It ran about $100.00, plus hardware, another $25.00, and I put it in with a friend. We did need a table saw to trim door size. The surround is all wood with a screen on top, small piece of wood in middle, then another screen on bottom. It works well, and looks good, but beware of dogs pushing noses against screen. dana
2004 - 2007 Recommendations
Need a screen for extra-wide door
Aug 2006I have an extra-wide door and I'm having a hard time finding a screen door to fit. Our door is 41 1/2 and the opening is 42. So far it looks like my only option is to have it custom-made by an online company. Surely there must be places I can buy something like this locally... right? Laurel
Hi! Have you thought about installing one of the disappearing screen doors? My in-laws had the opposite problem from you- a narrow door- and solved it by installing a do-it-yourself rolling-up into the side disappearing screen door. You can buy the kits at Home Depot or I have seen flyers for a company that installs them. We are actually going to put one on our front door- the old screen broke from too many little hands pushing through it or slamming it. That is the beauty of the disappearing ones- you only use it when you need it and it is out of the way all winter when it is too cold to leave the doors open. Look online or at Home Depot
lou
Screens for your windows
June 2006
I highly recommend Screens to Go if you are looking for someone to custom make screens for your windows. Will is extremely professional, friendly and reasonably priced. You can reach him at 510-278-1740. Christy
Screen installation to keep out the mosquitos?
May 2005We have an old house with many casement windows, and are suffering from mosquitos... I checked on the BPN website and only found one suggestion for screen installers, a franchise called ScreenMobile. Does anyone have experience with them, or can you recommend someone else who can do good screen installation? We really need something that will fit well, and would love to look into the retractable kind. Thanks! Natasha
We live in a neighborhood with lots of moths and mosquitos, we like to have our windows open often. We have had pull down screens on our casement windows for several years and they are great. They operate a bit like a pull down shade. When not needed, the screen rolls up into a container mounted at the top inside of the window frame. When you have the window open and want to pull the screen down, you just pull down the screen and it is guided by two small unobtrusive tracks on either side of the internal window frame. The screen mobile folks installed pull down screens for our casement windows and fixed screens for our double hung windows. A building contractor installed pull across screens for our french doors (they work great, too, but are a bit stiff for our little kid.) GO for the pull down screens for your casement windows. They are great. mosquito-less house owner
We hired Screenmobile last summer, and they were great. They do retractable screens, screen doors and regular screens. They came over and installed some inexpensive screens on our windows and were very nice about it, even though it was a very small job ($75). Their retractable screens looked great - we just haven't gotten to that stage yet, but I would definitely hire them again. Their main person was very knowledgeable and helpful. Jenny
Replace or repair patio screens?
March 2005We have several patio screens, with aluminum frames, that do not roll or close properly. Should we replace them? Or, is there somewhere (or someone) that can repair them at a reasonable price?
You might be able to fix the problem yourself by turning a small adjustment screw at the bottom of the screen. There may be another screw on the other side as well. Good luck. David
In response to the request for a recommendation for installing window screens: I highly recommend Arrow Glass, in Albany (or maybe El Cerrito) on San Pablo Avenue. They installed screens on all of the windows in my home, with great results. They will come out and measure, order the screens, and then when they come in, install them. Very easy to work with - I had old and new windows in my house, all different sizes, and all of the screens fit perfectly and look good. Robbi
Need to get screens made for 5 windows
Sept 2004Does anyone know who I can contact regarding window screens. I have five (5) windows that need window screens replaced and I'd like to have them made locally. I've heard that there are ''mobile'' screen makers. Thank you in advance. Anne
I've never used them, but I once was told that Arrow Glass on San Pablo in Albany (or maybe it's Berkeley) does this. Perhaps other glass companies do as well. I've made and installed a couple of screens from a kit I bought at the hardware store, but it is somewhat difficult. David in Berkeley
If your window frames are fairly square and you don't mind taking your own measurements, there are online companies that will custom build the screens and ship them to you. There is a bit of crating so shipping fees are not cheap. One would need to buy several screens to reduce the shipping overhead on a per screen basis. The ones that I ordered have simple spring tensioners for a friction fit. A super easy solution but this would not be enough though to resist swaggering toddlers and excited pets.
We just had screens custom-made and installed in our house by East Bay Screens. I thought the price and turnaround time was very reasonable and Leslie was great to work with. https://www.eastbayscreens.com/contact/
Grand Lake Ace Hardware in Oakland makes nice screens for a reasonable price.